Professional Photographer Gives 10 Career Building Female Model Posing Tips

Are you looking to get started as a career glamour or high fashion model? There is more involved in female modeling than most girls think. You have to be more than just a pretty face with a good body. Learn more by reading the rest.

Although there is much more to study when starting out, one thing you need to learn are the many different poses you'll need to know in order to start a career. These posing technique will depend largely upon the type modeling you plan to do. No matter which genre, practice is a key to success in performing for a photographer's camera.

Here are a few steps to consider ...

1. Make Your Pose Look and Feel Natural

When you get ready for your first photo shoot, you want to make sure you are very comfortable and relaxed during your session. This will insure that your pictures will have a more natural look and not look "staged" or "posed".

2. Where to Find Ideas for Poses

This part is easier than you might think. You probably have hundreds of pose ideas lying around your house right now! Where? Just drag out that stack of fashion magazines you've been collecting but never threw away. If you were going to be a biologist, besides going to school, you'd most likely study under a professional biologist, wouldn't you? Modeling is no different.

Learn from those who have gone before you. Magazine photographers, directors and editors have spent numerous hours and plenty of money to get just the right look for those women posing in their pictures, not to mention the years of experience the model has worked on so faithfully.

Take advantage of this by looking at how particular poses were done, including facial expressions and body language. See if you can copy the pose and practice in front of a full length mirror. Keep at it until it feels natural to you. When it does, make some minor changes you like and start to develop your own unique posing style. Now you're on you way. Do this for at least 10 to 20 different poses and you'll have an arsenal to draw from when you need them for the photo shoot.

3. What to do with Your Hands

Hands sometimes present a challenge in model posing as they are very awkward to work with. It sometimes helps to use your hands in the setup by carrying a purse, putting them into your pocket, belt loops, etc. or touching a shoulder, well, you get the picture. You can even hide them if necessary.

4. Facial Expression

Your expression in photos is just as important, if not more so, than posing. A blank look can become boring to the viewer quickly. You'll want to "sell" a particular look to your magazine or comp card audience. Practice relaxing to look natural and set a goal to do what commercial actors do.

To get the best facial expression, take a moment to breathe deeply, close your eyes and imagine something that will show in your eyes. For example, if you want to look sad or depressed, imagine some period in your life that caused you sadness.

Or, imagine you just received a free and unlimited gold credit card to take on a shopping spree for a happy or content look. When you open your eyes, the photographer will be able to capture these feelings. It may be embarrassing at first but you need to always think of your goal of satisfying the people you are working for. That's how the professional top list supermodels like Cindy Crawford or Tyra Banks do it. These expressions will show in your eyes and the viewer will be drawn into the photograph.

5. Discover More Ideas for Posing

Unless you are doing a photo shoot for an ad agency or some other type of commercial modeling job, many of the model photographers you'll pose for will recommend you bring some of your own ideas to the session. In addition to your creative ideas, the photographer may have his or her own design in mind.

6. Establishing Rapport with the Photographer

First of all, you should be able to trust your photographer. If you are comfortable with the person behind the camera, you'll be able to portray a look that is convincing and more beautiful than you ever imagined possible.

With that said, listen to what the photographer suggests for you. If you really feel uncomfortable with the pose idea, let them know how you feel, in a non-threatening way. Remember, she is looking at your poses and expressions through the camera lens and may be seeing something you can't.

If the photographer wants something a little different, try giving another unique facial expression or maybe look away from the camera, etc. This is where your practice in front of the mirror (as stated above) really pays off.

7. Model Posing and Posture

When you strike a pose you should always keep good posture unless the photographer ask you to do something different. Pull your tummy in to give your abdomen a more muscle-toned appearance. If you have gained an extra pound stick out your chin just a bit to avoid the appearance of having a double chin in your pics.

Keep your fingers slightly apart and pointed sideways or away from the camera lens. Think three fingers as a cartoon character has. Let your hands fall naturally into position whenever you can. Remember, you want to be yourself, only on purpose. You want to look as if someone just walked into the room with a camera, caught you lounging on the couch, and snapped a picture.

8. To Smile or Not

One other tips is that you don't always have to smile. A portfolio or agency photo shoot is not a beauty pageant where you have to show those pearly whited on every shot. You should present a variety of looks, poses and outfits during your session. Take a look at the outfit you are wearing. For instance, if you are one of the women modeling in swimsuits you might or might not be smiling depending upon the mood. If you were outfitted and walking down the runway a smile might not be the best look. The key in portfolios or comp cards is variety. Show all your best assets and looks. One of them might catch the eye of the talent agent when you go to open calls.

9. Become Bold!

When the situation arises, take a chance to try out some of your own poses in front of your photographer. Most are glad to hear suggestions and see that you have a creative mind.

10. Viewing Your Portfolio or Photo Session Pictures

When you are done with the shoot, look at your final images with an objective eye. I tell my teenage and adult models they can criticize anything about the photo except themselves. This saves me lots of time. If you believe the photo just didn't work, think about why and then discover some positive ways to improve your posing or expression technique. You are not going to be a professional with one modeling shoot. Neither did any of the high fashion models you see on the mag covers. They are there as a result of hard work. At least give yourself a shot at success by paying some dues.

A final thought: The superstars of modeling work on their image and posing ability on a daily basis. Shouldn't you?

Hope you lots of success!

Bob Pardue

Bob Pardue