Posing Challenge

[hetphoto]

Hello! I am shooting a wedding next month where the groom has a prosthetic leg. Does anyone have any posing tips or ideas that I could possibly use? I haven't had this before, so I am a little worried that the pics won't turn out the way that I am hoping. Any advice would be helpful! Thanks!

 

[JerryPH]

Did you talk to him about it? 99% of prosthetics today are completely invisible and can be clothed like a normal limb. This gives them the appearance of any "normal" limb.

I fail to see the issue... even if it is a severely visible handicap. This person KNOWS what they look like, so whatever you do, DO NOT photoshop it to hide it. One can *maybe* minimize it by partially placing his bride in front or angle him to the side... but I would treat this situation like any other groom and totally forget about anything else.

A few issues back of Professional Photographer had a teenaged swimmer on the cover... but the swimmer had nothing down below mid forearm. The way the shot was taken, you KNEW what he was (an athelete, a swimmer!), irrespective of the "glaring handicap". It was well taken because it was taken in the SAME way the SAME picture would be taken with ANY swimmer.

My 2 cents.

 

[hetphoto]

I talked to the bride about it. The groom is not very involved......
She said that he can't do too much "posing", just mostly standing poses. Thanks for your advice. That will be helpful!

 

[mrodgers]

Nice response there, Jerry. I'd say nothing more needs to be said. Except......

For a final pose of the festivities, you should have the groom holding the prosthetic leg ready to club his bride. May as well show what he's going to be thinking he'd like to do for the next few decades after the honeymoon!

disclaimer: That was just a joke.

 

[Overread18 6]

He probably won't want to stand around all day - depends on the leg and also on the individual, but try to be quick and not leave them lingering. Also - depending on the leg and how far it is artificial - poses will be limited - try to invent some sitting poses or some inventive standing poses

I also second Jerry's point about hiding - don't and defiantly don't think of photoshopping it out.

 

[hetphoto]

Thanks for the advice everyone......I definitely won't photoshop it out. Wouldn't even think of doing it. Nice idea about climbing the bride, jk

 

[joecoulsonphotography]

For a final pose of the festivities, you should have the groom holding the prosthetic leg ready to club his bride.

I wouldn't stand for that if I were you!!!!

disclaimer: That was just a joke.

 

[JerryPH]

He probably won't want to stand around all day - depends on the leg and also on the individual, but try to be quick and not leave them lingering.

This can be said of almost ANY professional photo session. The last thing you want is to be chimping in between shots, making slow minor adjustments, and taking more time than is absolutely necessary.

In a portrait session of this kind, normally you take 30-45 min to setup and 5 minutes AT MOST taking pictures. In 5 minutes I have 75-150 shots in 5-6 different poses to pick from. The different poses keep them moving and thinking, the SHORT time makes it feel very animated.

I hope you have great people skills... to me, THIS is *almost* more important than final picture quality, and is what defines a good portrait photographer, because you can make happen that difference between what is "too long" versus "short, pleasant and dynamic" even though both are a couple minutes of picture taking.

Cecil B. DeMille defined this concept best in terms of how I define a good photoshoot session... "Start with an earthquake and build UP from there..."

Your earthquake is that as soon as the clients walk into your door... you are ready to shoot *now*. You KNOW what you are going to shoot, there is absolutely NO talk of technical aspects, no major adjustments, no delays. You are dynamic, fun, fast, and 100% engaging of the client's needs with every click of the shutter.

Take it from there.

 

[JerryPH]

For a final pose of the festivities, you should have the groom holding the prosthetic leg ready to club his bride. May as well show what he's going to be thinking he'd like to do for the next few decades after the honeymoon!

ROFL!

If I may, that reminds me of the joke of a young man who was taken to the pharmacy by his dad for his first lesson about condoms...

The boy points to a 1-pack of condoms and asks what it is for...

"Well son, thats for a nice Friday evening out between a man and a woman..."

Son points to a 2-pack of condoms and asks what it is for...

"Well son, thats for a REALLY nice Friday and Saturday evenings out between a man and a woman..."

Son points to a 6-pack and asks what it is for...

"Well son, thats for a REALLY nice WEEK of pleasure between a man and a woman and one day to rest... Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday, Friday and Saturday ..."

Son points to a 12-pack and asks what it is for...

"Well son, thats strictly for after you get married... used only January, February, March..."

 

[mrodgers]

"Well son, thats strictly for after you get married... used only January, February, March..."

.... until after the first year. Then you buy a 2nd pack for the rest of the decade....
:mrgreen:

 

[Jedo_03]

Hello! I am shooting a wedding next month where the groom has a prosthetic leg. Does anyone have any posing tips or ideas that I could possibly use? I haven't had this before, so I am a little worried that the pics won't turn out the way that I am hoping. Any advice would be helpful! Thanks!

The BG will be wearing trousers... Won't he..??
Not as if you'd actually see the prosthetic... I mean - they don't have six-inch bolts or penny nails protruding from them...
To be honest - I can't see that having a prosthetic leg will make any difference at all if you are shooting 'Traditional' wedding portraits...
Besides... how long has this fellow had his prosthesis...? Unless it was very recent, he can probably do more on his pins than you can...
And as far as "posing tips" - well, just treat it as any other wedding...
Forget the leg...
You're not being hired to 'feature' prosthetics...
Shoot the beautiful bride and a proud and happy bridegroom...
Capture the joy and the radiance of the day...
Jedo