Learn insider tips about how to get the most out of every pose
By Wyatt Elling
Now that you know the importance of striking a professional pose and what the four basic types of poses are, it's time to learn the tips to take your modeling to the next level.
Breathing: Many amateur models go with their instinct during a photo shoot and hold their breath to appear frozen or posed for the camera. In reality, this is one of the biggest flubs aspiring models can make, and it can be a tricky habit to overcome. Despite intentions, holding your breath actually makes a picture look strained and unnatural. You can easily come off stiff, which is the last thing you want. Instead of holding your breath, breathe naturally and fully. This will help you support your diaphragm, improve your overall posture, and give the pictures a more natural look.
Posture: The days of finishing schools are behind us, and most modern day Americans have terrible posture. And that includes models! Slouching and shuffling is commonplace, and if you can overcome these habits you've got a major step up. Everyone gets struck occasionally by someone walking down the street with confidence and authority. A large part of this effect is posture, and it's a skill you can learn. It can be difficult, though, when you can't see anything wrong with your current posture. Remember to keep your back straight and your shoulders raised unless otherwise directed by a photographer. This makes you look taller, makes your stomach look tauter and trimmer, and emphasizes cleavage. In addition to this, you should pretty much always flex your abs. Good posture takes a lot of discipline, but keeping those basic tips in mind will make your pictures turn out better.
Symmetry: Unlike classical modeling and advertising, the emphasis on symmetry in pictures is out. Nowadays, the trend is interesting shapes and angles. This might not make sense when talking about people, but its actually an essential modeling skill. Having varied angles and pressures on your body creates a more spontaneous and natural look. This means you should always have your limbs in different positions and at different angles during a photo shoot, even if the difference is subtle. Distribute your weight unevenly between your legs, and bend one elbow if the other one is straight. Small changes and variations like these will give your pictures extra flair.
Eyes: The model's relationship with the camera lens is a very important one. Most people from the time they are children are trained to look into cameras when they have their picture taken. This is not desirable much of the time on professional modeling shoots, especially with the increased focus on naturalness in recent years. "Candid" shots are in, and when a model compulsively looks into the camera the effect is diminished. Try varying what angle your eyes are pointing in every shot to play around with different kinds of emotion and to add another layer of variety.
Smile: When you're building your portfolio, make sure that your smile varies between shots. Again, most people are trained to whip out their widest, toothy smile when a camera appears. Even if you have great teeth and a brilliant smile, don't lean too heavily on those features. Agents and casting directors can recognize a one-trick pony from a mile away. Switch up the size of your smile, the emotion behind it, and throw in poses where you don't smile at all, and even frown.
Sitting: Sitting poses are some of the most difficult for a model to pull off well. They require a different set of priorities. It's very important not to distribute your weight evenly, because it can create a flat, or bunched effect on your body. This happens to just about everyone naturally when they sit down, but it's your job as a model to minimize it. A key trick is to place most of your weight on the back of a thigh and then to roll up the opposite hip from the ground. This has a slimming effect. It's also a good idea to raise your shoulders more than usual, and push your chest out.
Phew! As you can see there are many things to keep in your head at one time while modeling, all the while trying to appear as natural as possible! It's tricky, but developing these skills early can greatly boost your modeling career and help you stand out from the pack of aspiring models.
