Shooting portraits first time for Charity - need advice

I have been requested to take portrait photographs for Charity fundraising (those who want their portraits taken will donate to the charity). This is the first time I will ever take portraits in a formal manner. Location will be on a balcony of our offices with lots of natural light through the building atrium.

I am thinking of using EF24-105mm f/4L lens, and shooting in AV at f/4.

What I am nervous about is directing individuals to take some poses. Any tips on the kind of poses and how to instruct people to take certain poses? Any other tips you can provide would be much appreciated. Thanks.

No one at all?!

csondagar wrote in post #15257538
No one at all?!

ask in the lighting' flash forum, natural light may be a problem depending on the conditions (location of balcony, direction of light, cloudy or bright, etc.) and you may need to supplement it with a diffused flash
I use the 50mm 1.8 on a crop for natural light portraits and get good results

watt100 wrote in post #15260349
ask in the lighting' flash forum, natural light may be a problem depending on the conditions (location of balcony, direction of light, cloudy or bright, etc.) and you may need to supplement it with a diffused flash
I use the 50mm 1.8 on a crop for natural light portraits and get good results

Thanks for your input, watt100. I have 50mm 1.8; will give it a try.

I am particularly looking for advice on posing and how to provide instruction to pose. This is why I did not post in the lighting forum.

This is something I struggle with as well. Posing subjects is more of an art than a science, so unlike the technical aspects of getting a shot right no one can say do this or don't do that as it will vary from subject to subject. Will this be head shots? The tighter the shot the easier it will be to pose. Some people will know how to pose better than others and may get it right with very little direction; others not so much. View various poses online and have a general idea or go-to pose for men, and another for women. If you're not comfortable giving instructions or even if you are sometimes the best way to pose a subject is simply to model the pose yourself. I remember for a head shot once I had a very accomplished photographer tell me to look here, point your head there, chin this way, tilt your head that way... but I was so focused on following instructions all of my expressions were uneasy and forced. Would have been a whole lot easier if he had just shown me the pose first. Anyway, hope some of this is helpful. I'm basically in the same boat as you and have a hard time with this but I've found these tips to be helpful, at least for me.