posing pitfalls
POSING PITFALLS CHECKLIST
5 THINGS THAT RUIN A POSE & HOW TO FIX THEM
POOR POSTURE PROBLEMS:
SOLUTION:
Causes shortened neck, compressed height, gathering in midsection.
Direct your subject to “Pull up through the top of the head, elongate.” Be conscious of leaning back in a chair or collapsing into shoulders.
HEIGHT
subject appears shorter.
notice the height difference when posture is elongated.
AFTER
BEFORE
NECK
AFTER
© 2016 All images are the property of Lindsay Adler Photography. All rights reserved.
BEFORE
neck appears almost twice the height.
SITTING collapsed shoulders.
bunching of clothing. BEFORE
2
POSING PITFALLS CHECKLIST
AFTER
subject away from back of chair improves posture providing a long, elegant look.
lindsayadlerphotography.com
FORESHORTENING PROBLEMS:
SOLUTION:
Perspective appears to compress appendages (arms, legs) and body looks shorter or cut off.
Change pose or angle to avoid anything coming directly toward or away from camera. Make a perspective or pose adjustment.
ARMS
BEFORE
elbow facing camera compresses arm for an unflattering pose.
AFTER
AFTER
elbow placement out to side for a more theatrical look (left) and in towards body (right) provide two good solutions.
LEG PLACEMENT
© 2016 All images are the property of Lindsay Adler Photography. All rights reserved.
BEFORE
AFTER
forward facing with arms close to body and legs toward camera creates boxy look; the arms and legs both are compressed and appear shorter.
AFTER
same pose, but changing either the subject’s position or your position (perspective) makes this a better pose.
BODY COMPRESSION
AFTER BEFORE
this pose hides legs; appearance of floating torso.
3
POSING PITFALLS CHECKLIST
changing perspective shows good form (left), but with good posture (above) pose is fixed.
lindsayadlerphotography.com
MERGERS PROBLEMS:
SOLUTION:
Elements of the body blend together to make the subject have unflattering form or silhouette. This includes arms tight to body, overly baggy clothes, feet appearing out of the head, and more.
There are three main solutions. Create negative space, utilize “in-body posing,” or contour the body with arms. Try to avoid too baggy clothing.
1: CREATE NEGATIVE SPACE ARMS - LONG SLEEVE
BEFORE
arms tight to side; long sleeves merge with body giving wider or boxy appearance.
AFTER
AFTER
solution example 1: open arms create pleasing negative space.
solution example 2: negative space with triangles (here, two).
AFTER
solution example 3: negative space and hand riased gently on jaw.
© 2016 All images are the property of Lindsay Adler Photography. All rights reserved.
SIDE POSE
BEFORE
AFTER
(left): same principles apply with a side pose; arms to side creates mergers; (right): elbows bent back slightly creates a negative space solution and a stronger pose.
4
POSING PITFALLS CHECKLIST
lindsayadlerphotography.com
MERGERS
CONTINUED
2: UTILIZE “IN-BODY” POSING
before: crossed arms with elbows at side and flat leg position create an unflattering boxy look.
AFTER
BEFORE
after: “in-body” posing is created by bringing the arms and legs within the frame of the body; by meeting the arms in the center, an hour-glass shape is created and the hands are placed to create elegant leading lines.
3: CONTOURING before: arms at sides of body create a merged and boxy pose. after: contouring the body with the arms bends one elbow in near the waste of the subject, enhancing pleasing shapes and curves. Here, the subject has one hand on the hip to create negative space; the other arm is contoured against the frame by having the subject shrug her shoulder back, allowing the arm to bend at the elbow and hand slide upward.
BEFORE
AFTER
© 2016 All images are the property of Lindsay Adler Photography. All rights reserved.
AVOID BAGGY CLOTHING
BEFORE
(a)
before: baggy clothing makes the subject look wider, not flattering; (a): popping up elbows slightly to create negative space not working here because the clothing is filling in the space; makes subject look even wider!
