What do you think?
Rate this book
The Photographer's Guide to Posing: Techniques to Flatter Everyone
When photographing people, you can have a great composition, perfect light, and the right camera settings, but if your subject doesn’t look right—if the pose is off—the shot will not be a keeper. Posing is truly a crucial skill that photographers need to have in order to create great photographs. If you’re looking to improve your ability to pose your subjects—whether they’re men, women, couples, or groups—best-selling author and photographer Lindsay Adler’s The Photographer’s Guide to Techniques to Flatter Everyone is the perfect resource for you. In the first half of The Photographer’s Guide to Posing , Lindsay discusses how the camera sees, and thus how camera angle, lens choice, and perspective all affect the appearance of your subject. Lindsay then covers the five most important things that ruin a pose—such as placement of the hands, and your subject’s expression and posture. If you can look out for and avoid these five things, your skills (and your images) will quickly improve. Next, Lindsay dives into “posing essentials,” outlining her approach to start with a “base pose,” then build on that to create endless posing opportunities. She also discusses posing the face—with specific sections dedicated to the chin, jaw, eyes, and forehead—as well as posing hands. In the second half of the book, Lindsay dedicates entire chapters to posing specific subject women, men, couples, curvy women, families and small groups, and large groups. In each chapter, Lindsay addresses that subject matter’s specific challenges, provides five “go-to poses” you can always use, and covers how to train the eye to determine the best pose for your subject(s). In the final chapter of the book, Lindsay brings it all together as she teaches you how to analyze a pose so that you can create endless posing opportunities and continuously improve your work.
448 pages, Paperback
Published May 26, 2017
333 people are currently reading
451 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
June 16, 2019
Simply the absolute best book on photographic posing I have ever seen. I love the author’s very sensitive handling of the range of body shapes and sizes that exist in reality. I love that, for example, she uses a couple who are not Barbie-Ken perfect; the woman is taller than the man and the man is less glamorous than the woman, but she deftly demonstrates posing fixes to show the couple off to best advantage, minimizing their weaknesses. It’s freakin outstanding!
I will refer back to this book again and again, reminding myself of posing pointers whenever I will be photographing people. PS.: I have also kept certain things in mind when other people take pictures of me! I was much happier with how I looked in photos taken at my son’s graduation, simply because I did not stand flat-footed and I was careful to keep negative space between my arm and my body.
I will refer back to this book again and again, reminding myself of posing pointers whenever I will be photographing people. PS.: I have also kept certain things in mind when other people take pictures of me! I was much happier with how I looked in photos taken at my son’s graduation, simply because I did not stand flat-footed and I was careful to keep negative space between my arm and my body.
Read
June 14, 2018This book is amazing. I have never seen another book that has such details in explaining why one photograph of a person looks good and another just doesn't work. It is about training you eye and it gives practical advise on how to improve any photo. Recommended for anyone that wants to take a great photo or just wants to look better in one. - Wendy M.
March 10, 2024
Rule 1: Whatever is closer to the camera appears larger.
Rule 2: Whatever is farther from the camera appears smaller.
Rule 1: Wider focal lengths exaggerate distance.
Rule 2: Longer focal lengths compress distance.
Avoid cropping at a joint. —if it bends, don’t crop in the middle of it!
Many photographers prefer to think of the act of posing their subjects as “directing.” Lack of direction often makes people uncomfortable. When I direct, I use a combination of my words, my body, and my gestures to communicate what I’m looking for.
with a female subject, if I have her tilt her head slightly toward the camera, it becomes more playful, soft, and feminine. If a man tilts his head toward the camera, the results are the same, and usually not desired. However, if a man tilts his head slightly at an angle or away from the camera, it can suggest that he is interested and engaged.
Stick Your Chin Out and Down
if my subject has a larger forehead, I may not want to shoot above eye level because it will exaggerate this feature. However, if the subject has a double chin, shooting above eye level may help hide it.
For a man, maybe you are coaching a bit of a smolder or channeling Zoolander.
Learn their name. Use it to greet them. Use it when directing them. Use it in conversation. Use it to provide positive reinforcement.
you can ask the subject to elaborate on their passion as a way to fill the dead air
Digits refers to any part of the body that can be moved without altering the core of the pose, such as hands, feet, arms, face, and expression. I recall photographer Jerry Ghionis referring to the digits like those in a phone number—vary each one independently and you have endless possible combinations.
Ask the subject to pretend they are on a turntable, and rotate around to provide a slightly different perspective.
timeless poses for women often employ a lot of bend, curve, and arch.
Too much symmetry tends to trap the eye, giving it nowhere to flow throughout the pose. Asymmetry, by contrast, creates interest and movement in your frame. It gives the eye diverse elements to explore.
You may have heard of the “S” curve when referring to women’s poses.
If I want the subject to look as though they are in mid-step, I invite them to bounce back and forth from one foot to the other
Feminine architecture has arches and curves. Masculine architecture has strong lines, triangles, and firmer structure.
