posing advice for unusual client

VayCayMom · February 6, 2010

I have to shoot a young gal again that is a bit tough to figure out the most flattering angles , and she wants some "hot valentines" shots, although she just wants to look beautiful, not sexy.

She is a very tall slim girl, mid 20s, and her facial bone structure is the challenge, her lower jaw, chin , and smile , are very large. Her jaw is really very wide as well. Her smile is way too big and her gums show. In fact her entire head is big.

Just to experiment I tried to run one shot from our last shoot through a program I have that helps line up bone structure, Portrait Professional, it could not identify the points I selected because they are so far out of the normal range.

The only shot from our last session that I really liked ( her mom loved it) was taken a bit from above and she had her head down snuggling her puppy.

I know this time I will suggest she relax her smile, a lot. I am also shooting her with her 2 tiny dogs this time. They are black and white and she will wear red.

She is very sweet but she says the last photos I took did not bring any boys knocking down her door....:scratch

What advice can you give me to make her look her best? She has beautiful skin, but she is lacking in self esteem, she spent over 2 hours on her make up and still was worried.

The Mack · February 6, 2010

From a boys point of view, sometimes, no photo will bring us knocking.

Scott_Quier · February 6, 2010

Beautiful does not mean a smile - just take a look at Yuri's work

If her face is not her strong suit, then work to flatter that which is her strong suit. If it's her little finger, the focus (literally) on her little finger and let the rest fall OOF. The key, I would think, would be to find out from her what it is she thinks are her most flattering features and work from there.

nightpixels · February 6, 2010

Ask her to show you some of her favorite pictures ... the ones that she thinks she looks good in them. Look at them, find out what it is that she likes about herself in those pictures. This should somewhat help you determine what it is that she finds beautiful about herself in a photograph. Good luck!

VayCayMom · February 6, 2010

The Mack wrote:

From a boys point of view, sometimes, no photo will bring us knocking.

OK YOU are BAD!!

Gary752 · February 6, 2010

with Nightpixels, and would add to find out what her hobbies and favorite activities are, and use those as your theme for the shoot. This would more than likely help her to relax a bit.

GaryB

Svennie · February 7, 2010

You could consider changing perspective. If something is bigger than it normally is, place it towards the back. Maybe use a wide angle lens (I usually don't like this for portraits, but he, it seems to be a trend anyway ;-)
I would not recommend using the small dogs. As most dogs are bigger, your brain will 'correct' this feeling by thinking everything else is in the same proportions (hence enlarging the face). Maybe something that is larger than normal (like a big flower) could work the other way around.

Good luck!

VayCayMom · February 7, 2010

Ok thanks everyone! The shoot is tomorrow, I'll let you know how it goes. The tiny dogs are the whole reason for the shoot, she got her second puppy on Friday. Then she decided she wanted a few of just her as well. We'll be shooting in a beautiful "park" with cactus, rocks, trees, great scenery, great backgrounds.

WillCAD · February 7, 2010

VayCayMom wrote:

Ok thanks everyone! The shoot is tomorrow, I'll let you know how it goes. The tiny dogs are the whole reason for the shoot, she got her second puppy on Friday. Then she decided she wanted a few of just her as well. We'll be shooting in a beautiful "park" with cactus, rocks, trees, great scenery, great backgrounds.

If smiles don't work, try something else.

Teach her how to do a Thousand Yard Stare and shoot her from an off-angle.

Let her concentrate on something else out of frame, like reading a book or sending a text or typing on a laptop or watching a slideshow of your pics; people tend to relax their features when they're concentrating.

Tell stupid jokes and make her laugh instead of smiling. Laughing features, IMHO, are far nicer and more natural-looking than a forced or posed smile.

VayCayMom · February 7, 2010

WillCAD wrote:

If smiles don't work, try something else.

Teach her how to do a Thousand Yard Stare and shoot her from an off-angle.