5
POSING PITFALLS CHECKLIST
(b)
AFTER
(b): hand placed on hip inside of jacket gives definition to her waist, and opens negative space; after: other hand placed higher on jacket, slinking in arm, gives definition to other side of waist; perfect!
lindsayadlerphotography.com
www.TetherTools.com
Tethering with Tether Tools is an integral part of my workflow. My entire creative team works together to bring our concepts to life, and tethering allows us to discuss the success of the shoot as it’s going. No more worry if we ‘got the shot’... we KNOW when we’ve got it!
Lindsay Adler TETHER TOOLS PRO
#betterwhenyoutether
BAD HAND POSE PROBLEMS:
SOLUTION:
Poorly placed hands distract from entire pose. “Bad hands” include covering the jawline, hands pushed into the face, tense or claw-like fingers, too much palm or back of hand is visible.
Usually pose with the pinky side of hand toward the camera. Aim to have relaxed hands. Try moving hands into place for believable hand pose. “Wiggle and set them back down” to relax more.
be sure to be look for these bad hand poses near the face which distract from the entire pose:
© 2016 All images are the property of Lindsay Adler Photography. All rights reserved.
white open palm distracts from face
BEFORE
AFTER
front of hand facing camera
BEFORE
AFTER
hand covers entire jawline
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER
white open palm distracts from pose
open fingers spread on neckline
7
POSING PITFALLS CHECKLIST
the pinky toward camera on the “after” shots creates more elegant lines and flattering hand placement; to create relaxed fingers, fingers are often “wiggled” and set back down for a gentler look.
lindsayadlerphotography.com
BAD HAND POSE
© 2016 All images are the property of Lindsay Adler Photography. All rights reserved.
CONTINUED
8
BEFORE
AFTER
clenched fingers on the waist are distracting and create a mood of tension in the image
hands placed gently on thighs, with back shoulder shrugged to bend back elbow slightly, hand slightly raised.
BEFORE
AFTER
this pose is awkward and not relaxed
hands raised slightly above waist, bent at wrist and elbows back slightly; a more relaxed subject and a much better pose.
POSING PITFALLS CHECKLIST
lindsayadlerphotography.com
WEAK EXPRESSION PROBLEMS: Tense, uncomfortable, or unbelievable expression detracts from entire image.
SOLUTION: Relax the forehead, eyebrows and lips. If using eye contact, be sure you achieve a strong connection with camera. Get to know your subject to help them relax. Use positive reinforcement and their name often.
BEFORE
wide open eyes and raised eyebrows AFTER
having subject release tension and relax produced natural smile and relaxed eyes.
BEFORE
eyes show no expression © 2016 All images are the property of Lindsay Adler Photography. All rights reserved.
AFTER
a smile or smolder to their eyes pulls out a soft and natural expression for a great pose.
BEFORE
lips have tension and look uneasy AFTER
a big breathe in and out relaxes the subject for more natural looking lips.
9
POSING PITFALLS CHECKLIST
lindsayadlerphotography.com
LINDSAY ADLER
Professional Photographer, and dozens
A clean, bold, and graphic style has become the hallmark of her work, whether shooting advertising campaigns, designer look books, jewelry, hair campaigns, fashion editorials, or professional athletes. Lindsay is renowned for her creativity and collaborating with designers and stylists in order to
more. As a photographic educator,
create fresh looks.
Fashion photographer Lindsay Adler has risen to the top of her industry as both a photographer and educator. Based in New York City, her fashion editorials have appeared in numerous fashion and photography publications, including, Marie Claire, ELLE, InStyle, Noise Magazine, Zink Magazine, Rangefinder,
she is one of the most sought after speakers internationally, teaching on the industry’s largest platforms and at the most prestigious events, having been named one of the top 10 best fashion photographers in the world. Lindsay has worked with some of the top brands in the photographic and related industries, such as Canon, Adobe, and Microsoft.