While there are endless poses for women, often their bodies create an “S” curve. For men, their bodies often take the shape of a “C” or “V.”
in a group shot I don’t want one man to look wide or demand most of the visual attention in the frame while another man looks more slender or diminished. I can vary their shoulders to give more balance within a group shot. I don’t put everyone’s shoulders at the same angle—instead, I vary them to create visual balance.
the entire hand in the pocket is considered more aesthetically pleasing.
While tipping a female’s head toward the camera can appear playful or thoughtful, depending on the expression, the same isn’t generally true for men. Typically, the result looks awkward or a bit too feminine. Keep the head tilt neutral or even slightly away from the camera if seeking a more standoffish pose. Be aware that tilting the head away from the camera only works with certain faces, and it will depend on each subject.
Rule 2: Whatever is farther from the camera appears smaller.
Rule 1: Wider focal lengths exaggerate distance.
Rule 2: Longer focal lengths compress distance.
Avoid cropping at a joint. —if it bends, don’t crop in the middle of it!
Many photographers prefer to think of the act of posing their subjects as “directing.” Lack of direction often makes people uncomfortable. When I direct, I use a combination of my words, my body, and my gestures to communicate what I’m looking for.
with a female subject, if I have her tilt her head slightly toward the camera, it becomes more playful, soft, and feminine. If a man tilts his head toward the camera, the results are the same, and usually not desired. However, if a man tilts his head slightly at an angle or away from the camera, it can suggest that he is interested and engaged.
Stick Your Chin Out and Down
if my subject has a larger forehead, I may not want to shoot above eye level because it will exaggerate this feature. However, if the subject has a double chin, shooting above eye level may help hide it.
For a man, maybe you are coaching a bit of a smolder or channeling Zoolander.
Learn their name. Use it to greet them. Use it when directing them. Use it in conversation. Use it to provide positive reinforcement.
you can ask the subject to elaborate on their passion as a way to fill the dead air
Digits refers to any part of the body that can be moved without altering the core of the pose, such as hands, feet, arms, face, and expression. I recall photographer Jerry Ghionis referring to the digits like those in a phone number—vary each one independently and you have endless possible combinations.
Ask the subject to pretend they are on a turntable, and rotate around to provide a slightly different perspective.
timeless poses for women often employ a lot of bend, curve, and arch.
Too much symmetry tends to trap the eye, giving it nowhere to flow throughout the pose. Asymmetry, by contrast, creates interest and movement in your frame. It gives the eye diverse elements to explore.
You may have heard of the “S” curve when referring to women’s poses.
If I want the subject to look as though they are in mid-step, I invite them to bounce back and forth from one foot to the other
Feminine architecture has arches and curves. Masculine architecture has strong lines, triangles, and firmer structure.
While there are endless poses for women, often their bodies create an “S” curve. For men, their bodies often take the shape of a “C” or “V.”
in a group shot I don’t want one man to look wide or demand most of the visual attention in the frame while another man looks more slender or diminished. I can vary their shoulders to give more balance within a group shot. I don’t put everyone’s shoulders at the same angle—instead, I vary them to create visual balance.
the entire hand in the pocket is considered more aesthetically pleasing.
While tipping a female’s head toward the camera can appear playful or thoughtful, depending on the expression, the same isn’t generally true for men. Typically, the result looks awkward or a bit too feminine. Keep the head tilt neutral or even slightly away from the camera if seeking a more standoffish pose. Be aware that tilting the head away from the camera only works with certain faces, and it will depend on each subject.
January 24, 2024
The writing on this is horrible. The author struggles and trips over how to say things as inclusively as possible which ends up making his word choice stilted and awkward. Best of intentions but poor execution.
That said, we aren’t here for the words. And luckily, this author is much better without the words.
The example photos were spot on and made so much sense. I loved the numerous options but even more, there were practice quizzes!! It was exceptionally helpful!
That said, we aren’t here for the words. And luckily, this author is much better without the words.
The example photos were spot on and made so much sense. I loved the numerous options but even more, there were practice quizzes!! It was exceptionally helpful!
August 29, 2018
This is the second book I have read on posing this year. I learned a wealth of information!
(The other was "Picture Perfect Posing" by Roberto Valenzuela) I plan to order a copy and keep it as a reference
I have read a few other books on posing and nothing compares to these two.
Must read material for any photographer/model wanting to really step their game up.
After reading both books I have seen how my eye has picked things up and I am way more critical of the work I come across. Including my own work!! This was just the book I needed to challenge my thinking and posing.
(The other was "Picture Perfect Posing" by Roberto Valenzuela) I plan to order a copy and keep it as a reference
I have read a few other books on posing and nothing compares to these two.
Must read material for any photographer/model wanting to really step their game up.
After reading both books I have seen how my eye has picked things up and I am way more critical of the work I come across. Including my own work!! This was just the book I needed to challenge my thinking and posing.
