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created by masters of long ago. To be fair,
portrait photography has taken the art form
further, some say by leaps and bounds. A lit-
tle combination of both styles goes a long
way.
Whether it is classic or cutting edge portrai-
ture, some rules remain the same. Your sub-
jects still need to seem natural and without
any distortions to the person’s features. You
can follow a number of basic rules but don’t
have to adhere to them for every portrait.
These rules are a great starting point for
every digital portrait photographer.
Basic poses for individuals include:
✦ Shoulders at an angle. This is
one of the first rules in portraiture.
The subject’s shoulders should be
turned at an angle to your camera.
Use this rule often, for both stand-
ing and seated situations. When
the shoulders are evenly facing the
photographer, the subject looks
unnaturally wider. Figure 7.1 shows
a simple portrait taken with the
shoulders pointed at an angle to
the camera. Try to ensure that the
shoulder closer to the camera is
lower than the other shoulder.
✦ Head tilted. After subjects turn
their shoulders so they’re on an
angle, ask them to tilt and turn
their head slightly so the head isn’t
in the same position as the shoul-
ders. When you have your subjects
tilt and turn their head slightly,
you’re also changing the position
of the eyes, giving a more naturally
interesting look to the portrait with
a dynamic touch.
164 Part II ✦ Creating Great Photos with the Creative Lighting System
7.1 Pose your subjects with their shoulders
pointed at an angle to the camera.
7.2 A slight tilt of the head adds drama to a
portrait.
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