An author of four books, she is always working on new ways to share her passions and knowledge with others. Each year she teaches tens of thousands of photographers worldwide through prestigious platforms such as creativeLIVE, KelbyOne, and the industry’s biggest conferences.
lindsayadlerphotography.com
5 THINGS THAT RUIN A POSE & HOW TO FIX THEM
POOR POSTURE PROBLEMS:
SOLUTION:
Causes shortened neck, compressed height, gathering in midsection.
Direct your subject to “Pull up through the top of the head, elongate.” Be conscious of leaning back in a chair or collapsing into shoulders.
HEIGHT
subject appears shorter.
notice the height difference when posture is elongated.
AFTER
BEFORE
NECK
AFTER
© 2016 All images are the property of Lindsay Adler Photography. All rights reserved.
BEFORE
neck appears almost twice the height.
SITTING collapsed shoulders.
bunching of clothing. BEFORE
2
POSING PITFALLS CHECKLIST
AFTER
subject away from back of chair improves posture providing a long, elegant look.
lindsayadlerphotography.com
FORESHORTENING PROBLEMS:
SOLUTION:
Perspective appears to compress appendages (arms, legs) and body looks shorter or cut off.
Change pose or angle to avoid anything coming directly toward or away from camera. Make a perspective or pose adjustment.
ARMS
BEFORE
elbow facing camera compresses arm for an unflattering pose.
AFTER
AFTER
elbow placement out to side for a more theatrical look (left) and in towards body (right) provide two good solutions.
LEG PLACEMENT
© 2016 All images are the property of Lindsay Adler Photography. All rights reserved.
BEFORE
AFTER
forward facing with arms close to body and legs toward camera creates boxy look; the arms and legs both are compressed and appear shorter.
AFTER
same pose, but changing either the subject’s position or your position (perspective) makes this a better pose.
BODY COMPRESSION
AFTER BEFORE
this pose hides legs; appearance of floating torso.
3
POSING PITFALLS CHECKLIST
changing perspective shows good form (left), but with good posture (above) pose is fixed.
lindsayadlerphotography.com
MERGERS PROBLEMS:
SOLUTION:
Elements of the body blend together to make the subject have unflattering form or silhouette. This includes arms tight to body, overly baggy clothes, feet appearing out of the head, and more.
There are three main solutions. Create negative space, utilize “in-body posing,” or contour the body with arms. Try to avoid too baggy clothing.
1: CREATE NEGATIVE SPACE ARMS - LONG SLEEVE
BEFORE
arms tight to side; long sleeves merge with body giving wider or boxy appearance.
AFTER
AFTER
solution example 1: open arms create pleasing negative space.
solution example 2: negative space with triangles (here, two).
AFTER
solution example 3: negative space and hand riased gently on jaw.
© 2016 All images are the property of Lindsay Adler Photography. All rights reserved.
SIDE POSE
BEFORE
AFTER
(left): same principles apply with a side pose; arms to side creates mergers; (right): elbows bent back slightly creates a negative space solution and a stronger pose.
4
POSING PITFALLS CHECKLIST
lindsayadlerphotography.com
MERGERS
CONTINUED
2: UTILIZE “IN-BODY” POSING
before: crossed arms with elbows at side and flat leg position create an unflattering boxy look.
AFTER
BEFORE
after: “in-body” posing is created by bringing the arms and legs within the frame of the body; by meeting the arms in the center, an hour-glass shape is created and the hands are placed to create elegant leading lines.
3: CONTOURING before: arms at sides of body create a merged and boxy pose. after: contouring the body with the arms bends one elbow in near the waste of the subject, enhancing pleasing shapes and curves. Here, the subject has one hand on the hip to create negative space; the other arm is contoured against the frame by having the subject shrug her shoulder back, allowing the arm to bend at the elbow and hand slide upward.
BEFORE
AFTER
© 2016 All images are the property of Lindsay Adler Photography. All rights reserved.
AVOID BAGGY CLOTHING
BEFORE
(a)
before: baggy clothing makes the subject look wider, not flattering; (a): popping up elbows slightly to create negative space not working here because the clothing is filling in the space; makes subject look even wider!
