12/21/2016 24 Photos of Perfectly Posed Portraits

24 Photos of Perfectly Posed Portraits

A Post By: Darlene Hildebrandt

Editor’s note: this week we will be featuring a series of articles on posing for
portraits. Look for a new one each day. If you miss any make sure you subscribe to
our newsletter and you’ll get a reminder of all our articles once a week.

When doing a portrait there is a lot to think about. You have to 𐄂nd a good location
and background. The right lens needs to be selected. Camera settings are a
consideration. The light needs to be just right.

But if that’s all you focus on you’re forgetting something rather important. The person
in front of your camera. They need direction and reassurance on how to position
their body to look their best. As the photographer it is your job to help them, and it is
our job to help you. So here are some ideas to get started posing people in your
portraits. You can also check out the dPS ebook Portraits: Striking the Pose or our set
of posing guides 67 Portrait Poses (printable).

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transylvanian hunger by Moga on 500px

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Darlene Hildebrandt is the Managing Editor of dPS. She is also an educator who teaches
aspiring amateurs and hobbyists how to improve their skills through articles, online
photography classes, and travel tours. Get her free ebook 10 Photography Challenges to
help you take better pictures or save $50 OFF on her Photo tour to Morocco (April
2017, only 6 spots left) - by using the discount code: Morocco50dps and join her on an
adventure!

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34 Comments Digital Photography School 
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EHL • 2 years ago
Ahh, nothing says 'perfection' like airbrushed children in adult makeup, or people grinning straight into
the camera, or a woman oddly overdressed for what looks like a bathroom break in the wilderness.
2 △   ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Archie Macintosh • 2 years ago
Mmm... Quite a lot of these look over­lit or over­processed :(
1 △   ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Michael > Archie Macintosh • 2 years ago
Well, you have forgotten the main definition about photography ­ First of all Photography is the
art and exploration of infinite possibilities of light, color and shape. The rests are just
snapshots.
3 △   ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Archie Macintosh > Michael • 2 years ago
I take it you'd describe the work of all the members of Magnum since 1947 as
'snapshots'.
1 △   ▽ • Reply • Share ›

losschwabos > Archie Macintosh • 2 years ago
I'll agree with Michael here. Most of these Portraits are definitely enhanced by
the lighting (I love the first one especially). Actually, in a lot of the cases, it's the23/28
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the lighting (I love the first one especially). Actually, in a lot of the cases, it's the
models that don't do it for me. They look very interchangeable and a bit lacking
in personality.
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Alex > losschwabos • a year ago
There's no such thing as a bad model, there are just bad photographers who for
the lack of talent learn some photoshop and start calling their tasteless images
"the art and exploration of infinite possibilities of light, color and shape".
△   ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Alex > Michael • a year ago
Michael, buy a dictionary and read the actual definition of a photograph, for god's sake.
△   ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Michael > Alex • a year ago
Alex, I don't need a dictionary for any definition of a photography. Photography
is the art combined with specific craft. Linguistic definition about photography
does not fit into this special activity if you are really feel it. In any way, this is
very subjective matter and that's the way I take it. FYI the knowledge of the
 tools for post­processing only makes you a better photographer and I am NOT 
a professional photographer just passionate hobbyist.
1 △   ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Darlene Hildebrandt  Mod   > Archie Macintosh  •  2 years ago

Thanks for your comment, that's the great thing about photography it's all personal opinion.
One man's trash is another's treasure. I'm curious what you mean by "over­lit" though?
1 △   ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Archie Macintosh > Darlene Hildebrandt • 2 years ago
I entirely accept that people's tastes differ, of course; and I confess I'm not very
interested in elaborately staged and contrived pictures of the sort that illustrate glossy
magazines (Greg Heisler's 'Vibrant' portraits (see his site) or David Lachapelle's work
may give you an idea this genre done by experts).

By 'over­lit', I meant that the lighting draws attention to itself. In a number of the pictures
there are very obviously multiple light sources; now, while that may be convincing, and
entirely possible, in an indoor scene or studio, it just looks unnatural in an outdoor
setting.

As an example, look at picture no. 8 ­ the young woman on the tree. She's back­lit, but
the front of her body is also strongly lit from camera­left, and there's another light
source illuminating her from camera­right. Now, there's only one sun in the sky, so all
this light is clearly surreal in what we're supposed to believe is a natural, outdoor
context. It is possible to light such a subject in a way that appears natural, where the fill
light is convincing without your really being aware of it; but this ain't what's happening
here. And the same is true of a number of the other pictures.
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here. And the same is true of a number of the other pictures.

Of course, if fashion photography and 'creative' illustration are your thing, you won't
mind that.
1 △   ▽ • Reply • Share ›

walwit > Archie Macintosh • a year ago
Not to mention the unnatural position of her.
1 △   ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Christina Miller > Archie Macintosh • 2 years ago
If you look at the photo closer u can see she is surrounded by water, I myself
have taken many photos on and close to water, the lighting that we are seing
could verywell be "natural" the reflection from the water could be causing that
effect, or it could just be a bunch of fill lighting. Needless to say the photo is
beautiful either way, 
1 △   ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Archie Macintosh > Christina Miller • 2 years ago
Maybe. But zoom in, and you can see round circular catch­lights in her eyes
 that suggest she's probably being lit from camera left with a biggish round 
modifier like perhaps a parabolic reflector or a Softlighter (the zoomed
resolution isn't good enough to tell for sure).
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TR Young > Archie Macintosh • 2 years ago
The good thing is that not everyone likes the same sort of photograph, and there are plenty of
photographers out there to create different photographs. What one person likes, others don't.
There's something for everyone.
1 △   ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Mischa • 9 days ago
The photo "Old Men" was taken by Horacio Casadey, it was just retouched by Alexander Rink.
△   ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Gail • 9 days ago
I took this photograph of this young man using natural light from an opened door.

