Videos

Ksenia Pro works with Sasha Barea to show how poses read on camera: hips back, leaning forward for slimmer thighs and waist, lower back arched for an S-curve, near knee bent, triangles with arms and a pointed toe without aiming elbows at the lens, no over-twisting, and soft hands.

Two models from The Agency Arizona compare approaches. Editorial model Kailee Cannady looks for fluid movement in clothing, product or story, asks the photographer what works and commits to each pose, while commercial model Jordan Wessel, booked by beauty and lifestyle brands, plays the relatable, smiling girl next door.

Manny Ortiz demonstrates with Kayla five fallback poses for when ideas run dry: the L shape, one arm across the belly, the other raised nearest the background; one hand up, one down; looking over the shoulder on tiptoe; running hands through the hair; and dragging the feet into frame.

Dave Krugman offers five tips for working with models: build rapport over coffee before lifting the camera, shoot fewer, more deliberate frames, use a non-verbal system like having eyes follow his hand, watch background lines so they frame rather than cut through the subject, and pose for other photographers.

Jerry Ghionis presents a two-hour B&H posing session, sponsored by Westcott, with live demonstrations meant to stop photographers ever running out of poses. He shows how he directs clients towards fun and fashionable images, with approaches for plus-size brides, couples of different heights and couples who resist being posed.

Mike Browne argues the quickest way to learn posing is hiring a professional model and asking to be taught, rather than directing an untrained niece. Model Steph explains how professionals create emotion, know their angles and read the light, then runs through shapes outdoors as Browne watches the light.

Lou Freeman describes four body shapes and styles each towards an hourglass: apples get a cinched waist with a belt or corset; pears wear a flared skirt with a push-up bra or gel inserts; hourglasses need close-fitting clothes and V-necks; rulers wear anything but are moved to create curves.

Pye Jirsa and model Chelsea work through seated posing mistakes as body language: sitting deep so thighs spread, fixed by perching on the edge; legs opened for masculinity or narrowed for femininity; slumped spines; wrists bent to 90 degrees rather than softly; and faces pressed into hands, which distorts cheeks.

Jerry Ghionis shows how to flatter challenging facial features: minimise a large forehead by cropping into the hairline, chin up, head tilted away and camera lowered; shorten a long nose similarly; light a crooked nose from the opposite side; and turn the face until a prominent ear vanishes.

Jay P. Morgan lists ten posing steps: pick a pose, fix anything unflattering while shooting, use hands and arms, hold posture, stop slouching, add a hop, keep talking, take more frames, change camera angle and lens, and add a prop. He then compares Tamron's 70-180mm, contextual 35mm and 28-75mm.