Edward Lian wrote:
Hi guys!  I'm new to MM and could use all the help I can get in every aspect of the field. One of the biggies that drew me to this community, is that it's a grab bag of folks in all walks of our industry. 

There is still soo much for me to learn, for instance... directing a model.  What to have him or her do and why.  How do I turn my model and why?  What kind of emotions do certain expressions evoke?  These are things that I think I can see, but have a hard time pinning down and replicating.  I simply haven't really seen anything that explains all of that!

Any insight, links, e-books, examples would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks!

Avoid some of the older books (i.e., 1980's) - the poses, particularly for portraiture, are really cliche and cheesy -- just my opinion!

Some of the tips found within these books, though, are classic.  For example, models should (in general) take care not to create "broken limbs" with their bodies - the feet, for example, should be pointed, not bent out.  Hands should be relaxed, natural, no "lobster claws". 

The best photographers I've worked with give simple direction -- "Go here, lean against that", "Put your hands on the railing", "Play with your hair", etc.

The worst I've worked with micro-manage or just stand there and say "OK, do something interesting".

Everyone's different!

paragonfl wrote:
YouTube has many short clips on how to work with models... how to pose... lights... etc.

Edward Lian wrote:
Hi guys!  I'm new to MM and could use all the help I can get in every aspect of the field. One of the biggies that drew me to this community, is that it's a grab bag of folks in all walks of our industry. 

There is still soo much for me to learn, for instance... directing a model.  What to have him or her do and why.  How do I turn my model and why?  What kind of emotions do certain expressions evoke?  These are things that I think I can see, but have a hard time pinning down and replicating.  I simply haven't really seen anything that explains all of that!

Any insight, links, e-books, examples would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks!

1. Create and bring a 'shot list' of photos you admire (and which fit with the body type of the model and the level of exposure agreed upon), and use the imitation of each of them as your starting point. An iPad is perfect for this. When you find something that works, explore variations on the theme.

2. Expressions are as important as poses, in my opinion. I always remind the model each expression should say SOMETHING...either 'come closer,' 'go away!' or some other meaningful look. I hate the expression that only says, "I'm getting my picture taken today" and which looks remarkably like the expression in a snapshot taken in front of the Grand Canyon.

Bobby Ctkr wrote:
most MM photographers and models )doing glamour shots will look silly.

Huh?

JaneyGarnet wrote:
This is something I've been struggling with. Last time I was shooting a lot, I was working mostly with strippers. They knew their angles and poses pretty well.  Several years later, I'm now working with very new models. They're game to try things, but they don't know how to pose themselves yet. It's very hard for me to articulate what I want -- especially when I just want to say "Get that blank look off your face."  I'm going to practice on the kids, I'm used to bossing them around.

Back when everything was on film, photographers and models did one pose at a time, or at least the pace of a shoot was much slower than it is now.  Typically an hour was about a 36-exposure roll of film.

Now models do what I call “modeling in motion.” They flow from one pose to another, making minor changes from one pose to the next. They’ll do several poses per minute. When everything is in sync, they may be doing 20 or so perfect poses with perfect expressions per minute. This pace doesn’t last long – maybe a minute or two. But it’s normally when you get the best photos.

Some models learn to model this way from other models, from pose coaches, or from photographers.

Mary Duprie, a former model and now a photographer in the Detroit area, is one person who teaches this method. Several agencies from Michigan and surrounding states send their new recruits to Mary for their first shoot – because she can teach models things in one shoot that local and regional agencies just aren’t equipped to teach.

Mary has done two instructional DVDs – one for photographers and two for models. I only know Mary by reputation and from her DVDs, which are excellent.

http://www.photographingmodels.com/index.html

http://www.photographingmodels.com/pmdvd.html

A photographer or model can learn more from these DVDs in an evening or a weekend than some learn in five years.

Edward Lian wrote:
Wow!!  Thanks for all the insight and references!  I'm definitely going to have to look all of this stuff up!

The reason I brought this up, is because I like to practice lighting setups and stuff with my wife, but she has no idea how to pose.  She also has somewhat of a low self esteem despite what I tell her, and her defensive mechanism is OVER-posing in a silly manner.

