Posing techniques from the Taboo Show Demos
Every year at the Calgary Taboo Show we create a posing demo stage in our booth. I do 10 to 15 minutes of demo poses regularly through out the show. Each pose comes up on the large TV screen as I photograph them. I tell the audience what I am doing to hide a concern or bring out an asset.
This year we have changed our stage in for a bed so it will be a totally different set of tips and insights.
Here are some of the techniques I taught last year. To get more, come visit us at the show.
Bums are a bit of a specialty with me. I have developed lots of little tricks to make any derriere look amazing.
Start with her feet just a little wider than her shoulders. Her hands come down her side, palms in. This hides the little saddlebags nearly every woman has. The little finger follows the crease of the bum giving the look of a rounder bum. Arch the bum while the elbows go out a little.
The image beside the bum shot has a pose that will slenderize every woman while making her look a little more athletic.
Put all the weight on the back leg. Bend the foreground leg; it gives grace to the leg while setting up the S shape curve. Turn her shoulders to the camera. This makes her waist look smaller with her shoulders looking wider. Gives her a V shape look.
You can see the drama of getting down low then shooting upwards with a wider angled lens in the body painted pose. She looks taller and thinner, fit and very confident.
The close up body painted shot shows how you can reshape her breasts using the arms as a living bra. She should lean forward slightly so the breasts have a fuller shape. Then the arms come in create cleavage. The extra bonus is the fore arms hide the tummy and create a V shape illusion.
Sitting down cross legged /crossed arms is a very demure pose. We usually do it nude but skimpy clothes will give a nude illusion. The elbows will hide nearly any sized tummy. Pick your camera angle carefully. Come up higher with a wider angle lens tilted will make her look taller.
I usually turn her head slightly to the side, even have her looking away, each change alters the mood and intent of the image.
The close up shot of the heels is fun. You need to have her arch her bum up. Skimpy thongs work best with some elastic give to them. If she is thicker in the waist I will fluff up some fabric to camouflage that. Spikey heels make it more interesting. The feet should always be slightly apart.
Having one light from above gives such wonderful drama to the image. Her face should be tilted up. This will give her glamour lighting on the face but also smooth out her neck. This head position is full of symbolism too. Placing the light directly above will give the lower part of her body a silhouette shape. One leg should be bent and the bum arched. Play with hand/ arm placement.
The last two images are great for hiding waist challenges.
The image with Lara’s feet on the floor has a lot happening in it. Her far leg is stretched out to look longer. The foreground leg is bent with the foot arched; this activates the calf muscle making her look very fit. The hand on the thigh can be moved forward or back. It will hide any tummy nicely. For a bit more coverage if you have your subject wearing a loose lingerie robe, it will fall down hiding any extra tummy and her thigh.
Lara’s image sitting up does similar posing tricks for tummy hiding. With a wider lens you can make her legs look longer. It is important with this pose that her back is arched up. Have her bring her shoulders in just a hint to give better cleavage. It will also pop out her collarbone, giving her a leaner look.
My live demo’s go into more fluid detail as I am posing my models. These images with their descriptions should give you some great insights into refining a pose.
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