21 Point Posing System

Question 1

Straight Spine

Answer 1

Someone is slouching and is unaware or is doing so on purpose to improve composition. Have them straighten their spine.

Move them back or forward and have them lean with straight spine back to focal point.

The can also move feet apart with straight spine.

Question 2

Position head by tilting, not by slouching.

Answer 2

Magnetize heads.

Question 3

Minimize 90 degree angles

Answer 3

Arms, wrists, legs.

As long as the arm is wresting on something 90 degrees is fine.

Not ok when arms and legs are being self sufficient. If you have to have a 90 degree angle make sure it’s resting on something. That could even be resting on another person. Stool, but you could also bring foot back a little.

Question 4

Soften fingers

Answer 4

For hands.
“Fist, relax, put it back”
Should look great for quick hand fix.

Question 5

Give the hands something to do

Answer 5

Put your hands in your pockets as example.

Other example cross your legs.

Question 6

Origin of hands must be visible

Answer 6

If you don’t see the wrist or where those fingers come from you are going to have a major distraction.

Question 7

Near equal ratios of bodies for couples

Answer 7

If you show the groom shoulder to shoulder and the bride hidden behind him with only a sliver of her showing he will look really big.

Looks really strange if it’s the bride full width and just a sliver of the groom in the image.

You want to turn the bodies to get their widths similar. It doesn’t have to be perfect.

Question 8

Collarbone at an angle

Answer 8

Only if you want to soften the pose do you angle the collarbone away from the camera.

If you want strong striking pose keep the collarbone turned directly to the camera.

Create alternating V shapes with collarbones in group photography. Open V, close V, open V but if it starts to create a pattern break it by opening or closing a V.

Question 9

Shift body weight

Answer 9

For women cross one leg over the front.

Makes poses look more relaxed, natural, candid.

You don’t always have to shift weight: for example if you are doing a symmetrical pose.

Question 10

Create gaps against walls

Answer 10

Gaps with lower back and elbows.

Tell them to arch their back. It becomes sexier. You can see light coming through the back. More pleasing to the eye than block of a person and block of a wall together with no gaps.

Question 11

One hand higher than the other

Answer 11

Avoid mirroring for couples.

Question 12

Symmetrical posing

Answer 12

This for creating a strong single person pose

Question 13

Three point check

Answer 13

(Single person, finessed)

Strengthen the face and soften the body. Alternately strengthen the body and soften the face.

If you are turning the collarbone toward the camera you are strengthening it. If you are turning the chin away from the camera you are softening the face.

Chin and eyes to camera with collarbone angled away from camera strengthens face big time.

Try to have an idea of what you want before you pose. It will go a lot faster than coming up with your ideas as you are posing. If you come up with things as you go and it doesn’t work you lose client respect of your ability. It’s our job as photographers to know how to pose people and it’s expected. The same way an engineer would be expected to know how to solve engineering problems.

Question 14

Placement of subjects (couples)

Answer 14

Placement of subjects (couples) must be self-explanatory and believable.

Example: bride shot where the groom is back further crossing arms and out of focus. Instead create a reason for this placement that is believable. A motion like when the groom might be walking toward her.

Question 15

Pose the eyes

Answer 15

1 of 3: where is the iris pointing.

2 of 3: how much of the white of the eyeball is showing in your image in relation to the iris. All white with no iris is possessed or living dead eyes.

3 of 3? A 3 of 3 was mentioned but I don’t think was detailed.

Question 16

Invisible plane angle check From Eyes ( lens choice is key)

Answer 16

Whatever angle make sure lens is focused on the near eye. It’s hard to get it perfect but if you bring the eye closer to the lens than other parts of the subject it is easier to get it. It also gives the eye priority. Example: if a couple is hugging and the elbow is sticking out at camera you just took priority away from the eyes/face. Example 2: This is important when you have someone sitting down because the knees stick out.

My thought…
There are two types of focus. The literal sharpest plane the lens is capturing is one. The other is that part of the subject that you want emphasized to the viewer: the closer it is to the lens than other parts of the subject the more focus it will draw from the viewer.

Question 17

Face should be the brightest

Answer 17

Exception might be fashion and you can have clothes brighter than the face

Question 18

Nose: X-Factor (couples)

Answer 18

Remove Swiss and cheddar cheese.

For couples. Avoid parallel lines.

Cheesy: couple looking off in the same direction looking in to the future. SUPER CHEESY. Instead turn the heads slightly for a more romantic candid look.

Question 19

Subject emphasis (3 parts)

Answer 19

Light, size, selective focus.

1. Brighten the subject or what you want emphasize of subject.

2 Fill the frame with more of the subject, unless it’s a landscape.

3. Make sure you subject is in focus. Example: please make sure the eye closest to the lens is in focus. The closest eye is the one your viewers see first and you don’t want to invite them to see a blurry eye. If you are doing something artistic that’s ok but if the eye is clearly very blurry and out of focus that can be a problem.

Question 20

Be specific when posing

Answer 20

Instead of telling them to look in to their future or their unborn children in each other’s eyes, be specific.

“Look at the corner of that chair.”

“Bring your knees toward that fireplace”

“Put your eyes at the shoe laces of Susie. No matter what happens you do not remove your eyes from those laces.”

It makes it emotionally awkward and they will start laughing

Question 21

Final step when all other posing done

Answer 21

Introduce expression, feeling, and 
multiple points of interest. 
One point of interest works but three is better and very romantic in wedding photo. Example:
1. Head touching tilted toward. 
2. Legs touching. 
3. Hands touching.

Question 22

What are the decision points of the 21 point posing system

Answer 22

1

2

ETC