Pascal Baetens. Nude Photography. The Art and The Craft. 2007

poses 89

S-forms
curves not only add elegance, but
also dynamism. in the shot on the right
the pose is completely symmetrical,
very still, and very static. i asked
Annelies to curve her back and look
to the left, into the direction of the
light, and you can see that the image
below has much more energy. if i had
asked her to look to the right it would
have added an extra curve and she
would be looking away from the light,
resulting in a very different effect.

An all-over lift

standing on tiptoes puts tension into the calves and thighs, lifts the bum, and

brings the shoulders back slightly, making even the position of the head more

elegant. this is one reason why high heels are so popular in glamour photography.

Facing the light

the best way to show your model aware of and connecting with her environment

is to have her face the direction of the light. in the image on the right also notice

how the elbow looks more graceful when it’s not pointing directly at the camera.

Silhouettes

With silhouettes it is especially important to get the pose just right. in the shot on

the left there is no space between the model’s head and her arm, which spoils the

shape of the pose. in general, it is better if all the major body forms are defined.