A picture says more than a thousand words. We’ve all heard the saying so why does it seem so hard to GET OUR image to talk at times??
Okay, you’re in the studio, at the beach, in the mountains or simply in your subject’s’ space and you’re planning to capture your talent in their best light. How exciting! However, your subject may appear uncomfortable. Photoshoots are unnatural and often leave your subject seeking professional instruction or guidance on how to position themselves in a way that reflects their expectations for the ideal photo. When this happens it is your responsibility as a professional to compose your subject. In this blog we are covering the basics on supporting your subject while perfectly composing your shot, ultimately leading to a better client experience. If you’re striving to become a Wilmington photographer, this checklist could be what you need to take your photos to the professional level!
We have framed our subject with the background and adjusted our settings, it’s time to begin instructing your talent to move their bodies in a comfortable way and be open to suggestions. Regular chitchat can be carried on of course to make getting to know their videographer fun and to create a great experience! Be mindful of anything distracting in the image, your subject shouldn’t be overpowered by the background, quite the opposite actually. Angle their body one way or the other, to start, and if they are completely at a loss, here is a check list to get you the results your client will love!
Now we’re getting to the good stuff!!
First we look at the face. We want our eyes and mouth to relax, our neck to come forward just a touch creating a neat shadow defining the face and the shoulders to pull back maintaining better posture. Next we move the hips and shoulders in unison when posing, our right shoulder with the right hip, left shoulder to the left hip. Lastly, ensure the back leg is taking all the weight as your talent is on an angle, this helps to slim out the entire body. When the talent has warmed up, give them honest confidence boosters such as, this is amazing, you’re going to love this, you’re doing a fantastic job!! Show them your favorite shots so they get an idea of what the image looks like and how much of their body is in the image.
Have the talent hold a few different positions and once you’ve got some keepers in this spot, switch it up and either add props or move on to your next spot. Even with all the amazing places to have a photoshoot in Wilmington, NC, we want to have multiple spots to shoot in one location in order to maximize time and energy. It may seem like photography is all point, shoot and edit, however, there is a lot more involved behind getting the best shots. If you enjoyed this blog and you want to learn more about improving your photography and videography skills, read our most recent blogs!!!