Master Posing Guide for Wedding Photographers Bill Hurter Amherst Media® PUBLISHER OF PHOTOGRAPHY BOOKS About The Author Bill Hurter has been involved in the photographic industry for the past thirty years. He is the former editor of Petersen’s PhotoGraphic magazine and currently the editor of both AfterCapture and Rangefinder magazines. He has authored over thirty books on photography and hundreds of articles on photography and photographic technique. He is a graduate of American University and Brooks Institute of Photography, from which he holds a BFA and Honorary Masters of Science and Masters of Fine Art degrees. He is currently a member of the Brooks Board of Governors. Early in his career, he cov- ered Capital Hill during the Watergate Hearings and worked for three seasons as a stringer for the L.A. Dodgers. He is mar- ried and lives in West Covina, CA. Copyright © 2009 by Bill Hurter. All rights reserved. Front cover photograph by Cherie Steinberg Coté. Back cover photograph by JB and DeEtte Sallee. Published by: Amherst Media, Inc. P.O. Box 586 Buffalo, N.Y. 14226 Fax: 716-874-4508 www.AmherstMedia.com Publisher: Craig Alesse Senior Editor/Production Manager: Michelle Perkins Assistant Editor: Barbara A. Lynch-Johnt Editorial Assistance from: John S. Loder, Charles Schweizer ISBN-13: 978-1-58428-251-8 Library of Congress Control Number: 2008942236 Printed in Korea. 10987654321 No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechani- cal, photocopied, recorded or otherwise, without prior written consent from the publisher. Notice of Disclaimer: The information contained in this book is based on the author’s experience and opinions. The au- thor and publisher will not be held liable for the use or misuse of the information in this book. Table of Contents Introduction .............................6 Three-QuartersView .....................30 Wedding Photography: Then and Now ...........7 ProfileView............................31 The Goal? Enduring Value ...................10 Head Tilt ................................32 DonBlair..............................10 The Eyes .................................33 David Williams ..........................10 Chin Height ..............................34 TimKelly..............................11 TheMouth...............................35 MartinSchembri ........................11 Expression .............................35 A FinalNote..............................12 Lips ..................................37 Laugh Lines ............................37 1. A Foundation for Success ..............13 TheNose ................................38 Make Friends .............................13 Facial Analysis .............................14 PHOTOGRAPH BY MARK NIXON. Get to Know the Event ......................15 DoanEngagementPortrait ..................17 MakeaBridalPortrait,Too...................19 Have Master Schedule .......................19 Learn Everybody’s Names ....................20 WorkwithanAssistant ......................21 Dress for Success ...........................21 2. Posing Basics .........................22 Start with the Feet and Legs ..................23 Standing Poses . ........................23 Seated Poses ............................24 TheTorso................................25 In Seated Poses ..........................25 The Shoulders .............................26 TheArms ................................27 TheHands ...............................27 Basic Principles ..........................28 Women’sHands.........................29 Men’sHands ...........................29 Three Views of the Face . ....................30 Seven-Eighths View ......................30 Baldness...............................46 Double Chins ...........................46 Wide Faces .............................47 Thin Faces .............................47 BroadForeheads.........................47 Deep-Set Eyes and Protruding Eyes ..........47 Large Ears .............................47 Uneven Mouths .........................47 Long Noses and Pug Noses ................47 Long Necks and Short Necks ...............47 Wide Mouths and Narrow Mouths ...........47 PHOTOGRAPH BY JB AND DEETTE SALLEE. Long Chins and Stubby Chins ..............47 4. Design Elements and Posing ............48 TheConceptofVisualDesign.................48 Composition ..............................48 Direction ................................49 Lines ...................................50 RealLines..............................50 ImpliedLines...........................51 Diagonal Lines ..........................51 Shapes...................................52 PleasingCompositionalForms ................52 TensionandBalance........................53 SubjectTone..............................55 Background Control ........................56 TiltingtheCamera .........................56 PHOTOGRAPH BY GREG GIBSON. Styling and Posing Work Together .............38 5. Group Posing and Composition .........57 Makeup ...............................38 Try Something Unique ......................57 Hairstyle...............................39 Head and Shoulders Axis . ...................58 TheTrain..............................39 Head Positions ............................60 TheVeil...............................41 Expressions ...............................60 HandsinGroupPortraits ....................61 3. Corrective Posing Techniques ..........42 Designing Group Portraits ...................63 Camera Height and Perspective ................42 Composition Basics Still Apply ..............64 Camera Height ..........................42 Creating Lines and Shapes .................64 Controlling the Perspective .................42 HelpfulPosingTools........................67 CorrectingSpecificProblems .................43 Armchairs, Love Seats, and Sofas ............67 Overweight Subjects ......................44 Steps,Stairs,andSlopes ...................68 Thin or Underweight Subjects ..............45 ThePosingProcess.........................68 ElderlySubjects .........................45 BuildingSmallerGroups.....................69 Eyeglasses ..............................46 StartwithTwo..........................69 One Eye Smaller than the Other .............46 Add a Third ............................72 4 Master Posing Guide for Wedding Photographers Adding a Fourth .........................73 Focusing................................113 FromFiveOnUp........................74 Shooting Apertures ........................114 Building Bigger Groups . ...................75 Shutter Speeds ...........................115 Building Really Big Groups ...................76 Image Stabilization Lenses ..................116 Technical Considerations .....................77 Keep the Camera Back Parallel to the Subjects . .77 Conclusion .............................117 Shifting the Focus Field ...................77 A FinalCheck.............................79 The Photographers .....................118 6. Spontaneity in Posing ..................81 Index ..................................123 ActivePosing .............................81 Subtle Direction ...........................81 Staging Tips from Marcus Bell ................82 Prompting Tips from Jerry Ghionis .............86 Greg Gibson is Not Quite a Fly on the Wall ......89 Tom Muñoz Has Respect for Tradition ..........89 7. Posing and the Must-Have Shots ........91 AttheBride’sHouse........................91 TheGroom...............................92 TheCeremony ............................93 Family Groups ............................94 PortraitsoftheBrideandGroom ..............95 FormalsoftheBride........................96 The Wedding Party .........................99 LeavingtheChurch.........................99 Venue Shots at the Reception ................100 The Reception ...........................100 The Rings ...............................103 The Cake Cutting .........................103 TheFirstDance ..........................103 The Bouquet Toss .........................104 Little Kids ...............................104 8. Technical Considerations .............105 Focal-Length Factors ......................105 Focal Length and its Effect on Perspective .......106 Wide-Angle Lenses ......................106 “Normal”Lenses.......................106 Short to Medium Telephotos ..............106 Long Telephotos . ....................107 Very Long Telephotos ...................108 Optimal Lens Choices ......................108 Zoom Lenses vs. PrimeLenses................111 PHOTOGRAPH BY MICHAEL O’NEILL. Table of Contents 5 Introduction t’s quite simple, really. The reason a professional photographer poses a sub- This is a formal portrait made by Laszlo of Iject, whether it’s a bride or a high-school senior, is to idealize the person Montreal, a traditional portrait artist from Canada who has an unbelievably fine rep- and to reveal their uniqueness as an individual. Additionally, even more than utation. Notice the exquisite posing and lighting or composition, posing helps to reveal those characteristics that are the intentional way each feature of the unseen by the eye but experienced through the emotions—qualities like couple—the hands, fingers, etc.—all con- strength, honesty, vulnerability, and inner beauty. Failing to pose the subject tribute to the formal status of this portrait. Despite the formality, however, the ex- means leaving to chance these subtleties of their appearance in the image. pressions are unique to the person and This would make