Let her concentrate on something else out of frame, like reading a book or sending a text or typing on a laptop or watching a slideshow of your pics; people tend to relax their features when they're concentrating.

Tell stupid jokes and make her laugh instead of smiling. Laughing features, IMHO, are far nicer and more natural-looking than a forced or posed smile.

Great ideas !!! Thank you!

Foques · February 9, 2010

what is the thousand yard stare?

Some great advises on here, so far.. I heart this forum.

WillCAD · February 10, 2010

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thousand-yard_stare

South Shore Snapshots · February 11, 2010

VayCayMom wrote:

I have to shoot a young gal again that is a bit tough to figure out the most flattering angles , and she wants some "hot valentines" shots, although she just wants to look beautiful, not sexy.

She is a very tall slim girl, mid 20s, and her facial bone structure is the challenge, her lower jaw, chin , and smile , are very large. Her jaw is really very wide as well. Her smile is way too big and her gums show. In fact her entire head is big.

Surprised no one else has mentioned this, but for her sake, I hope she doesn't google your name and come up with this description of herself in this thread.

That said, photographer to photographer, I hope your shoot went well and that you were able to get some good stuff.

nightpixels · February 11, 2010

South Shore Snapshots wrote:

Surprised no one else has mentioned this, but for her sake, I hope she doesn't google your name and come up with this description of herself in this thread.

That said, photographer to photographer, I hope your shoot went well and that you were able to get some good stuff.

I thought about it too but didn't want to post it

VayCayMom · February 12, 2010

Yes I did think of that, and I didn't write anything that I would be embarrassed to have her read. She has a physical issue,which required surgery, many of us do, I wanted to be sure to downplay it. She is my neighbor's daughter, hence the extreme patience I extended to her.

And after seeing the proofs, she told me " you rocked it this time, unlike last time!!"
The advice I got helped me do a better job this time.

I'll be posting more photos from the session later.

rpcrowe · February 12, 2010

Portrait Tips...
Usually a person with a problem face has one problem. Your neighbor seems to have several. Perhaps you could with the sitting in a chair with the puppies in her lap. Shooting from a slightly elevated angle might reduce emphasis on her jaw. She doesn't need to have a broad smile. I feel my mouth soften into a grin whenever I look at my dogs.

Portrait professional is a program which simplifies retouching of portraits. It works very well and is extremely easy to use. You can see from the facial portrait on the home page that this program will slightly alter even the shape of the face to enhance it.

http://www.portraitprofessional.com/

Finally, here are some tips designed to work around facial issues. You might need a combination of more than one.

FACIAL ISSUES - portrait corrections<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>
Blemishes or Scars <o:p></o:p>

Shadow problem areas<o:p></o:p>
reposition <o:p></o:p>

Chin , Double<o:p></o:p>

Raise the main light<o:p></o:p>
Tilt chin upward<o:p></o:p>
Use a high camera position<o:p></o:p>
Stretch neck<o:p></o:p>
Lean head toward camera<o:p></o:p>

Ears , Large<o:p></o:p>

3/4 pose <o:p></o:p>
Only show one ear <o:p></o:p>
Shadow second ear <o:p></o:p>

EYES, BlinkING <o:p></o:p>

Time shot after subject blinks <o:p></o:p>

eyes, Deep set <o:p></o:p>

Light into eyes <o:p></o:p>
Lower Main Light<o:p></o:p>
Lower light ratio<o:p></o:p>

Eyes, Deep Set<o:p></o:p>

Lower main light<o:p></o:p>
Use lower light ratios.<o:p></o:p>

eyes, Different sized <o:p></o:p>

Largest eye close to camera, other in shadow <o:p></o:p>
Largest eye away creates evening effect <o:p></o:p>

EYES, Eye Glass Wearers <o:p></o:p>

Shoot with empty frames <o:p></o:p>
Position glasses away from lights <o:p></o:p>
Bring lights in from very high, or bounce off ceiling <o:p></o:p>
Use small light source<o:p></o:p>

