Last Minute Teaching a Class on Posing Subjects for Photographs

February

12th

2010

Last Minute Teaching a Class on Posing Subjects for Photographswritten by dav.d

Every few months Rich Legg, a local Salt Lake stock photographer, teaches a mini clinic on photography. In December he taught a class on low light photography. This month he taught a class on using studio lighting and posing. At the last minute I was asked to step in and share everything I know about posing people for photography. And I think it went really really well.

The mini clinic might have to change its name – there were about 170 people in attendance. Fortunately I have not real fear of public speaking! And after the fact people said that I did a great job and more importantly I was hilarious! Which is always a plus.

And Jeremy Hall took a few photographs of me teaching posing techniques. And the model Ingrid was a great model for the mini clinic. I won’t quit my day job – but teaching photography really is fun.

dav.d teaching posing techniques

My goal in posing people is to make them look as natural as possible – I don’t want to force a pose. But I will also demonstrate some good techniques and even create the pose myself.

And everyone gets nervous in front of a camera – and 90% of the time I am sure photographers are freaking out behind the camera. They are wondering how to bring the best out of their subject. My approach? Humor and talking to the model. Get them to relax and feel comfortable in front of the lens and that will show in the portraits.