What do they like to do?

Male Poses: 17 tips to make him confident and comfortable for your camera

Male poses are some of the more difficult portraits to set up. When you take pictures of men, they’ll want to look masculine and often seem at ease in front of the camera.

The key to successful male poses, then, is first finding ways to get him to relax in front of the camera and secondly, reassure him so that he trusts you enough to let his guard down.

Portrait photographer Kelly Weech reveals her best tips and tricks for male poses that won’t disappoint, as well tried and tested advice on how to put your male subjects at ease in front of the camera.

On this page we’ll discuss some of the general – but always necessary – photography tips to consider before and during your shoot. And then on the following pages we’ll look at some specific male poses and explain why they work.

Tips for ensuring the best male poses before and during your shoot

1. Ensure you tell him what you want him to wear, where the photographs will be taken and for what purpose. Men like to know what is expected of them.
2. Reassure him and keep talking throughout the whole process about him. Ask him about his job, family life, hobbies, sport and anything that may help him to relax.
3. Sometimes I tell people that the first few frames are just test shots to get them to relax and ease the pressure. This is often when I get some of my best shots.
4. Good posture is essential for any male portrait. Remember shoulders back, chest up and stomach tight – classic male poses always incorporate these elements.
5. Try to find out his insecurities, whether this is his belly, arms, height, and come up with male poses which distract from these. Pay special attention that they are not being emphasised in the photographs.
6. With men you can often get away with shooting straight on to enhance broad shoulders.
7. Get nervous subjects to look away from or past the camera. The hardest thing is to look directly into the camera because the eyes say so much about how the subject is feeling.
8. Get men to bite their teeth together slightly to help define a strong jaw line. However, do not let them bite too hard as this can easily be overdone and look award in the image.
9. If the subject is struggling to know what to do with their hands, get them to put them into their pockets, behind them or hang them loosely by their side. Be careful if they put hands on their hips as this can be a very feminine pose.
10. Remember to change angles – shoot high and low, and landscape and portrait formats to get variations of the same male poses.
11. For more informal shots get him to roll his sleeves up or take his jacket off and hang it loosely over his shoulder.
12. Have fun and do not put any pressure on a shoot. Men can sometimes be more self critical than women so get a variety of different shots.

What do they like to do?

Men usually enjoy the process of being photographed a lot less than women. Often men will be more willing to sit for a group photo than individual portraits (see our 18 of the best-ever posing tips for group photos).

In the image above I knew the two men were keen break dancers and capable of freezing their actions into poses I could photograph, so it seemed foolish to do a straight-forward head shot.

This pose not only reflects them as individuals and creates something more unique, but because I asked them to do something they were already comfortable and confident doing, it put them at ease in front of my camera.

Talk to your male subjects about their hobbies and passions to see if it could be something you can incorporate into a pose.Capturing someone who is comfortable in their environment or doing something they love is a good way to capture their personality.

Incorporate a prop

Look around for props that men can lean against, sit on or use for posing.

Standing in front of the camera without anywhere to lean or put your hands can feel very awkward for people who are camera shy.

This portrait works because it uses the beautiful landscape to its full advantage and the focus is not solely on the subject.

Being able to lean against the tree helped this man to relax and enjoy the surroundings. One knee up and arms across chest conveys a very masculine pose.

When a particular male pose is working, use a zoom lens to get in close and keep defining the pose with small adjustments.

I used a 70-200mm lens to give enough space between me and the subject for him to relax and to not feel like I was invading his personal space.

Let them find their natural position

Find natural male poses for the individual. Like the break-dancers, capture them doing something that makes them comfortable – only this time you’re leaving it up to them find what it is that makes them feel comfortable.

I simply asked this subject to sit on the gate with one leg higher than the other and let the guitar fall into position.

Sometimes it can be easy to ‘over-pose’ a shot to what may seem like perfection but no matter how strong the pose, you will not end up with a good shot if the subject is not comfortable and relaxed.

Shoot from a low angle

For the shot above I wanted the subject to step into the picture holding his jacket open.

I took the photograph from a lower angle, which is certainly a better angle for men than it is for women.

Asking your subject to move and perform certain actions makes them feel like you are directing and telling them what to do. For some people this will help build their confidence in you as a photographer.

If you can keep up a steady flow of ideas and suggestions you will seem more professional and in control. People who are not models want guidance and look to the photographer to provide this.

Дата добавления: 2015-10-29