Find what you are looking for

or search by

Topics

Article
Article

Article

e-Book
e-Book

e-Book

Video
Video

Video

Campaigns
Campaigns

Campaigns

Architecture
Compact Cameras

Compact Cameras

Architecture
DSLRs

DSLRs

Architecture
Videography

Videography

Architecture
Astrophotography

Astrophotography

Architecture
Mirrorless Cameras

Mirrorless Cameras

Architecture
Architecture Photography

Architecture Photography

Architecture
Canon Technologies

Canon Technologies

Architecture
Low Light Photography

Low Light Photography

Architecture
Photographer Interviews

Photographer Interviews

Architecture
Landscape Photography

Landscape Photography

Architecture
Macro Photography

Macro Photography

Architecture
Sports Photography

Sports Photography

Architecture
Travel Photography

Travel Photography

Architecture
Underwater Photography

Underwater Photography

Architecture
Photography Concepts & Application

Photography Concepts & Application

Architecture
Street Photography

Street Photography

Architecture
Full-Frame Mirrorless Cameras

Full-Frame Mirrorless Cameras

Architecture
Lenses & Accessories

Lenses & Accessories

Architecture
Nature & Wildlife Photography

Nature & Wildlife Photography

Architecture
Portrait Photography

Portrait Photography

Architecture
Night Photography

Night Photography

Architecture
Pet Photography

Pet Photography

Architecture
Printing Solutions

Printing Solutions

Architecture
Product Reviews

Product Reviews

Architecture
Wedding Photography

Wedding Photography

Tips & Tutorials >> All Tips & Tutorials

[Part 4] Tips on Posing with Your Hands

2014-03-27
4
14.63 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

Share your photos on My Canon Story & stand a chance to be featured on our social media platforms