Also, the first model whom I had the pleasure of shooting had not much experience and asked me for poses.  I was almost at a loss, but in an effort to keep tension low, I kept it to myself and told her it was fine and that we'd just experiment.  The shoot was a blast, but we didn't come out with the number of images I would have expected from a 2 and a half hour shoot...

Different things work best for different people.

I've been having a conversation lately with a very talented Dutch photographer who directs every aspect of a shoot. He styles the wardrobe. He has had MUA training, and he communicates to the MUA exactly the makeup and hair style wants in great detail – in MUA speak. He conceives the exact poses he wants – and then demonstrates them for the model.

While I generally participate in wardrobe styling with the model, I am far from a wardrobe stylist. I convey to the MUA and the model the look and the effect that I want and them somewhat delegate in these areas. Experienced models can pose themselves much better, more gracefully and more naturally than I could pose them.

Recently I did a shoot with a young, inexperienced model who has a terrific look for fashion and meets agency standard specifications. Several minutes into the shoot, she confessed that she is not terribly confident in the area of posing, and she would like some direction.

I told her, “You need to be more bold with your poses. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Some of them will work. Some won’t. But you will learn from them.”

The rest of the shoot was largely an experiment in posing for her. She made some mistakes. For example, there were some poses in which she was stooped, and that detracted from her height. She repeated some of the poses several times with different wardrobe changes.

But overall her poses from that shoot were light years ahead of anything she had done in the past.

And all I did was tell her to be more bold and try new things – and make minor adjustments in some of her poses.

Edward Lian wrote:
Wow!!  Thanks for all the insight and references!  I'm definitely going to have to look all of this stuff up!

The reason I brought this up, is because I like to practice lighting setups and stuff with my wife, but she has no idea how to pose.  She also has somewhat of a low self esteem despite what I tell her, and her defensive mechanism is OVER-posing in a silly manner.

Also, the first model whom I had the pleasure of shooting had not much experience and asked me for poses.  I was almost at a loss, but in an effort to keep tension low, I kept it to myself and told her it was fine and that we'd just experiment.  The shoot was a blast, but we didn't come out with the number of images I would have expected from a 2 and a half hour shoot...

Btw, many models and actresses have low self-esteem. Even the most beautiful ones. I  learned this in the 1970’s. They work in an area where rejection is common – and where they are judged largely by their looks. There is always someone who is younger and more beautiful.

Even Marilyn Monroe, in her prime and at the height of her popularity, had periods when she was deeply depressed about the way she looked – at a time when she was widely considered to be one of the most beautiful women in the world. It’s in one of Norman Mailer’s books about her.

While unfortunate, low self-esteem is not in itself a barrier to success.

Carl Blum Photography wrote:
Edward............
First off, this is a rough trait to teach, instruct or learn. I have taken a few newbies with me to shoots, for them to learn. Most come away from the experience with their mouths agape.
A Majority, I want to say 90% of the girls in my port on here, were New to modeling when I took their photos. I do NOT let them call a shot, I do not Collaborate ( I always Laugh when I see that word).... For one reason and only one reason....
They cannot and do not know what they look like.
Making them comfortable and showing respect and manners is the Very first thing to learn...

I'd have to very respectfully disagree and since I shoot only TFCD I, too, have shot mostly newbies.  My experience has been that if I eliminate the obvious dilitantes at a pre-shoot meet, I'm usually left with very intelligent young women who have a good understanding of their bodies and how to work them.  But then, that's what makes baseball. 

The last sentence, though, has my complete agreement!

Shemmai Torres wrote:
meat puppet

Gross...  Thanks for all the advice guys!  Time to dive in!  I've got a few shoots coming up!

Rachel-Elise  wrote:
Consider paying an experienced model, whose work you admire, in return for her expertise. It's amazing how even just one shoot with someone who is further along in the realm of experience can improve one's work.

This is so true! By photographing models who know how to pose and use light you will learn what works. As you gain experience and confidence you will find things you like and can begin to guide subjects there. Always remember to respect your models and give them positive feedback and you'll be fine.