Good portrait/posing book?

[Eel Noob]

Would like to start learning on how to take better pictures of people.

Any suggestions on some books for proper posing and portraits photography?


Thanks in advance

 

[mrs.hutch]

its always best in my opinion to just be creative. it depends on if your shooting kids, couples, babies, etc.. they all have different things you can try for poses and props.

 

[JerryPH]

It is hard for a beginner to be creative without some form of experience. However, I would suggest a few things:

1. Get the basics of photography down. If you don't know the basics, placing a model in front of you is wasted time.

2. Join a local strobist group. Here in Montreal we are always doing small meets where models, MUA, hairdressers are congregating and shooting modeling sessions just for fun and practice. My first time I just walked around a good 40 minutes, then just joined in and had a total blast.

3. Search Amazon.com there are tons of books on portraiture.

 

[Eel Noob]

Just want to try get better photos during family gatherings and such for the family photo album.


Most of the books I rent at the local libraries don't tell you much, majority of them just showcase alot of pictures with very little about techniques etc.


There was a photographer here that offers photography class including models but I checked his website and his pictures are not really that impressive.

 

[JerryPH]

You will never get any kind of good photos past a certain point if you do not understand what you are doing. That is what I meant by learning the basics of photography first... everything will flow from that.

Once you get the basics down, things will become a lot clearer, your shots will get a lot better and your enjoyment factor will grow.

Look for Understanding Exposure by Bryon Peterson for a good start.

 

[Eel Noob]

I already own that book and John Shaw's Closeups in Nature.


I'll ask around a few other places and browse through Amazon. Was really hoping someone here has a few good books on their shelf that they could recommend.




Thanks

 

[Dao]

There is thread in here talks about portraiture.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/professional-gallery/20071-hot-tips-portrait-photography.html

 

[JerryPH]

A simple search at amazon gave me 4 pages of viable book selections... take your pic.

Go to amazon and do a search for :"portrait posing guide"

 

[Eel Noob]

A simple search at amazon gave me 4 pages of viable book selections... take your pic.

Go to amazon and do a search for :"portrait posing guide"

I could use google and amazon and not have to come here asking but I want personal opinion/experience. Just like you recommended Understanding Exposure by Bryon Peterson. What fun is there in a forum if every other reply is google this or amazon that lol.

 

[Eel Noob]

There is thread in here talks about portraiture.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/professional-gallery/20071-hot-tips-portrait-photography.html

Thanks for the link.

 

[JerryPH]

I could use google and amazon and not have to come here asking but I want personal opinion/experience.

Seriously, posing is not that hard... a little imagination and you are set. There are limited physical possibilities that the human body can assume, and one would think that as a photographer, anything inside those physical limitations is fair game for a pose.