Posing By Not Posing

One…two… three…. say cheese! These are the kind of words a photographer says before taking a photo of a person or group of persons who want the best possible results with their photos. If you are the subject to be photographed, you would also probably say the word “cheese” which would undeniably show a picture of you smiling. It is a make believe portrait that you have a happy face. Although it was not a natural smile but still what matters is that the photo made everyone believe that you indeed had a smiling face. When every time there is a photo session, everyone takes a look at the camera and does their own act by making several facial impressions or uncharacteristic poses that would depict an unnatural image. The photographer can make suggestions or direct how and where the photograph should be taken. The fact is, no matter how the photo is taken, everyone is convinced that the photograph is just a piece of art, something to be looked at, admired, cherished or even treasured.

Posing Just for the Sake of Posing

A photographer also does what a film director is doing, he directs the setting, tells what the subject, or subjects need to do and sets-up the ideal background and location. A film director basically works with a moving camera while the photographer has a fix camera. A photographer can create photographs based on his tastes. If the subjects are humans, obviously, photographs will include the face, hands, legs, hair, and body. A person when photographed wants to look at his best so the photographer tries to make good with the results. But posing just for the sake to have a photo seems unrealistic. Indeed, humans are driven by their conscious behavior and allow themselves, when facing the camera, to act or pretend other than their natural image. When a photographer tells a person that he is going to take a photograph of him, there is already anticipation in the mind of the person. Whatever he does, he becomes aware of his movements. Photographs in the cover of a magazine like vogue, cosmopolitan and elle, usually portrays a well-crafted photograph of a woman. Posing for such magazines is intended for public viewing or commercial purpose. Covers of magazines usually take a lot of preparation, rehearsal, and effort to accomplish the best results of posed photographs.

Being Conscious and Not being Conscious

It is not really hard to find realistic poses of photographs. If you read newspapers and look at some of the photos, there are occasions that photographs are taken without anticipation and awareness of the subject. Posing by not posing is something that must come out naturally, never pretending, no artificial facial expression, it is just the way the person is. In basketball, football, tennis or any other sports, athletes who played in the game are common subjects of photographers. They are photographed on and off the playing field. Photographers line around the corner of the arena during the game to take shots of the athletes. Photos that are well deserved are sometimes awarded with great prizes. Typically, it is a professional photographer’s experience or instinct that he knows when to take the right photograph that involves a natural pose. In sports, when the game begins, there is non-stop action and this is an opportunity for a photographer to take photos. One of the most exciting games a photographer likes to take photographs is boxing.

At first, the photographer is able to take photos of the two boxers who consciously pose with intimidating images trying to scare each other. But at the end, with bruises on their faces, swelling cheeks and closed eyes, these boxers did not mind what kind of photo was taken from them. When the photographer had his first photo shots with these two boxers, both of them were brimming with self-consciousness. Their attention was not with the photographer or the audience but it was actually with the camera. After the fight, with so much energy lost and with their minds set on a different pace, they lost their mental consciousness. There is an outright difference between consciously aware and not being consciously aware. This is what happened to the boxers before and after the fight. The first photos were unnatural poses and last to be taken were natural poses.

How To Pose By Not Posing?

Perhaps, it is but normal that when someone is facing the camera, the device intimates him. Posing by not posing actually suggests that the subject is not pretending while being photographed. A photographer can lure his subject out from the intimidation of a camera in order to bring out the natural look of the photograph. It is not really easy being a photographer when it comes to taking photographs when humans are involved. As a photographer, you can also get emotional when you are having difficulty taking photos with a stubborn person. This is why you need to have the right attitude when you are a photographer. It is not the subject who encourages the photographer but it is the photographer who encourages the subject. It is the photographer who builds the subject’s confidence when he or she is posing for photos. The photographer must be creative since human subjects have different moods.

What Are Candid Photos?

Probably, those who are used with facing the camera are able to project a natural look with much ease when being photographed. Still, it is not an easy thing to do on how to create a natural photograph for posing. Unlike taking candid shots, photographers are able to do this anywhere at any time of the day. Candid photographs are often times taken when a person does not know that he is being photographed. Nobody poses for a candid photo since it is taken unnoticeably. With candid photos you can actually compare the difference from a posed photograph. Candid photos are informal with no preparation at all from the subject or subjects involved. A photographer can take candid shots with anybody whether at home, at the streets, at the park, in restaurants, in the church or any place convenient to take photographs. Candid photos always appear distinctively natural.

How To Practice Posing For Shots?

If you are learning the ways of getting good photographic poses, the best thing to practice taking photos with posing is at home. You can ask anyone, maybe your family, or your friends to try to pose for your pictures. In this way, you can cleverly apply your style on how you can encourage your subject to act in a natural way. You can set up your camera at a distant probably two feet away from where you are. This will just be enough for you reach the shutter and focus it at the exact spot where your subject will be photographed. Your subject will not be too conscious about posing for the photograph since you are not aiming the camera directly. You can actually conceal your hands and the camera to camouflage any movement. It is good if you have two friends who can help you out. Let them start with their own conversation. As they talk, they would certainly become more relaxed, you can even join the conversation as well. When you feel you have the right pose for the photo, you can snap the shutter. If the photograph does not come out too well, you can do it over again. There are countless ways on how you can try to get a good natural pose. It is just a matter of being creative.

Who Are The Best Subjects For Natural Photos?

Kids are maybe the best subjects to get your best natural photo shoot. They are unmindful of the situation whether you tell them you are going to take a picture. They will even love it and will just act normally. Little toddlers have their instinctive character of showing a delightful personality when being photographed. You would surely see how a natural smile looks when you photograph a child. Maybe you have experienced this yourself when you were 5 or 6 years old. Your parents or someone in your family has taken a photo of you smiling. If you still keep a souvenir of that photograph, you will be amazed to see the way how you look and how you responded with the picture. The smile on your face was a natural instinct. Maybe your father told you to smile and you did smile but it was a response that you did because your father told you to do so. It was not about facing the camera that you wanted to smile but it was an innate feeling that you had as a child. When adults become the subject, trying to get a natural look at the photograph can be difficult since adults are very conscious of their environment. Trying to get them to pose naturally may take time. But it all depends on how the photographer can make them feel comfortable and at ease. Posing for photos can either be natural or unnatural. Whatever the outcome is, photographs which involve humans always reflect mixed emotions.