January 18, 2018
As a novice, I was almost never happy with the portraits that I took. Like many new photographers, I got a more expensive camera, and thought that more costly hardware would surely "cure" my portraits. Then I invested in a posing course on CreativeLive taught by Lindsay Adler, and that changed everything - it changed my planning, my process, and most importantly, it changed the way that I see. This book is Lindsay's posing bootcamp on paper, and this book paired with Roberto Valenzuela's "Picture Perfect Posing" comprise my posing bible. Lindsey discusses the importance of understanding how the camera sees, and uses those principles to provide guidance on lens choice, shooting angles, and how to flatter subjects in a variety of scenarios. The book has photographic examples of practically every concept. I hate to enter the "date finished" field here, because it's a book that I return to before each session, and it definitely makes my sessions better than they would have been without it.
December 21, 2020
Exactly what I had hoped for
I think most photographers are always learning and growing, and I'm no different. While landscapes and animals have been my go to subjects, I have always wanted to learn the art of posing and photographing people. It was intimidating. These are real human beings with real feelings, and it's scary to think that I might make them look less than their best.
If you're struggling with the same feeling, this book will help immensely. It offers wonderful advice and examples. Heck, it even has a simple checklist for things that, frankly, would never have crossed my mind. Will the book make you awesome at shooting portaits and poses? Of course not. But with these tips, and a lot of practice, you'll be well on your way.
I am grateful to Lindsay for putting this book together. I highly recommend it.
I think most photographers are always learning and growing, and I'm no different. While landscapes and animals have been my go to subjects, I have always wanted to learn the art of posing and photographing people. It was intimidating. These are real human beings with real feelings, and it's scary to think that I might make them look less than their best.
If you're struggling with the same feeling, this book will help immensely. It offers wonderful advice and examples. Heck, it even has a simple checklist for things that, frankly, would never have crossed my mind. Will the book make you awesome at shooting portaits and poses? Of course not. But with these tips, and a lot of practice, you'll be well on your way.
I am grateful to Lindsay for putting this book together. I highly recommend it.
February 23, 2023
This an excellent book for any portrait photographer who wants to improve their directing and posing skills. In the book, there are chapters dedicated to different body shapes as well as portraiture styles such as maternity, boudoir, etc. The author points out common mistakes when posing the subjects and offers solutions to the problems. The book is full of images with examples of good and bad poses which is really helpful when learning the art of posing.
October 31, 2019
This book is extremely useful to me...
It was easy to read both sequentially and bopping around. I shoot a lot and Lindsey helped me to scoop organize and integrate experiences I’ve created in a way that I might learn more looking back. Thanks Lindsay, I look forward to your next book!
It was easy to read both sequentially and bopping around. I shoot a lot and Lindsey helped me to scoop organize and integrate experiences I’ve created in a way that I might learn more looking back. Thanks Lindsay, I look forward to your next book!
September 2, 2017
I'll see if this is helpful for me after I take some photos. :) The author explains why certain poses work, and others don't, through helpful photographs. There is a lot of repetition of the concepts, which is a very good thing.
February 23, 2018
What a great guide to posing! Before I did my first full couple/nude shoot, I consulted this book, jumping around to parts that would help. And it was really amazing. Thanks Lindsay Adler, your scrimming/division of light and how-tos were very helpful!
July 21, 2019
Simple enough a cavewoman (me!) can use it.
So much here that I am taking notes to use on my next attempt at making people look good on camera.
Also looking to see if this author has any other books.
So much here that I am taking notes to use on my next attempt at making people look good on camera.
Also looking to see if this author has any other books.
July 11, 2020
High-quality book/print and heavy to carry around. Is it worth a read? Absolutely, must-have for any portrait photographer!
August 3, 2020
Second book on posing that I have read this summer and the one where I really picked up a wealth of information. I really recommended it to anyone looking to improve their understanding of posing.
November 3, 2020
A very good start for begginers. It's easy to understand and have plenty of examples.
June 10, 2021
This is the perfect book if you want to learn about posing models for photoshoots
October 4, 2021
I loved this book! Even if you aren’t a photographer or an aspiring one, this book is still an interesting read.
March 17, 2023
První fotografická kniha, která se mi hodně líbila.
August 10, 2023
Excellent book on posing for photographers. It dissects each and every details and also explains why we are posing like that.
December 8, 2024
Чудесна книга, от която може да се научи много.
December 12, 2025
Lindsey Adler is a gem. Well-structured, insightful, and lots of mind-blowing example imagery, I'll be returning to reference this one again and again.
April 3, 2021
Great book for Photography
Such a refreshing learning tool. It helped me so much! Every photography student needs this book. I highly recommend this book
Such a refreshing learning tool. It helped me so much! Every photography student needs this book. I highly recommend this book
January 28, 2021
Must buy for portrait photographers.
November 24, 2017
Great book on posing
Well written, concise, and very valuable tips, techniques, and information to quickly improve your portraits. Highly recommend this book to anyone looking to improve their portrait photography.
Well written, concise, and very valuable tips, techniques, and information to quickly improve your portraits. Highly recommend this book to anyone looking to improve their portrait photography.
January 18, 2018
Wow! Who knew there was so much detail to a pose? Every photographer should read this book even if you don’t photograph people. So much good information!
September 20, 2018
Very useful
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews