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Tips & Tutorials >> All Tips & Tutorials

[Part 4] Tips on Posing with Your Hands

2014-03-27
4
14.48 k
In this article:

If you were to ask me whether there is a magical tool that helps to bring out your charm in a selfie of your upper body, my answer is "your hand." Placing your hand near the face will make you and your photo look even more charming! (Reported by: Oliya T. Yabuta)

If you are taking a shot of the upper body only (above the waist or chest level), placing your hand close to the face adds a magical touch to the resulting image, making you look more charming!

Place a hand close to your face to enhance the perfection of the image!

To produce an attractive selfie shot, you need to pay attention to the expression of your "eyes" and "mouth." Not only so, the charm of the photo varies markedly with the angle at which it is taken. Let's compare the good and bad examples above. The facial expressions of the model are the same in the two photos. However, in the bad example, the subject was captured from the front, while the good example was taken from an angle of "20°+45° ." Yet another important point that further increases your charm is to rest a hand against the cheek.

Use "20°+45°" and your "hand"

  • Do not take a shot from directly in front
  • Place a hand close to the cheek or mouth
  • Ensure that only the fingertips touch the face slightly
  • Look away from the camera if your fingertips are touching the lips

By comparing the good with the bad examples, you can tell that not only the subject, but the entire image appears more charming. A photo that features only the "face" may not leave a strong impact on the viewer. In this case, including an additional part, the "hand," helps to enhance the perfection of the image. In portrait photography, the "hand" is as important as, if not more important than, the "face." Besides shots of the upper body as illustrated here, remember that the position of the hand is also crucial in full-body shots.
There are some points to take note when you move your hand close to the face. First of all, do not press your fingertips or palm against your face. A common mistake is to rest the palm against the cheek, which sometimes looks like a "toothache" expression. Instead, bend your fingers a little to create space in the palm, and touch the cheek slightly with your fingertips. Also, to avoid a wistful expression in a photo with your fingertips touching your lips, look away from the camera.

Gestures of your hand touching the strap of the handbag you carry or the stole you wear would be good too!

In a photo with your fingertips touching your lips, looking away from the camera helps to create a matured but lovely look.

Make effective use of feminine gestures such as running your hand through your hair.

HINT! Tripod and self-timer are a must to free up your hands

In a selfie, your "hand" is a part that is as important as your "eyes" and "mouth." To free up your hands in a shot, make use of a tripod and the self-timer function. You can find the details in [Part 3].

IXUS 240 HS

Equipped with a 16.1-megapixel CMOS sensor and a Wi-Fi function. The 3.2-inch wide rear LCD monitor supports touch-screen operation.

Click here for detailed specification

Oliya T. Yabuta

After his career with a TV production firm and a computer peripheral manufacturer in product planning and advertisement production, Yabuta became a writer and portrait photographer. He excels in writing commentaries that are beginner-friendly.
Web: http://www.yabuta.biz/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oliya.yabuta

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