Your Best Posing Instructions w/ Examples

I completely agree with everyone here...posing is hard, but our job is to make it look like it was no big deal..)) Most of the time I'm being plain goofy with my clients to the point I may make a complete idiot out of myself but whatever makes them feel comfortable with me, I guess..haha Oh and I always always make sure they're comfy in their pose and try and get the photo a second before because that's when they usually smile and look at each other as they try to position themselves....

Just a few examples:

She was a very shy girl so in this shot I asked her to lay on her tummy against a beautiful window light and just look at me:

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You're so right, Lana... If you're not comfortable directing people, how are they supposed to be comfortable with taking direction? Confidence is key... and if you don't have it, then lie through your frickin' teeth and act like you do!

BTW, that last triptych is utterly delicious!!!!!!

Great thread!

Lin-z wrote in post #2660915
That sounds interesting. It seems to me to be the hardest to get the guys to do as I want. So sometimes I pose with the girl to show him what he should do.

I like this plan, example, "Scott stand over there with Becky, kiss her on the neck a couple times and then spin here around and lay a big ole kiss on her, oh you don't quite get it, well stand back and let an expert show you how. Did I mention I love my job

Just messing around..

Posing is only hard if you make it your responsibility to pose them, I pick out my background and a general pose, then tell em to do their thing and stand back and click.
The more you pose them the stiffer they get.
Of course this does not work with all couples, some have to be directed, which is no fun for anybody.

FamilyJules wrote in post #10454211
What a wonderful thread to learn from. Posing people, I think, is one of the most challenging aspects of people photography. It's a constant work in progress for me.... This industry has really brought me out of my shell, and I'm loving every minute of it. I was never shy around 2 or 3 people, but I had such a challenge directing a big group of people. But I've found I get WAY more control, if I act like I totally have it... if that makes sense. Meaning... don't show them any weakness... the minute you do, you're a little bunny in a crowd of wild wolves.... they'll eat you alive!
Anyways, one of my hardest tasks (and something that I have been working on a lot lately) is to get the "no smile" look (or semi-serious face with slight smile... we don't want them looking pissed)... the relaxed, magazine type pose. Most people start laughing as soon as I say "OK, now don't smile"...Especially the girls... the guys are a bit easier on this one. So, I came up with a little way to get the shot without them tensing up and looking contrived. (this is my little secret, and I swear, it works almost every time)
I get the bride in her pose...... and I tell her to look at my lens. Now close your eyes, relax, and on the count of three, open them and look at me. I snap the shot right at "3" and I get that relaxed, no smile look, every time: Here are a few examples of how this method works (I did this exact thing in all of these)
(I know you all have seen this shot a couple of times, but it's a great example of how this method can work)

A recent Boudoir:

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I did the same thing here, but had her look away.... "1,2,3 click"

In this one, I told her find my lens, close her eyes, and think of something that she wants to do to her fiance' when she gets home. I got this:

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best post in the thread. Awesome advice, cant wait to use this

Shockey wrote in post #10927080
"Scott stand over there with Becky, kiss her on the neck a couple times and then spin here around and lay a big ole kiss on her,

I'm not quite sure who Becky is... but okay. lol

I'm going to be shooting my first wedding in 3 weeks, this thread has been so helpful! Keep posting more tips and photos please!

Awesome tips! Subscribed.

Interesting thread and if I had any advice that would be at all helpful is to simply relax. It's been said here before, but the way that I relax is to simply realize that you'll eventually get the shot that you need and the poses that you need if you just keep working it... keep massaging them... keep joking them.

When posing a large group, I usually get to the last guy and say, "um let's see, how about you go stand in that corner over there..." pointing to the farthest corner away. Or when you have couples come up standing there together waiting for you to place them somewhere, ask the woman, "Does this gentleman belong to you?" "Yes!" And then you simply say, "Oh, dear. I'm SO sorry." Gets them laughing every time. Of course, you have to follow this up with a genuine smile, but that's easy.

If you ARE relaxed and lighthearted, it spills over to everyone else pretty quickly. And I echo Karizmatik, be an idiot. It comes relatively easily to most of us, and if you're not embarrassed about yourself at all, then they aren't either. The beauty of all of this is that IT IS SO FUN! It's just fun to joke and laugh and cut up with the wedding party on the big day. They're all in a good mood and the last bit of advice that I'd say, is that I don't care. To explain that, I mean, that if one groomsman doesn't want to do something, fine! We'll do it differently. Somehow it's going to happen and I don't care about doing it MY way. It WILL get done eventually. OK, one more thing, you WILL miss some shots. It will happen. And I've learned to just move on. Reposing, going back and recreating has never worked for me so I gave it up a LONG time ago. You'll also have 100's of other amazing shots and more than likely you'll be the ONLY one that knows you missed a shot. So relax and most of all, enjoy!

Oh, and another thing that really helps the subject visualize what you want them to do is to actually do the pose yourself first. If I want her sitting on that log, I'll sit on it first, showing her where I want her legs, arms, hands. Monkey See, Monkey Do is so very effective.

One of the more interesting group shots I've come up with is a variation on the jumping theme. I ask the bride and all the bridemaids to line up for a traditional pose. I also ask the groom and all the groomsmen to crouch behind the girls and, on my count, jump as high as they can, making whatever fun face comes to mind. It's a great way to loosen up a crowd. I then switch it around, with the guys in front and the girls all jumping. Then everyone jumps except the bride and groom, who are either kissing, looking at the camera, whatever. One thing to make sure of is that none of the guys has just had a vasectomy. This was the case at one wedding I did last year and, when the guy landed from his jump, he ruptured something. Ouch. Another time one of the guys' pants split down the back. Lol, but other than those trivial things, they usually work out really well!

PhotoMatte wrote in post #11501186
One of the more interesting group shots I've come up with is a variation on the jumping theme. I ask the bride and all the bridemaids to line up for a traditional pose. I also ask the groom and all the groomsmen to crouch behind the girls and, on my count, jump as high as they can, making whatever fun face comes to mind. It's a great way to loosen up a crowd. I then switch it around, with the guys in front and the girls all jumping. Then everyone jumps except the bride and groom, who are either kissing, looking at the camera, whatever. One thing to make sure of is that none of the guys has just had a vasectomy. This was the case at one wedding I did last year and, when the guy landed from his jump, he ruptured something. Ouch. Another time one of the guys' pants split down the back. Lol, but other than those trivial things, they usually work out really well!

Here's an example:

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more can be found here:

http://photomatte.smug​mug.com/Weddings/Heath​er-Jon/

FamilyJules wrote in post #10454211
In this one, I told her find my lens, close her eyes, and think of something that she wants to do to her fiance' when she gets home. I got this:

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is it me or am i missing the photo for this pose above?

I love this thread and think we should bring it back. It can be so helpful!

Here I was using a 500mm tokina mirror lens, and was too far away to pose them intricately. They are a very cute couple, and very goofy. I told them to just make out like no one was around, and got this.