Friday, August 7, 2020

Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started with Photographing Men


Posing Guide for taking Great Photos of Men

Previously we’ve created posing guides with suggested sample poses to help you get started posing women (also see part 2 for posing women), posing children, posing couples, posing groups, and posing weddings, so today let’s look at some sample starting poses for photographing men.

Men are usually less comfortable with being photographed, so it’s important to set them at ease with posing in order to get good results.

It is always a good idea to prepare before the photoshoot.

Just one more piece of advice: Involve your subject in the process!

He will feel more confident knowing the plan, what he has to “do,” and what kind of outcome is expected. Showing this kind of posing cheat sheet to your model is indeed a very good way to prepare your subject for a photoshoot and make him feel more relaxed and confident at the same time.

So, let’s look at some sample poses for men

1. Very simple pose for a man’s portrait: An upper body shot with crossed arms.

Two things to take care of: Shoulders should be pulled back a little, stomach muscles kept in check.

Posing Guide for taking Great Photos of Men

2. Crossed arms work very well in full height shots as well. In addition, ask him to cross one leg in front of the other. But make sure the body weight is not supported equally on both legs; otherwise, that would look just awkward!

Posing Guide for taking Great Photos of Men

3. A recurring question from your subject might be “Where shall I put my hands?” The solution is actually quite simple. There are four places to keep in mind (mixed in any combination, utilizing both hands).


#1. Loosely by the side.

#2. On the hips.

#3. In the pockets.

#4. Both hands crossed on the chest.

And in addition, hands should always be relaxed, which means no muscle pressure, except when you are photographing a bodybuilder.

Posing Guide for taking Great Photos of Men

4. A casual pose for a man standing upright. Men indeed have a problem with placing their hands; by keeping them fully or partly in the side pockets, you have a sure way to achieve a natural and relaxed pose.

Posing Guide for taking Great Photos of Men

5. Just a slight variation on the previous pose. A piece of clothing over the shoulder, merely a thumb in the pocket, and legs crossed work very well.

Posing Guide for taking Great Photos of Men

6. For a sitting pose, putting the ankle of one leg onto the knee of the other looks relaxed and natural. Shoot slightly from above.

Posing Guide for taking Great Photos of Men

7. Leaning against a wall is just another variant for upright posing.

Posing Guide for taking Great Photos of Men

8. The sideways way of leaning against the same wall. Works very well for both casual and formal shots.

Posing Guide for taking Great Photos of Men

9. A very simple pose for a formal portrait. Items held in the hand (e.g. a laptop, books, or even tools) can work as indicators of the subject’s occupation.

Posing Guide for taking Great Photos of Men

10. Against common belief, it is absolutely fine to make shots of a man sitting partly on a desk. For formal portraits, such a pose might counteract rigidness.

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11. A very simple pose for a portrait: A man sitting at a desk. To reveal the subject’s profession, place work-related items on the desk.

Posing Guide for taking Great Photos of Men

12. A slight variation of the previous pose. Very appropriate for formal portraits.

Posing Guide for taking Great Photos of Men

13. To show the work environment while removing the distance created by a foreground object like a desk, take your shot from the backside. The result will be formal but inviting at the same time.

Posing Guide for taking Great Photos of Men

14. A man supporting himself on a desk with arms crossed. Again, you could place work-related items on the desk to point to the subject’s profession.

Posing Guide for taking Great Photos of Men

15. Using a chair as a prop can make a portrait more engaging and interesting. Very suitable when introducing creative people in their work environment.

Posing Guide for taking Great Photos of Men

16. Sitting comfortably in a chair usually works for corporate and formal portraits.

Posing Guide for taking Great Photos of Men

17. An easy and natural pose with a man sitting on the ground. Try different shooting directions and angles.

Posing Guide for taking Great Photos of Men

18. Another variant of a man’s pose while sitting on the ground. Suitable for outdoor locations.

Posing Guide for taking Great Photos of Men

19. An easy and relaxed-looking pose for a sitting man.

Posing Guide for taking Great Photos of Men

20. Informal pose. The man is sitting on the ground resting his back against the wall or some object.

Posing Guide for taking Great Photos of Men

21. Finally, let your subject be the protagonist of your picture. Never be afraid to crop tightly around the model’s face.

Posing Guide for taking Great Photos of Men

That should offer a starting point. Again, remember that there are no absolutes; each sample pose might and should be adjusted depending on your shooting environment and scenario. There is no need to overdo anything.

In reality, all you need for good people portraits is simplicity:

Simple backgrounds, simple clothing, simple poses, and natural expressions.


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