Posing for Portrait Photography

When the eyes of the subject look into the lens (or very close to

it), the portrait seems to make eye contact with the viewer. This type

of portrait typically sells better than portraits that have the subject

looking off-camera in a more reflective pose. Reflective posing does,

however, work in a storytelling portrait—a bride glancing out a win-

dow as if waiting for her groom, a senior glancing over the top of a

book and thinking of the future, new parents looking down at their

baby and thinking of how many diapers they are going to have to

change before that kid is potty trained. Well, maybe not that last

one—but you get the picture.

POSING THE FACE 45

The eyes are the focal point of every portrait,
so they must be attractively posed and ap-
pealingly lit.

When the eyes of the subject look

into the lens, the portrait seems to

make eye contact with the viewer.