Every now and then I’m asked, “How can I pose men/the groom/groomsmen so they look natural and comfortable?”
Okay, I’ll be the first to tell you, I HAVE NO CLUE! I do know one thing, though. I am awkward and ridiculously uncomfortable in front of the camera. It is because of this and ONLY because of this that I am empathetic to people who feel the same sort of awkardness when in front of the camera.
In general, women seem to be more comfortable being photographed. After thinking long and hard about why this might be, I have come to 2 conclusions: 1. In our culture, women are encouraged to pose and have fun in front of the camera. 2. Most of us have spent most of our adolescent and adult lives looking through magazines at what?? MODELS! Over time, these images creep into our subconscious which is why I believe, so many women seem to know exactly what to do during a session. They laugh, act playful, and are less nervous and awkward.
However, most guys tend to be different. They often need direction to help ease the uncomfortableness. It is the photographer’s job to facilitate a relaxed and even fun atmosphere.
The biggest obstacle is usually, “What do I do with my hands?” Below is just a short list of ways I direct men so that they have something to do with their hands.
My all around most ‘go-to’ pose for men is:
Hands in Pockets:
Guys are always more comfortable with their hands in their pockets. They look 10x more relaxed this way.
Next is The Hand Clasp/Relaxed Hands. Even something as simple as clasping their hands together is a surefire way to relax many guys. Keep in mind, though; I don’t necessarily tell them to clasp their hands. I show them what I want them to do. So much easier for them to have a visual.
The Prop. Give them something to hold.
The image below is of a wedding I did in which the groom was a police officer. This idea was 100% his suggestion, but the principle is the same. P.S. ANY time the guy makes a suggestion, say, “YES!” It means he’s getting into it and that is a very good thing.
I just want to say 1 quick thing about the image below. This bride KNEW she wanted “fun formals” (as I like to call them) and told her wedding party in advance to be prepared for these types of pictures.
She also allotted for PA-LENTY of time to do them. That is the ONLY way these types of images come about. The wedding day schedule MUST allow for them. Period.
Put a drink in a guy’s hand and he is automatically 50% more relaxed.
Regarding the image below, yes, I often ask the groom and the groomsmen to hold the bouquets. That’s just how I roll.
The following images are variations of The Prop. In these cases, the ‘prop’ is another human being or something on which to lean.
Okay, you get the idea. Right? I know it seems like I’m over simplifying things, but the truth is, dudes are simple. Get them to at least look relaxed and you’re good. When all else fails, have them walk. Yes, walk.
I have no idea if this post will help anyone. Every photographer/client is different. There are no easy answers regarding how to make clients feel comfortable in front of the camera. I honestly believe that the ability to pose clients/get them to interact naturally is only possible after we (the photographers) have had enough experience. So keep practicing. Find some friends/a couple you know and use them as your subjects. This blog post isn’t supposed to be a blue print for new photographers, but rather a perspective of another professional. If you take what I’ve said here and simply duplicate it, you are short changing your clients, but more important than that, you are short changing yourself. Push yourself to come up with your own ideas and create a connection/relationship with your clients. Otherwise, you are riding on the coat tails of someone else and there is no reward in that. Your clients deserve more and so do you.
P.S. I recently saw a blog post by my all time favorite wedding photographer, Jasmine Star. Her approach is a little different, but perhaps it is more useful to you than my approach. Find her approach to “How do I pose men/grooms?” here.
Whether or not you are a professional photographer, if you have suggestions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section below.
Peace, love, and happy shooting to all!
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