handsandusingthisknowledgeinourcompositionwecan
include them to heighten meaning.
Handsinportraitscanquiteoftenbehardtopositionina
satisfactoryandpleasingway.Lookingunnaturalandrigid
theycancreateuneaseinanotherwisesuccessfulimage.
Takingcaretoplacethemattractivelyandincharactercan
greatly enhance the overall feel of the composition.
Againtherearecertainrulesthatthephotographershould
adhereto,tocreatemorepleasinglinesintheirimagery.
Masculineand femininehand poseswillalsoapply,and
againmalehandswillbestrongandpowerful,andfemale
hands softer and more delicate.
Backsofhandsshouldbeavoidedinimagesastheycan
appearaggressiveandclosed,especiallyifplacednearthe
face.Theycanalsocompetewiththefaceastheprimary
subjectsoshouldcomplementtheshotratherthanoverride
it.
Byturningthehandsthephotographerwillalsointurnslim
downthearm,sincetheslimmersideoftheforearmwillbe
directedtowardsthecameraasopposedtothewiderarea
thatwouldagaincompeteforattentionandbeunflattering
to the subject.
Hands should be relaxed and natural if they are to be
included ina portrait;thereis nothingmoreunattractive
thantenseclaw-like fingers.You canaskthe subjectto
shaketheirhandstoloosenthem,ortoplacethethumbin
thecentreofthepalmofthehandtoloosenandrelaxthe
tendons and joints in a more attractive way.