Eyes, Protruding<o:p></o:p>

Have subject look downward<o:p></o:p>

FACE, bAD COMPLEXION – FEMALE<o:p></o:p>

Proper make up can cover some problems<o:p></o:p>
Diffuse image<o:p></o:p>

face, Broad, Round or fat<o:p></o:p>

Raise the camera position<o:p></o:p>
Use short lighting<o:p></o:p>
Turn the face at a 3/4 position<o:p></o:p>

Face, Narrow<o:p></o:p>

Lower the main light<o:p></o:p>
Use broad lighting.<o:p></o:p>

FACE, THIN<o:p></o:p>

Pose model facing the camera <o:p></o:p>

Face, Wrinkled<o:p></o:p>

Use diffused frontal lighting<o:p></o:p>
Lower the main light<o:p></o:p>
Use a 3/4 pose. <o:p></o:p>

FacE, Defects<o:p></o:p>

Scars/birthmarks keep hidden on the shadowed side of face<o:p></o:p>
reposition<o:p></o:p>

forehead, Prominent<o:p></o:p>

Tilt chin upward<o:p></o:p>
Lower camera position.<o:p></o:p>

HAIR, Baldness<o:p></o:p>

Lower camera position<o:p></o:p>
Blend the top of the head with the background.<o:p></o:p>

Hair, DARK<o:p></o:p>

Check to make sure that background doesn't merge with hair<o:p></o:p>
Restyle if necessary.<o:p></o:p>

Heavyset Figure-<o:p></o:p>

Use short lighting, use low key lighting,<o:p></o:p>
Dark clothing<o:p></o:p>
Blend body with background tone.<o:p></o:p>

jaw, Square <o:p></o:p>

3/4 pose, higher camera angle <o:p></o:p>

Narrow Chin<o:p></o:p>

Tilt chin upward.<o:p></o:p>

NOSE, ANGULAR<o:p></o:p>

Minimize feature by turning the face directly toward the lens. <o:p></o:p>

Nose, BIG <o:p></o:p>

Raise chin slightly <o:p></o:p>
Pose nose straight into lens <o:p></o:p>

NOSE, LONG<o:p></o:p>

Tilt chin upward, position face directly toward lens<o:p></o:p>
lower the main light<o:p></o:p>
lower camera position. <o:p></o:p>

nose, SMALL <o:p></o:p>

Pose nose at an angle to camera <o:p></o:p>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<o:p> </o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>

VayCayMom · February 13, 2010

Great chart, I should copy it and keep it in my bag. I do have the program you are showing, and I tried to use it last time we had a session but it would not recognize the points when I entered them. She was too far from the norm. I DO love that program!!

VayCayMom · February 13, 2010

last year and this shoot..
Here is the only photo I saved from the first shoot over a year ago. She was late to this shoot as well and I was running out of light, must have used on camera flash, ugh, very harsh lighting. My skills were pretty low at that point.

and these are from the session a few days ago, much improved in my eyes AND IN HERS! Many thanks to all who offered suggestions as to showing my client at her best.
BTW she told me " YOU ROCKED IT THIS TIME, NOT LIKE BEFORE"

:ivar

1. My FAVORITE of them all

2

3. She LOVES this one..

4

Zerodog · February 14, 2010

She is way cuter than I was expecting.

Yes your second shoot is a bit of an improvement. Especially light wise.

The biggest thing I see is her smile. Like you said, it is huge. So try to get her to just do a cute smirk. Not the full on show the teeth smile. Not that I am at all an expert on the subject of posing people. I just hear that one a lot on Top Model when I am forced to watch it by my wife.:D

You are right #1 is the best. She is smiling a lot smaller in that one.

lilmomma · February 18, 2010

It took me a while to get back to this... Definitely an improvement!! I can see where it would be challenging but I think you did a great job!

posing advice for unusual client

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