5
POSING PITFALLS CHECKLIST
(b)
AFTER
(b): hand placed on hip inside of jacket gives definition to her waist, and opens negative space; after: other hand placed higher on jacket, slinking in arm, gives definition to other side of waist; perfect!
lindsayadlerphotography.com
www.TetherTools.com
Tethering with Tether Tools is an integral part of my workflow. My entire creative team works together to bring our concepts to life, and tethering allows us to discuss the success of the shoot as it’s going. No more worry if we ‘got the shot’... we KNOW when we’ve got it!
Lindsay Adler TETHER TOOLS PRO
#betterwhenyoutether
BAD HAND POSE PROBLEMS:
SOLUTION:
Poorly placed hands distract from entire pose. “Bad hands” include covering the jawline, hands pushed into the face, tense or claw-like fingers, too much palm or back of hand is visible.
Usually pose with the pinky side of hand toward the camera. Aim to have relaxed hands. Try moving hands into place for believable hand pose. “Wiggle and set them back down” to relax more.
be sure to be look for these bad hand poses near the face which distract from the entire pose:
© 2016 All images are the property of Lindsay Adler Photography. All rights reserved.
white open palm distracts from face
BEFORE
AFTER
front of hand facing camera
BEFORE
AFTER
hand covers entire jawline
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER
white open palm distracts from pose
open fingers spread on neckline
7
POSING PITFALLS CHECKLIST
the pinky toward camera on the “after” shots creates more elegant lines and flattering hand placement; to create relaxed fingers, fingers are often “wiggled” and set back down for a gentler look.
lindsayadlerphotography.com
BAD HAND POSE
© 2016 All images are the property of Lindsay Adler Photography. All rights reserved.
CONTINUED
8
BEFORE
AFTER
clenched fingers on the waist are distracting and create a mood of tension in the image
hands placed gently on thighs, with back shoulder shrugged to bend back elbow slightly, hand slightly raised.
BEFORE
AFTER
this pose is awkward and not relaxed
hands raised slightly above waist, bent at wrist and elbows back slightly; a more relaxed subject and a much better pose.
POSING PITFALLS CHECKLIST
lindsayadlerphotography.com
WEAK EXPRESSION PROBLEMS: Tense, uncomfortable, or unbelievable expression detracts from entire image.
SOLUTION: Relax the forehead, eyebrows and lips. If using eye contact, be sure you achieve a strong connection with camera. Get to know your subject to help them relax. Use positive reinforcement and their name often.
BEFORE
wide open eyes and raised eyebrows AFTER
having subject release tension and relax produced natural smile and relaxed eyes.
BEFORE
eyes show no expression © 2016 All images are the property of Lindsay Adler Photography. All rights reserved.
AFTER
a smile or smolder to their eyes pulls out a soft and natural expression for a great pose.
BEFORE
lips have tension and look uneasy AFTER
a big breathe in and out relaxes the subject for more natural looking lips.
9
POSING PITFALLS CHECKLIST
lindsayadlerphotography.com
LINDSAY ADLER
Professional Photographer, and dozens
A clean, bold, and graphic style has become the hallmark of her work, whether shooting advertising campaigns, designer look books, jewelry, hair campaigns, fashion editorials, or professional athletes. Lindsay is renowned for her creativity and collaborating with designers and stylists in order to
more. As a photographic educator,
create fresh looks.
Fashion photographer Lindsay Adler has risen to the top of her industry as both a photographer and educator. Based in New York City, her fashion editorials have appeared in numerous fashion and photography publications, including, Marie Claire, ELLE, InStyle, Noise Magazine, Zink Magazine, Rangefinder,
she is one of the most sought after speakers internationally, teaching on the industry’s largest platforms and at the most prestigious events, having been named one of the top 10 best fashion photographers in the world. Lindsay has worked with some of the top brands in the photographic and related industries, such as Canon, Adobe, and Microsoft.
An author of four books, she is always working on new ways to share her passions and knowledge with others. Each year she teaches tens of thousands of photographers worldwide through prestigious platforms such as creativeLIVE, KelbyOne, and the industry’s biggest conferences.
lindsayadlerphotography.com
