 |
|
A very important aspect of still (print) modeling is oddly enough, movement. There is nothing more frustrating to a photographer than a "pose". Don't hold your movements. Let your body move.
Always show a "heel". Never stand flat footed. Switch the weight of your body from one foot to the other. One heel up and then the other. Turn the upwards heel towards the camera. It causes you to tilt your hip. This does a plethera of wonderful things...it defines the calf of your leg, it tilts your hip suggestively, it causes your back to straighten. Not only that, it shows both a straight on look (to the straight camera facing leg) as well as a profile shot of the other. It lengthens the body. (For men, stand at a "cat stance" or "bow stance". Slightly spread your legs and put your weight on one foot. The cat stance will be flat footed with one heel turned sideways. The bow stance is a slight outward lunge.)
Throw your head back slowly and find the "light" whether the shot be interior studio, or exterior. Turn your head slowly in the light, but constantly. Give the photographer lots of options.
Pretend to laugh. The photographer won't laugh AT you, he will thank you! It makes you radiant.
Turn your shoulders. Turning your shoulders towards the camera at a slight angle makes you appear thinner. (or with men, this flexes the muscles). Drop the front shoulder from time to time as you move. This gives a more mature, suggestive look, or if you are younger or more innocent looking, this will highten the effect. This will cause your chin to drop while your eyes look upwards searching for the lens of the camera. This is a wonderful look for ALL models.
Another thing to try is to swivel the hips turning almost backwards toward the camera. Remember that heel! Now swivel back looking dead on into the camera. Your back will straighten and you will have a nice profile face shot.
One other trick of the trade is "action". Let out a "whoohoo!" Dance like crazy. Throw your head around. It's fun and it looks fantastic on film (or digital).
For that super sexy look, throw that one shoulder forward, lower the chin, turn up the eyes towards the camera and say "whaaaaat" slowly. Try it in your mirror first. Mouthing the word "what" gives you the most incredible sexy mouth EVER. (Or as Heather suggested vowels work really great too).
Nothing is harder for a photographer than a "poser". Don't move too fast, but don't stay in a postition for any longer than 5 seconds either. Remember, you and the photographer are a team, with each trying to achieve the maximum amount of fabulous photos in one session. Don't wait to hear the click of the camera, keep going unless you are told to "hold", and only then wait for the click and then keep going. Change, change, change. You will be amazed about the variety of photos you can achieve on one single 30 minute session with a photographer if you do it right.
Moving keeps you natural, and the right kind of movement, concentrating on things like the heels, back, and chin will give you some absolutely stunning pictures. Try it. You will love the results, and the photographer will love you for it.
|
|
|