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M.h. O'Dell • 9 days ago
The women in the tree picture doesn't work for me. It seems too contrived, unnatural situation and
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awkward pose. Also, I can't get the thought of a snake crawling up that tree out of my mind, especially
after I noticed how close the tree is to water. Several of the other photos are gorgeous though. I love
the old man photo.
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BlogMatki.pl • 6 months ago
Lovely pictures.
△   ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Gabriel Arguello • a year ago
I would have added some Avedon pictures as we are talking about portraits! Great selection though,
and thanks a lot for sharing! :) My favorite one is Doux by August M.
△   ▽ • Reply • Share ›

100God • a year ago
Lovely pictures.... outstanding family portraits....
△   ▽ • Reply • Share ›

D­man • a year ago
Hi Darlene. Based on the article's title, I am very disappointed with this portfolio. There are some
really good photos here, but "perfectly posed" they are not! I was looking for this article to help me
improve my posing skills. It didn't take much to see that these photos will not help me get better.
△   ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Laura Hoey • 2 years ago
Hi, The photos of women on DPS are undoubtedly beautiful. So are the photos of middle and old age26/28
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Hi, The photos of women on DPS are undoubtedly beautiful. So are the photos of middle and old age
men with wrinkles. I wonder if you might, a little more often, demonstrate the beauty of women who
aren't 20 years old and perfect? I don't mean to turn this into a feminist debate, but the lack of "real"
women on this site is starting to bother me. Show me how good a photographer you are, and show us
real women, at all ages and stages, looking beautiful. Now THAT will demonstrate your talent. Thanks.
△   ▽ • Reply • Share ›

Matt Hahnewald > Laura Hoey • a year ago
@Laura Hoey: Feel free to enjoy the diversity and natural beauty of Korean, Taiwanese and
Indonesian market women of all ages in my amateurish Sokcho Blog, Tainan Blog, or
Yogyakarta Blog (scroll down to the b/w portraits). 
.

⛺
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Darlene Hildebrandt  Mod   > Laura Hoey •  2 years ago

I totally get it! Part of the issue is that when I go these image collections I'm limited by what
photographers have shared on Flickr and 500px. There is limited options to fit that bill and hard
to find them. If you know someone who does great work and is on 500px please send me a
link to their profile so I can share some of their work next time.
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sateesh pasupuleti • 2 years ago
This mIght appear as The Dumbest question ever.. But please reply to this with patience.Does A
Portrait pic should always be in a portrait scape mode cant a portrait be shot in a landscape setting
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Indian > sateesh pasupuleti • 2 years ago
It most certainly can. In fact, a portrait shot in a landscape mode gives the viewer a lot more
info on the ambiance and the locale and hence can be more intriguing.
How you plan to use all that extra space in the image will have a great impact on how
appealing the photo would be.
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Darlene Hildebrandt  Mod   > sateesh pasupuleti  •  2 years ago

Yes those are terms created by paper companies or manufacturers, they mean nothing other
than a reference for how that orientation is most often used.
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Matt Hahnewald > sateesh pasupuleti • a year ago
@Sateesh Pasupuleti: I am an amateur and travelling grandfather who likes to interact with
people and take their portraits, preferably headshots. I have been doing all my portraits
deliberately in aspect ratio "3 x 4 landscape", no exception. You will immediately notice the
obvious pros and cons of this "standard" (or self­restriction) in my travel blogs, e.g. Bhaktapur
Blog, Jaisalmer Blog, or Surakarta Blog.
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Bob Bevan Smith > sateesh pasupuleti • 2 years ago
If you get a chance to see National Geographic's 46 iconic cover photos exhibition (currently
on view at Expressions Gallery, Upper Hutt, NZ) you will see a wonderful landscape shot of
two Afghan women dressed in blue in a barren brown mountainous scene ­ truly an amazing
shot!
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Alvin Simpson • 2 years ago
Even though they are all awesome shots, #13 Magic Lavender and #7 Marta are my favorites. The
color is just amazing. I really like how the light flows and matches what they are wearing.

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Khürt L. Williams • 2 years ago
"But if that’s all you focus on you’re forgetting something rather important. The person in front of your
camera. They need direction and reassurance on how to position their body to look their best. As the
photographer it is your job to help them, and it is our job to help you."

Awesome. For image #10 above I wonder what sort of direction they gave to the two baby boys?
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Darlene Hildebrandt  Mod   > Khürt L. Williams •  2 years ago

I can't answer as I didn't take it but I'd guess the direction was given to the parents.
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Brano > Khürt L. Williams • 2 years ago
How meny chldren do you have?
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Khürt L. Williams > Brano • 2 years ago
Two.
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