3 Tips for Posing

3 Quick Tips for Posing a Girl and Her Horse:

1. Speak with Authority: if you speak as the matter expert (which you are!) it can calm nerves for your subject who has very little experience doing this! I talk a lot, because I’ve found that when I am silent it can cause people to be very unsure. I use direct language to communicate with authority.
2. Stay Positive: no matter what, I keep giving positive affirmation (even if the pose/location I put them in isn’t work!!). Using negative words can make my subjects worried. I try not to give too much praise because I want to be genuine, endearing, and meaningful. I want to build confidence throughout the shoot.
3. Be Very Specific: I typically demonstrate the pose I want, I help them into the pose, and then I keep making adjustments with specific instructions. Every single detail is accounted for: hands, fingers, hair, gaze, expression, weight shifts, etc.

Need help?

My Posing Girls and Horses course is a beginner’s-level course that takes you through all of the basics of how I pose. My Working With Natural Light course is an advanced posing course with less and instruction and more real-world application.