How do you photograph overweight subjs?

stellar_gal · Mar 13, 2007

Hi. I've gotten tons of great info from this sight, but this is my first post. I need advice on how to take appealing photos (if possible) of overweight people, mostly women. Not just a little overweight,but grossly 300lbs -plus. I've been asked to photograph a friends brothers wedding this weekend and their family is 'huge'- no pun. Small wedding 20 or so in a back yard and it's either me and my 30D, or just point and shoots from realtives, so I agreed to help, for free no doubt. The bride and groom are not too overweigh- but the other family members are. I know not to take the photos from below their level and get those unflattering double-chin shots (from experience), but any advice on slight poses, add photos, ect would be very helpful. Thanks!

gizmo2071 · Mar 13, 2007

I guess you need to know as to what extent to flatter.
If they're all happy with them selves then you shouldn't have to do too much to try and make them look as they are not.
They should be all happy and smiling and I think the emotions and expressions will be the main things to concentrate on.

drgibson · Mar 13, 2007

and don't take pics of my bald spot either>!

Big Mike · Mar 13, 2007

There are some things you can do, not to emphasize their size...but it's likely that they know they are large so trying to hide that would be an exercise in futility.

Getting above them, as you mentioned, is a good one. Certainly try not to have them face the camera directly, have them stand at an angle instead. Use a longer lens and back up...but be careful not to seem like you are backing up to fit them in the scene. Use other people or objects to partially obscure their bodies. Have one person partially behind another and so on.

You could always use photoshop to make them look less huge. One technique would be to use the 'Liquefy' tool...but that has to be done very subtly. A quick technique is to just transform the image by bringing in the sides, while not constraining the height. This will squeeze the whole image, so don't go too far. Then crop the image back to the proper proportions.

JohnMF · Mar 14, 2007

try using a wide angle lens or arranging shots so that thinner, smaller people are in the foreground and the larger people are further away

stellar_gal · Mar 14, 2007

I'll keep all this in mind. Thanks for your help!

Digital Matt · Mar 14, 2007

JohnMF said:
try using a wide angle lens or arranging shots so that thinner, smaller people are in the foreground and the larger people are further away

I would definitely NOT use a wide angle lens. This will only distort and enlarge features that should not be enlarged.

Christie Photo · Mar 14, 2007

Big Mike said:
There are some things you can do, not to emphasize their size...but it's likely that they know they are large so trying to hide that would be an exercise in futility.

Once again, Mike... you've put it very well.

They know they're big. Weddings give us a bit of an edge since everyone is wearing their best and feeling good. If you can get a lot of natural smiles, I think you will succeed.

Pete

Big Mike · Mar 14, 2007

Thanks Pete.

Maybe I should stop posting on the forum and just write a book.:greenpbl:

Christie Photo · Mar 14, 2007

Big Mike said:
Thanks Pete.

Maybe I should stop posting on the forum and just write a book.:greenpbl:

Well... feel free to go ahead with the book... I'd buy one. But you ain't goin' anywhere... just put that out of your head.

RVsForFun · Mar 21, 2007

...I keep photos of swimsuit models for just this occasion. I then swap heads of my portly subjects and put them on the swimsuit models. My clients are greatful....:lmao:

newrmdmike · Mar 21, 2007

hmmm . . . big people. the personalities of the people i book seem to all be pretty much the same, and that personality type would prevent them from hiring me if they weren't super comfortable with their size.

however, based on my experience real big people aren't going to pay much for photographs of themselves, i've never had anyone hire me that was very overweight.

. . . and all the bigger people have been in weddings, just like your experiencing, i've had a hard time with that too.

just hope that they have great personalities and their expressions will outweigh their size.

PNA · Mar 21, 2007

With a very narrow lens.....:lmao:

ksmattfish · Mar 21, 2007

Get people to lean forward if they can. This is slimming on almost anybody. Obviously they have to be able to hold the position, but I often tell my subjects that if they feel like they are about to fall over, that's just how I want them. I usually want the face parallel to the film/sensor plane; I don't want the chin jutting out closer than the eyes.

When I meet with brides months or a year before their wedding, and they ask me if I know any slimming tricks, I tell them I know a great one: 30 to 60 min of aerobic workout 5 days a week. By the time the wedding rolls around they'll look great! Fortunately they've all laughed at this so far.

RMThompson · Mar 21, 2007

I've got an easy solution... if I want to shoot an overweight subject, I look in the mirror.

Seriously, to fix posture I've learned a little trick... It's hard to explain, but it helps with overweight people, even myself.

You take your right foot and stick it out a bit, and then take the HEEL of your LEFT FOOT and place it perpendicular to your right foot.

Hey, I made this TERRIBLE diagram: