A Guys Pose

PhotoB · Sep 13, 2005

I've been asked to take my Brother in Laws senior portraits, but I'm not to "up" on poses for guys. Most shoots I do are women or weddings. HELP!? If you have a pic as inspiration, I'd appreciate you posting it. Thanks!

Big Mike · Sep 13, 2005

Here is a link to a guide by Monte Zucker...a well know portrait photographer. He explains both masculine and feminine posing. It may be a bit old school but it might help you get started.

http://jzportraits.home.att.net/chapter-04.html

Tally Ho · Sep 14, 2005

Monte may be 'old school' but he is still making BIG bucks teaching, and his seminars sell out in just a couple of days after he announces where his next one will be.

I will post several of my favorite images below. The biggest mistake I see in first timers posing men is the head tilt. Men MUST have their heads tipped to the low shoulder. If you tip a man's head to the high shoulder he will look feminine. Out of the 25000 (or so) men I have photographed in the past 24 years NONE have wanted to look feminine, and this includes the gay men. Are there gay men who want to look feminine? I suppose so but I have never seen any, and I #&$@ sure no straight men want to look feminine.

Tally Ho

PhotoB · Oct 5, 2005

Well. I did it. My brother in law is happy with the results, so it was a success.

Though I am interested in your honest opinions (and I can take criticism- please don't fell like you'll hurt my feelings). Honest opions are the only way we can iimprove.

PhotoB · Oct 5, 2005

and a few more...

Tally Ho · Oct 5, 2005

When I click on them, they download as text rather than an image! Can you put images on the site?

Tally

Soraiden · Oct 5, 2005

They download for me, but they take *forever* for each link...well, the first one, at least.

PhotoB · Oct 6, 2005

Okay. Have re-uploaded them to photobucket this time.

Trying one first:

PhotoB · Oct 6, 2005

PhotoB · Oct 6, 2005

PhotoB · Oct 6, 2005

PhotoB · Oct 6, 2005

PhotoB · Oct 6, 2005

Again, I appreciate ALL comments- positive AND negative.

Tally Ho · Oct 9, 2005

The first eight downloaded so that is where I will stop!

#1. There is a touch of raccoon eyes, wrinkles in the shirt, the image is flat lit and the left arm looks strange.

# 2. Raccoon eyes again, the crop is very unusual and his hand looks deformed.

# 3. The kicker light (sunlight) is rather bright and there is a bright spot on his nose from it also. He is square to the camera.

# 4. Pose is static and the kicker is again too bright.

# 5. Square to camera, the double kicker isn't good. I like the nice relaxed pose and his genuine smile, but I would crop off his legs as they do nothing to strengthen or enhance the image.

# 6. Lighting isn't good, but you have a very interesting pose idea. I may steal this one!

# 7. This is another good idea but it needs to be taken on a football field, or cropp out the pond! (I think water traps are only found in golf? Correct?)

# 8. I like the pose, but his hands look balled up. Placing one hand grasping the wrist of the other arm looks much better.

All in all you did a nice job for a first timer. I would be proud of these.

Tally

Alison · Oct 9, 2005

You've gotten some good suggestions! Overall for your first attempt you've done a great job! Tally's given you some great suggestions. Lighting will make a big difference, so trying to shoot without just harsh sun, or using a diffuser and/or reflector would be a great benefit! I look forward to seeing more of your work.