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Types of Poses for Portrait Photography

When photographing a subject, be sure to account for why he is having his photograph taken. This will help you when selecting how to pose him in his portrait. There are four types of poses for photography portraits, and you might find yourself incorporating many, if not all, types into your session with the individual.

Traditional
- Use the traditional way of posing for photographing portraits to shoot business or yearbook senior composite photos. These photos should be very professional and be suitable for the person to display with a profile. Jeff Smith, author of "Posing for Portrait Photography: A Head to Toe Guide," suggests that in this type of pose the individual&'s arms should not be resting to his sides and he should have a smile that is professional and relaxed, yet not like he has just finished laughing.
Casual
- The casual pose is having someone pose like he does when he is most relaxed. These poses include laying down, leaning and other positions where the subject&'s arms are relaxed on his legs, and oftentimes his chin is supported by his hand. These photos can be given to friends and family.
Journalistic
- Journalistic portraits are more about not posing. With this pose you can capture the person as he is in real life. You should try to capture the subject&'s actions and reactions without posing him at all, just shoot the photos while he goes about his activities. This type can be used on kids, family and wedding photos.
Glamorous
- Glamorous posing could be a way for a model to build a portfolio or simply to capture the subject&'s beauty. In this pose, you want your subject to look very attractive. This type of posing can be found in fashion and lingerie magazines.

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