Posing for Portrait Photography

five favorite poses with every client, you lose and they lose. When
you take control over your photographs, you can better produce
exactly what your client is looking for. It’s at this point that you can
consider yourself a professional. You will also find that, when clients
are truly satisfied, your bank account will grow with your ability.
To show this concept in action, I’ve created the following series
of images using the same subject in different styles of clothing and
tracking the session from her arrival at the studio. Notice how the
background and posing changes as the clothes change, ensuring that
each part of the portrait makes visual sense.

104 POSING FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

Each session begins with the client deciding on the ideas that they want
(and don’t want) in their session. We have thirty sample books with
twenty-four images in each, showing all the different backgrounds, sets,
and posing options.

One of the assistants/set movers goes over the ideas and options with

the client. They list all of the ideas on the client card, along with any

notes about possible changes to the selected images.

The next step is to start coordinating the client’s clothing with the backgrounds they selected. The
assistant makes a list of which background each outfit is for, and notes any problems or correc-
tions that need to be made.

It’s at this point that you can

consider yourself a professional.