Best Male Portrait Poses

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Alexander Lozitsky CEO and co-Founder RetouchMe, Ukraine

• TOP-9 best male model poses:
• 1.Use psychological features of a men photography
• 2. Choose appropriate character for posing
• 3. Masculinity manifestation in senior picture poses for guys
• 4. Business male poses photography
• 5. Examples of perfect snapshot ideas
• 6. What is the right position for hands?
• 7. How to make the process easy and comfortable?
• 8. Watch your imperfections
• 9. Avoid creative diy approach
• 10. Have you ever tried to stroll?
• Tiny guide for photographers:

Usually male portrait requests are a quite rare situation. Men are always satisfied with any photo, made by phone or during the party. But nowadays, social networks and Instagram profiles require continued publication of selfie pics and outfits. When it comes to your boyfriend or relative, who wants to make an attractive photo gallery, a number of questions arise. 

• How to create a great handsome look?
• Which poses are better to use?
• How to make a male model feel relaxed and enjoy the process?
• What is the best way to demonstrate a person's individuality?

A lot of articles, tutorials and books have been written about shooting a female model, because images of boys were not that popular before.

TOP-9 best male model poses:

1. Cross arms, straighten your shoulders and make your belly flat.
2. Hands in pockets or on hips (both or just one).
3. Lean on the wall, turn your head to the camera and smile.
4. Depending on the picture type, use additional accessories (cigars, pipes, various hats, weapons, ties, artistic clothing, guitar, cup of coffee, etc.)
5. For a casual “office” look, you can sit on a side of the table.
6. Sit on a chair in front of the table.
7. Cross legs, when sitting.
8. Stand up and lean on the back of a chair with one hand, another can be in a pocket.
9. Demonstrate muscles and broad shoulders if you have those.

1.Use psychological features of a men photography

Every photographer has to remember that a guy will never admit to being shy or stressed, facing the camera. Some of them become silent and focus on seriousness. Others, vice versa, start chatting without rest, playing the role of a comedian.

Remember those important tricks:

• quickly respond to the model’s initiative and change of his mood or pose. Talk less, work more;
• speak and act clearly. Stay focused and capture interesting moments;
• learn to find the right approach to each model, each customer.

A man enjoys to know all details of a shooting process. Try to briefly describe what you need to get in one position or another, when to smile or to stay serious, what are you using this or that lens and softbox for.

2. Choose appropriate character for posing

It is better to discuss in advance what a client expects from shooting. If he has not yet decided, offer several professional ideas and classic techniques.

The choice of options is unlimited:

• indoor or outdoor pictures;
• black and white or street casual style;
• pictures in creative areas, like roof or abandoned building, bridge, in a park, in a gym, with a favorite car or in a garage;
• shooting martial arts;
• riding horses;
• fishing.

The texture of the background must be rough: brick, wood, graffiti, stone, steel, etc.

3. Masculinity manifestation in senior picture poses for guys

Successful men always stand out with self-confidence and individual charm, which constantly attracts attention. For this reason, the goal of a professional photograph is to demonstrate this exceptional distinctive feature with the help of a perspective, right angles, poses and lighting.

Wrinkles and scars on the face will be an additional advantage, and this is one of the most significant differences between male and female pictures. Characteristic features which are not acceptable for girls are more appreciated by boys.

Clothing for such an album should be simple but elegant, if models have no unique style. Jeans, t-shirts, shirts or polo can be used for every location and fashion look. Family shooting involves similar styles or colors for each family member.

4. Business male poses photography

It is important to guess with the choice of clothes. Strict office style, casual, smart casual are mostly preferred. But it is also important to take care of accessories. If it is necessary to emphasize the status, then expensive watches, cufflinks and leather armchairs will work.

A great marketing and advertising tool not only for personal, but public figures is photographing during the working process. When images seem to be a surprise for a model, concentrated on a business plan. Such headshots are usually used for business profiles and CVs.

5. Examples of perfect snapshot ideas

Ideal pose for photography for male is considered to be the one with angles, where vertical or horizontal lines prevail over diagonal ones. If there is a will to emphasize broad shoulders and muscles, ask the model to turn shoulders to the camera, and hips to slightly turn away from the lens. In most cases, eyes should look in the same direction as the face. Regardless of whether the model is sitting or standing, it is important to pay attention to posture.

