homely person with beautiful hands), it is a major distraction for
most of your buying clients.
Give Them Something to Hold.Generally, the hands of both
men and women photograph best when they have something to
hold on to. They photograph worst when they are left dangling. The
hands are one area of the body that clients usually pose very well on
their own, if you explain where they are to place them or what they
are to hold. If you watch people relaxing, in fact, you’ll see that they
tend to fold their hands or rest them on their body—instinctively
avoiding the uncomfortable and unflattering “dangling” positions.
Place the body and arms where you want them, then find a place
for the hands to rest, or something for them to hold. Hands hold
and they rest, they shouldn’t look like they are broken or take on the
shape of a cow’s udder (with the fingers hanging down). Following
this rule simplifies the entire process, allowing you to achieve quick
and flattering results while avoiding the very complex process that
many photographers go through when posing the hands.
Fists. Guys don’t always have to have their hands in a fist—and
if they do, it should be a relaxed fist that doesn’t look like they are
about to join in on a brawl (if the knuckles are white, the fist is too
tight).
64 POSING FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY
Place the body and arms where you want
them and then find a place for the hands to
rest.The hands photograph best when