Thanks Rosie! xoxo
If you are in the inland northwest and need photos taken, Rosie does a beautiful job. Check out her site here and blog here!
Hi all, I am so honored to be on the Kelsey Design Blog. As a photographer, I wanted to talk about some tips on how to take flattering photos of women. Sometimes it's hard to know how to take a photo, as the subject or the photo taker. What to have your subject do with their hands, legs, clothes, etc. Whether you are a photographer, stylist, blogger, mother, friend, or just someone who likes to take photos, these tips will come in handy.
Tip #1 Wardobe: What kind of outfit should I wear?
First and formost, when you are going to have your photo taken you want to wear something you are comfortable in. I always tell me clients to wear something that makes them feel confident.
Here we loved the red shoes, so we used a neutral pant and patterned shirt to off set the solid shoes. A good rule of thumb for portraits is, don't use too many patterned items of clothing. Just one will make a statement without distracting from the person in the photo.
Tip #2: Create a Visual Shape with Your Subject
As you can see above, the photo on the left shows how boxy and flat the body looks without any posing. The photo on the right shows how to create a pleasing hour glass shape, just by the placement of the hands, feet, and hips.
There are a variety of poses that will create a pleasing shape. Experiment to see what works best for you or your subjects. You can even create this shape with the subject sitting or leaning against an object, the possibilities are endless, so get creative!
Tip#3: Avoid Forced Poses
Above is an example of forced posing. The photo on the left looks forced and stiff, where as the photo on the right looks much more natural and relaxed, keep this in mind when taking photos. Practicing in the mirror (whether you are the photographer or subject) to see what different poses look like on your body, is a useful for understanding what works for a women's body.
Ahh, above is an example of the face you get when you tell your subject, "SMILE!" Instead of asking them to smile, talk with them, and GET them to smile. It is your job to get your subject's personality to come out, and avoid the "forced smile".
Keep talking behind the camera while you are taking photo. Ask them about their family, husband, boyfriend, or favorite pass time. This will put your subject at ease and create moments for those natural smiles to emerge. I just love that scrunched face genuine smile, when I get that out of a session, I know I have done my job.
Tip #4: Use Motion to Create Natural Poses
If all else fails, give your subject something to do. This will put your subject at ease, everyone's body poses differently, and it is not a one size fits all sort of deal. And don't we all feel most confident when we are comfortable? For example ask them to fix their hair, walk down the street away from you and then come back, twirl in a circle, or swing their arms back and forth. Any sort of motion can get them to loosen up, you might be surprised at the natural poses that result.
Just have fun and keep experiemting with new poses and techniques! I hope you all get out and try.
~Rose, Urban Rose Photo.
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