How would you pose the hands in these photos?

[Destin]

Took these as part of a recent senior portrait session. I like the light and the mood, but the obvious posing issues with the hands annoy me to no end. I'm still learning posing, and I'm curious to know:

How would you pose the subjects hands/arms? Where would you put them? What would you tell him to get him to put them where you want?

I feel like I'm in a super bad slump with my posing lately and need some inspiration. Everything I try just ends up looking awkward.

Note that these are not final edits and still have some revisions to go... so yeah, I know his red hat is visible in #2.

1.)

2.)

3.)

 

[Destin]

Bumping this now that it's a reasonable time of day

 

[JoeW]

My general rules about hands and fingers:
--don't cut them off...you don't want it to look like the subject experienced an unfortunate accident with a band saw (an issue in #1)
--as long as you can make it look natural, extend them (rather than a fist) so you create a longer flowing line (an issue in #3).
--don't have guys place their hands between their legs when they're wearing dark pants b/c at first glance it looks like their fly is open and they're exposing the camera (an issue in #3).
--The pose that (focusing solely on the hands) that I like the best is #2. Even then, I'd prefer the hands apart...just let them dangle.

With an amateur model (b/c they often don't know what to do with their hands), I give them a prop...a champagne flute, a cell phone, a glass coke bottle, a rose, a pen, a folio, a hairbrush, a lollypop, a baseball bat or pair of high heels or dog leash (obviously it needs to be appropriate to the setting and subject...someone in an evening gown holding a dog collar and leash smacks of fetish)...something to hold and occupy their hands.

 

[benhasajeep]

Hands can relay a lot of information in a picture. A closed fist could invoke strength, tension, rage, etc. An open hand could invoke openness, welcome, happiness, etc. And open hand on another can invoke caring, tenderness, protection, etc.

The hands should match the facial expression and body language. The first pic you could almost go with a closed hand / fist with his facial and body language. The second pic is fitting since he has the look of boredom and his hands are kinda figidity. The bottom one the face tells a different story, but the hands still says figidity.

 

[TheLibrarian]

Hand on the knee, elbow out like a brooding Conan. Other arm elbow on knee forearm horizontal palm in like you're showing off a watch.

One hand under/ to the chin is a bit cliche.

 

[rosh4u]

There are actually poses where the position of hand differs. In the very first photo if one hand is under as you kept and another under the chin would be good to go with. So hand position differs.

 

[Pmcn500]

Apologies if this is redundant now..... but i would have maybe gone for something like this....