Posing sitting at a table

Tom Pinchenzo

Tom Pinchenzo

Messages
1,024
Name
Tom
Edit My Images
Yes
I’ve noticed a few portrait photographers (Ivan Weiss and Sean Tucker to name a couple) who seem to favour posing people sitting at a table, with arm/elbows resting on the table. This seems like quite a smart move - brings the chin forward, feels more natural for non-models for whom standing or sitting on a chair might by feel awkward.

Is this something anyone else leans on (pardon the pun) when posing non-models?
 
I like it, but you mustn't allow the hands to come too far forward (or they get bigger and bigger). ;)
 
I've never been any kind of portrait photographer but back when I did a lot of press work I used the technique (or variations of it) quite often.

It avoids ending up with a long skinny shot of a single person, which is hard to use anywhere but in a single column...

Judy Franklin.jpg

Childrens Librarian.jpg
Ernie Holden.jpg
 
Last edited:
A couple from me of a gentle old friend trying hard to look hard
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1379edit 2.jpg
    IMG_1379edit 2.jpg
    116.7 KB · Views: 14
  • IMG_1395 e.JPG
    IMG_1395 e.JPG
    77.5 KB · Views: 14
Some photographers also just like hands in the photo. My wife is a painter and uses some of my portraits as references, and one thing she always hates is if I've taken an otherwise nice portrait but there are no hands visible... she just won't use it. I've heard the same thing from other painters as well, the face alone doesn't seem to tell enough of a story.
 
stevejack said:
Some photographers also just like hands in the photo. My wife is a painter and uses some of my portraits as references, and one thing she always hates is if I've taken an otherwise nice portrait but there are no hands visible... she just won't use it. I've heard the same thing from other painters as well, the face alone doesn't seem to tell enough of a story.
Click to expand...
And painters know what they’re talking about. They’ve been doing it for centuries longer than us photographers!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top