6. What is the right position for hands?

There are several options. One is to place hands along the body, another is to put one or both hands in pockets, cross over the chest or on hips. In each case, it should look easy and natural.

To begin with, make a portrait with arms crossed over the chest.

You can also take a picture of a man in full growth with his arms crossed. Offer to put both hands in pockets, or hold a jacket over the shoulder.

Take a few pictures, sitting in different poses. Traditional is the one where a guy is sitting with the ankle of one leg on the knee of another, leaning slightly forward. Hands can be put on hips or knees with relaxed arms.

Amazing portraits can be realized, when a man leans with his back against the wall. Hands can be in pockets or with some accessory. For a better result one leg should be bent at a knee.

Male posing denies “smooth lines”, half-tones in gestures and mysterious faces. For an easy explanation, it is good to remember geometry, because women are similar to circles or ovals, and men to squares, triangles, rectangles.

And the most important advice is to keep back straight!

7. How to make the process easy and comfortable?

Make friends with a photographer. It is more comfortable working with a person if you find a common language with him before you start. In order to avoid the client’s embarrassment, it is necessary to study his psychological portrait in advance, to learn more about him, his hobbies, work, favorite music.

When preparing for a shooting, you should choose as many different clothes of various styles as possible so that you have something to choose from. Because having the same outfit for a long time will make you tired. You will just get bored. Therefore, if the process is indoors it is a good idea to bring some 5 sets of clothes.

To make you look natural and not older, choose the right colors. Discard black and purple. Many shades can destroy a skin tone, especially green.

8. Watch your imperfections

There is nothing strange in make-up services. Some men are really able to cover skin imperfections by themselves. Though plenty of online post-processing retouch applications are available, do not neglect a really useful help from a stylist. Every portrait will look much better, when hair and skin look beautiful and in order.

9. Avoid creative diy approach

There are several rules for men pictures of all ages and styles:

• no duck faces (it is a bad taste, even in a female world);
• no too tight clothes;
• no pictures in bathroom;
• do not show the underwear (even for dating site);
• no photo in a horizontal position (bed, floor, etc.)

10. Have you ever tried to stroll?

It is a great option for men. This kind of walking is absolutely natural and easy for any human being. Still, everyone can create his own way to stroll. You can work with such a pose practicing relaxed and tense posture. Many of us can walk, but shooting requires strolling to show and feel yourself handsome.

Tiny guide for photographers:

1. In case you never thought about weird facts regarding our bodies, then this is the one to consider. One of our eyes is usually bigger than another one. Amazing, but it is true. When you start checking, you will realise it by yourself. There is nothing to change, but it is possible to work with it. Just turn the smaller eye of the model closer to the lens.
2. Do not get nervous if the model is tired and sleepy. It happens often, that the day before shooting there are plenty of reasons, which keep us awake. Tired eyes can be corrected with the camera above. This will force looking up and eyes are going to be open widely.
3. Sometimes a round face and big nose can become a real disaster for a successful image. Long lens can really rescue the situation. Portraits with such an optics may surprise even the most doubtful individual.
4. Blinking is natural, but some models become real heavy blinkers. It may be caused by stress or nervousness. There is nothing to do withit, but there is a technique to apply. Ask your model to close eyes for a couple of seconds and then open on three. These two or three seconds of open eyes will give a chance to take some pictures.

None tells that successful pictures can come easy. Watching various websites and TV shows, this work may only seem simple, but much professionalism and patience is needed from both models and photographers.

If you learn at least some crucial advice then a new photo album will become a real pleasure. This process can be entertaining and interesting. It is something like an actor in a theatre. You chose the role to play and in a moment or two can be a pirate or a romantic lover. Playing on the camera is a widely used mode and frequently applied option. Start from being yourself and thinking of something positive and watch resulting pictures afterwards. In case there are some tiny problems to correct, use online retouch software and enjoy it.

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Author

Alexander Lozitsky CEO and co-Founder RetouchMe, Ukraine

Co-founder of RetouchMe. In addition to business, he is passionate about travel photography and videography. His photos can be viewed on Instagram (over 1 million followers), and his films can be found on his YouTube channel.
Moreover, his profile is featured on the most popular and authoritative resource in the film industry — IMDb. He has received 51 international awards and 18 nominations at film festivals worldwide.