|
Forums >
General Industry >
Preferences: work the pose or free-moving model?
My retraining to stills from TV news started primarily as portrait work. As such, I usually shoot people who don't know how to pose and must work to get it right before shooting. Some models I have shot simply go into autopilot when the lens is pointed in their direction. I certainly appreciate not always having to come up with poses, but at times it gets annoying. I see or think of something I like and want to change it up a bit, but by the time I holler "stop" the pose is gone. There are times I have simply relaxed and enjoyed simply clicking the shutter. However this seems more likely to be a hit or miss thing, kinda like shooting a concert or runway show. So, do you prefer to work with one pose at a time, or do you want to just let it happen and capture what you can? May 13 05 08:38 am Link i like to pose my models..compostion is as important as anything... May 13 05 08:44 am Link I guess it depends on what you want. It's probably nice for some photographers to just be able to shoot. As a model, I'd rather have the photographer pose me because I don't know what it looks like through the camera. However, photographers say I'm a natural poser and I don't even know it. So I guess I kind of just mix the two. I'm trying to learn how to do more movement, since that's what I need in my posing to make them better. If anybody can help me out with this, please contact me.  May 13 05 08:49 am Link For me it's kind of a mix...I give my models an idea of what I'm looking for, then let them make their interpretation on my idea. When I see something that works for me, I fine tune the pose with a little "Chin up...little more...look over here..a little more...etc". Once I get that shot, I let her free fly til the next pose that works for me. By doing it this way, my models seem to enjoy feeling that they are part of the process, and not just a face or body. And nothing brings in more referral business than a happy model  May 13 05 08:51 am Link I prefer to pose myself largely, but I expect and welcome fine tuning from the photographer. After all, I can't see myself from that angle. May 13 05 08:55 am Link I pose them. Once I get what I want, I let them freestyle. May 13 05 09:03 am Link (raises hand) Oh! Oh! I love this topic! I got an answer. I got an answer. (ahem) I have often said that a great photoshoot is like dancing. When the model and I have a great vibe going, we just move together effortlessly. They pose. I shoot. They move. I shoot. We get a synch going with each other. A rhythm. When it happens, it's a beautiful thing. And, yes, sometimes I have that "vision" of an exact pose. And in that case, I will pause and give the model direction and sometimes I will even - GASP! - touch them and physically move a limb or a head-angle! (I know, I know it's so "unprofessional" to have physical contact with fellow human beings!) One of my little "secrets" to photography is that I move a LOT. I have worked with many models who tell me their photograhers stand still and have the models move. That's weird to me. I attribute my constant movement to my Steadicam days of shooting music videos. You gotta move to get the right angle. Apparently some photographers don't know that. May 13 05 10:40 am Link Posted by EricMuss-Barnes: i cant wait 2 dance with u !!!!!! xox califonia next month!! May 13 05 10:57 am Link From the perspective of someone who has been hiring photographers and models for fashion advertising work for many years...The free-flow of movement brings life to a shoot, helping to sell product. Even in more posed-like shots, a good photographer can relax and elicit an animated look from models. I even work with top photographers in LA who hate to work with NY/East Coast models, finding them too stiff, preferring to work with the more animated LA based actor/models. May 13 05 11:10 am Link Rarely pose a model. I expect a model being paid (by client) to already know what to do. You provide them an outline of the image and motivation, and then shoot. With beginners, I prefer to still let them not be posed and then help them learn from their resulting images. May 13 05 11:16 am Link I prefer not to pose unless the model is in need (newer model etc). If there is a particular commercial project I am on, it may be different, but I find there is a kind of synchronicity that forms during the shoot. Once it's on, sometimes the model can come up with amazing poses beyond what I would have expected. Within about 10 minutes of shooting I can pretty well figure out which way to go, but usually, it's just a beautiful thing. May 13 05 11:34 am Link if i ever pay a model, they better know how to move and play to the camera. but mostly i give a general direction to what i what accomplished; along with either a verbal explanation, some sketches i drew of my idea, or even*gasp* ripped pages from a magazine, then fine tune the models as necessary...if they're stiff and i paid for them, then i give them crappy jpegs/prints...i don't work miracles. May 13 05 11:38 am Link It depends on what your shooting. Still posing is mainly for portraits and Playboy (glamour), static images. Fashion etc. can be both but you will always get more killer shots from a model that's moving. A good model should know how to pose both ways. If she can't then she's working with the wrong photogs because that's mainly how most models learn. It's also true that an inexperienced photog can learn from a good model. If you can't shoot a moving model then you're really only cheating yourself and only working at half your potential. You have to frame and shoot on the move, and yes you have to move also right along with her, it's totally different than just shooting a model leaning on a wall or sitting in a chair. Try it, the more you can do will only increase your income potential. If you're not interested in the income then just showing you can do it will get more models wanting your work. Gary www.glamourstudio.com May 13 05 11:52 am Link Posted by GLAMOUR STUDIO: I agree, but I kind of like "Organic Free Range Models". May 13 05 12:13 pm Link I find that I need to pose the model so that she gets an idea of what I am looking for. I watch for the movements the model makes and pick what I like. In studio the lighting prevents a model from too much free form. She needs to stay in a small deignated area or the lighting doesn't work. Outdoors there is much more freedom. However I do want to see what a model can do in free form. If it doesn't work I go back to posing. May 13 05 10:57 pm Link I like it when the photographer poses me, but, I've done my own that the photographer(s) like even moving my hand or leg or tilting my head on my own or just by playing around I'll hit a pose they really like. Sometimes they will tell me just to pose however I want to just have fun and they like most poses I do. May 13 05 11:09 pm Link If it's for show, I like to let the models spring unwind a bit and let her do her thing. You just never know what you're going to get that's not totally planned out (double edged sword). Then I place the model (I never pose models) where and how I want her. Of course, the process used depends on the end goal, as well. When it's for dough, I place the model where and how I want her for the expected end result. May 14 05 01:33 am Link Being a newbie, I'm still in that stage where I feel more comfortable getting some guidance on how to pose (Maybe it's because, if I pose on my own, the one photographer I've worked with the most will just stare at me and not take the photo, so I get flustered.) I'm trying to work with different photographers as much as possible, to get a feel for how "real" photoshoots work. How patient are you photographers with the newbies? May 14 05 10:01 am Link Pose = Boring... Thou sadly we need to do it.. Does this not all depend on the model - if she canot pose you pose them - if you can pose - then let it rip... May 14 05 11:07 am Link Posted by Xi: Working with different photographers is a great and it will teach you a lot about different work methods. The best thing is that it will teach you a lot about YOURSELF and how YOU work best. May 14 05 04:00 pm Link always a mix for me, based on the personality of the subject, and the concept/job on the table, if any. May 14 05 04:49 pm Link Im an art photographer. I hire models for fairly specific reasons; concepts of mine. I expect a pro model to follow my directions, not take off on her/his own. When I want the pose to change, then is the time for the model to make a change. It also depends on what camera Im using and in what light. My digital is slow. With film cameras I can follow the action. An experienced model will give me what I want with little direction. Newbies require direction, slowing down the whole session; although a few are naturals and quickly fall into a rhythm that can get into interesting action. ....Thom May 16 05 12:00 pm Link Posted by EricMuss-Barnes: Maybe it's video in general. I shot TV news and always had to get the next shot from a different angle (except for press conferences). I assisted another photographer recently and had my camera in a corner of the room .. popped a couple and came out with an awesome shot that he would have never seen from head on. Heck, it was easier than moving the lights around. May 16 05 01:00 pm Link Posted by Glamour Studio /Gary: Gary, thanks for the advice. I shoot concerts and have shot news, so certainly know how to follow and capture. Now to find some good models to learn from. May 16 05 01:04 pm Link I do a little of everything. When I have a really strong idea that I want, I'll set up the scene completely, but still leave the model room to find her own place within that scene. It helps when the model is "in tune" with the idea and can successfully "see" herself where I've put her. I like to move around a lot. There are times when I lock the model into a pose and I do all the moving, trying to capture the pose from multiple angles, using multiple cameras [i always have at least four toycameras loaded in addition to my digital]. Even so, I still allow the model some space within the pose to re-interpret who she is from moment to moment, even [especially?] when it's a d/s or bondage concept that we're working on. When I know the model is a true creator, I won't pose them at all...I just let them go and take me to the daylight. Then it really becomes a dance, fraught with give and take, a conspiracy of two that always bears beautiful creativie fruit. One thing I always do: When I'm done with a particular pose or scene, I'll say "relax" to the model and watch VERY closely what happens next. Often the best poses are when the model "returns" to her body. I'm sure that 60% of my portfolio is the result of watching for these instants. All that is me...I'm sure that as you go along, you'll find what works for you. Good luck! May 16 05 01:25 pm Link I usually start out letting the photographer pose me, but eventually I just pose and free form. I'm lucky to have worked with photographers that have a quick eye and catch the random things, but I can make a lot of good poses that they can sometimes miss, then they tell me to go back. I like the direction, but I also like to truely interact (and sometimes completely ignore the camera) with the camera. The best poses for me is when I forget that the photographer is there at all...anyone else feel that way? May 16 05 01:38 pm Link Ayy, I do not care for someone who is strictly pose only, somtimes i have an idea, yet i can't get it out...fine tuning is one thing, but poseing only if hard! withthat siad, i have a pose-only shoot with a photographer tommorrow...filling out my portfolio. May 16 05 02:14 pm Link Working with dance companies I sometimes perfer to use dancers for a lot of my assignments where they need to show-off the clothing. Something about working with dancers, you get the freedom and flow with such grace in movement or they can make it funky. So sit back and just enjoy the ride.....click May 16 05 02:39 pm Link |
