Hello!

So I was just wondering if photographers guide you on how they want you to pose?

I will practice posing by myself but I just want to know what to expect since I have never modeled for a professional photographer yet, only photographer friends!

Thank you

Depends on the photographer. Some will, some won't. I always give an indication of what I want but prefer to work with models who can take that idea and give variations.

If however you're a newbie and I've agreed to do TF with you, and you tell me in advance you're new and will require guidance, I'm more than happy to guide every pose.

I always find it helpful to get as much info on the shoot and theme and mood as you can and then work with that.

You have time to practice in front of the mirror, commit certain poses or sequences to muscle memory, etc.

Any kind of dance training will help as well.

And please don't think the veterans have it down to a science, I always ask my photographer to help spot silly large feet or double jointed elbows or some such (my weak points I know about, so together we can fix it! )

Good luck! All the best.
Welcome.

Google Marie Duprie, she has great vids that teach you how to pose.


http://vimeo.com/marydupriestudios/vide … /sort:date

Good luck!

There's two ways to approach this and the good news is that you can do both. One is to do TF with an experienced photographer who asks you to help with technical testing and in return he'll help with basic posing.
The other way is to find an equally inexperienced photorapher and learn together. That's what happened with me, years ago, when I first started. I met a girl who had never modeled and we tried many things and little by little we both learned how to create useful images. We worked together for 1-2 years, 1000's of photos.

I'm retired and don't mind working with beginning models in my isolated small community. I also work with fantastic traveling models in between.

All the advice above is good, but try to keep in mind that posing is also a form of self-expression, so only a limited amount can be imposed from outside, the rest has to come from within.

Do not be discouraged if it does not always go well.  There is always an interpersonal element where some people click better with some than with others.

This thread might help.

When working with a model, I usually provide a starting position/pose and then ask the model to make small adjustments after each shot.  Those adjustments are usually head, arm and hand position changes.  We then find a new starting pose and repeat.  This usually works fairly well.

I think to an extent most do, just to help you out and give you different ideas- which I think is great. Most will let you do your thing but help you out every once in awhile and throw in some ideas of what they want to see or things that you could try. I think that's great. Although, I did one where the photographer tried to pose me every single shot he got which to me, came off as awkward since it wasn't natural and there wasn't much of a flow to it. Although, later in the shoot he sort of backed off with that a little and that's when we got some of the best shots. Though he still had input and helpful tips, there was more of a balance between photographer and model. It's important to know what the photographer wants and know your body. You should know what angles are good for you and how to deliver the best shots while letting your personality shine through the shots. Although, a lot of that comes from experience. Those are all things I'm still learning how to do.

The last shoot I did with so far my favorite photographer on here (the one who shot my avatar, actually!) he had pictures and examples of poses on his phone that he would show me when he wanted me to try something different and when I started to run out of poses (it happens! Especially if you're a newer model like me and you're shooting for 3 hours. Eventually, I got the hang of it and he actually complimented my posing- which was really awesome!) and I thought that was really great and helpful. 
So basically, it depends on the photographer and assignment as well as level of experience. Just remember, it's important to have a balance of photographer and model. You should definitely work on finding what works for you and expressing yourself in front of the camera as well as knowing what the photographer wants and being open to learning from the photographer.

I'd be quite specific with key poses and then ask you to make slight variations from there on in.

I always go into a shoot with a couple of ideas of what I'd like to get, so I'm also prepared to ask a model to pose a certain way...and to give me certain expressions. 

I also like to see what a model can do on her own with posing and expressions.  I learned this the hard way...

I was once invited to split the costs of sharing a few models to shoot.  I directed the first model, and got some good images.  When it was time for the other photographer, he told her to "go ahead and model."  It turns out she was a traveling model that he had worked with before and she didn't need any direction, and together they created some stellar images.

Many of my "models" are people who have never modeled before, never posed for anything before, ever.  And it works fine.  I suggest general poses, and then will often make final adjustments including just moving them around.  (Always ask before touching.  My personal experience is that the great majority of models do not mind adjustments.  Perhaps it helps not being creepy.)  When I say I pose the model down to the fingertips, I mean it.  The brain is very observant of hands to detect emotions, especially tension.  If the hands are not well done, the whole picture will fail.

Having said that, it is a genuine pleasure to work with a skilled model who knows how to pose.  Posing is itself a true art form and I don't think that photographers give good models enough credit as artists, as opposed to merely objets d'art.  And creative posers can take poses that I could never twist an inexperienced model into.  I do these artsy abstract figure studies so it is wonderful when a model can do pretzel imitations. 

This question only comes up here in a photography forum.  A model for a figure drawing class, of course, has to have a repertoire of poses.  The instructor's direction may consist of "take a pose" and the model is expected to take a pose.  So models should practice poses.  You don't need a million.  A dozen basic poses to start with allows endless variations on the themes.

Photographers in my experience, if they know what they are doing will have no issue guiding you in the right direction of what you need to do in front of the lens. That is, for trade shoots of course. If you're being paid for a shoot, there should be little guiding going on, you should be confident and fluid in your movements and have a few set poses. I've only had a photographer try to pose me once because they wanted a certain kind of outcome? But the pictures ended up coming out terribly. Thankfully along my modeling adventures, I've had a lot of sound advice given to me on what to do in front of the camera in terms of, what slims you down and how to find your best angles. There are lots of practice videos and tips online as well! For instance, I had trouble with hand placement and nervous hands. I'd like to think with practice, I've overcome it.

Practice, practice, practice!
You don't want to rely heavily on the photographer to pose you! Heck, I know my first shoot I was like a deer in the headlights.

Some direct every pose down to minute detail, others expect the model to know what to do and give little direction. I've worked with excellent photographers of both kinds.

Instructions are a part of almost every shoot in my world, especially in my present locale where encountering an experienced model is a rare and very transitory event. It is often a lot of extra work, since I am often the first photographer my local girls have ever worked with, and posing is not something that comes at all naturally to most.

It takes some practice, and also paying close attention to the photographic results along the way, to learn how the camera "sees" and depicts your positions, your limb and neck angles, your eyes and mouth, etc.. Since I most often will need to arrange a lot of that with a newbie, there is a lot of on-set communication from me.

The models seem to appreciate it, and it eases their anxieties and helps to build our working-rapport. It's a long-term investment for me, in hopes of finding and developing a few who are reliable, and committed to doing the work necessary (rare!), while also looking interesting on camera, and working well with my needs and approach.

Ken Warren Photography wrote:
This thread might help.

WOW! Though it's not quite on-point to the OPs query, it IS an amazing video, and well worth sharing with models especially, though my advice would be that they watch it in very slow motion, or stopping it often for imitative-posing and general osmosis. Quite a model!!!