The lower body forms the foundation of posing. What you do with your legs and feet has an effect on not just the feel of a photo, but how you feel within yourself.
As mentioned in the introduction blog, taking a wide stance gives a viewer the impression of strength and confidence, and also gives the person posing those feelings themselves. It is stereotypically associated with masculinity, but it can be used by males or females when modelling.
Wide Stance
Neutral Stance
Narrow Stance
Bringing your feet a little closer together, gives a more neutral impression. A neutral stance gives a message exactly how it says, no strong emotions or perceptions. This type of positioning of your feet and legs can be used to emphasize other areas of an image.
For example, when modelling for a handbag promotional campaign, you may want the viewers to be more focused on the handbags than the model, a neutral stance can assist this.
For example, when modelling for a handbag promotional campaign, you may want the viewers to be more focused on the handbags than the model, a neutral stance can assist this.
Next we have your feet close together, or even touching. Generally this can give off an impression of weakness or a lack of confidence. Stereotypically this stance is used with females and is rarely used in male posing.
If the image calls for a shy or submissive feel, this can be a stance you use.
Obviously, there are variations on the feeling portrayed with a narrow stance, think of a soldier standing at attention, the soldier may not look weak whilst in this position, but he/she is showing a compliance to the person(s) he/she is standing at attention for.
If the image calls for a shy or submissive feel, this can be a stance you use.
Obviously, there are variations on the feeling portrayed with a narrow stance, think of a soldier standing at attention, the soldier may not look weak whilst in this position, but he/she is showing a compliance to the person(s) he/she is standing at attention for.
These guidelines are applicable not just when standing, but when seated also as shown in the images below.
Seated Narrow Stance
Seated Wide Stance
Looking at the positioning of feet: having your toes pointed outwards gives the same feel as a wide stance; toes pointed forward, the same as a neutral stance; toes pointed inwards, the same as a narrow stance.
Combining the toe angle and the stance can control the feeling you convey to a more refined level, and sometimes the toe angle can take precedence over the stance, like when a soldier is at attention.
Combining the toe angle and the stance can control the feeling you convey to a more refined level, and sometimes the toe angle can take precedence over the stance, like when a soldier is at attention.
Toes Pointed Inwards
Toes Pointed Outwards
There are almost limitless other options for positioning your legs and feet. A general rule is to keep things natural, finding what positions work well for yourself, and to avoid making body parts look deformed (which can happen with areas like thighs).
As always, practicing your posing (especially using a mirror) will benefit your portraits by understanding how you look and feel in positions before you have a camera pointed at you.
As always, practicing your posing (especially using a mirror) will benefit your portraits by understanding how you look and feel in positions before you have a camera pointed at you.
In the next blog, we will look at posing with your arms and hands.