Posing, Composition, and Cropping

Christopher Grey follows up his successful books on lighting for portrait photographers with this complete guide to professional portraiture. Successful poses are shown to be achieved through a thorough understanding of the client's personality and their objectives for the image's use. Next, the mechanics of positioning the human body are thoroughly explained with special attention given to each part of the physical form to make it look its best. Specialized techniques for different styles of portrait (including head shots for actors, senior portraits, and editorial fashion portraits) are offered, allowing photographers to better tailor the pose. Also covered are different approaches to directing the subject, from very hands-on in which the photographer refines every aspect of the pose to a more relaxed strategy of general guidance with only occasional instruction for selective posing refinement. Using the techniques presented in this book, photographers will be able to more efficiently and effectively present their subjects in flattering ways—and in eye-catching compositions.