Accentuate the positive . . . Eliminate the negative. Change the perspective of your shot. of your thinking.
Shooting Women with Curves: It’s all about perspective.
We do not say Plus Size. You can say ‘Non Model’ or Curvy or hey . . . . . Normal even.
But lets keep it real. When I shoot lean bodies I give them curves in all the right place e.g lean bodies always want a waist, boobs and junk in the trunk. Curvy girls want their curves in all the right places. Great boobs, small waist and hip ratio. SO it’s the same goal for everybody. Accentuate the HOURGLASS of a women’s body regardless of the size. I’ve said it gazillion times, Women want to look gorgeous feel good about themselves and they buy. I have photographed over 5000 women and have never had one ask me to make her ‘wider’.
I call this Faux Waist. It’s when you change the point of perspective from the outer waist to a more pinched waist curve, simply by bringing the hands in. You can use a wrap or a veil or a top to cover arms and bring the eye straight in. If you can’t cover arms that’s ok, you may have to do a little post production. You can slim on Photoshop warp is far superior to liquify. But this move involves NO PHOTOSHOP it’s a simple distraction tactic. You bring the hands in and take the perspective to the centre. No PS has been done to this image, the waist is still there if you look hard enough but the eye tells you its smaller. Great tip, takes a bit of practice.
PS the hands do not have to be on the waist all the time to achieve this. Please don’t shoot all of your brides and curvy girls like this. I’ve seen entire weddings with Brides walking around with there hands stuck to their waist. Try one hand up and one wrapped around the waist. Pulled back to hourglass. I will post other examples soon.
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Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! I listened to your marketing hour on Joy of Marketing today and….FABULOUS!!! Thanks for all the tips, real world tips. I am always “up” when I get done listening to you or reading one of your blog posts.
Wow! Sometimes shadows are your best friend when you’re trying to minimize flaws. Thanks for the article!
I love the tips for curvy girls! Please keep them coming!!!!
Absolutely fantastic – thank you for sharing!
You are genius Sue! I love your posts on posing! Thank you!
Holy-freakin-$hit! Love this and love the shots. Thanks for simplifying and illustrating your point.
Brilliant! That’s going straight into the memory banks!!! Love your blog Sue! Thank you!
THAT’S why you are the master Sue!! Brilliant!
Oh, this post is a keeper for sure. Love this! I’m a curvy girl and I’m wondering how I can best pose myself when someone else is taking the picture. I hate seeing a snapshot from a party or gathering where I don’t look my very best. Any suggestions on posing for everyday photos?
Beautiful! Thank you for sharing.
It’s so artful and beautiful, I can’t believe what a difference you made in that third photograph. I want to develop instincts like this! Thank you! I also loved your Joy of Marketing webinar, so glad I was able to hear it. Made my head spin with so many ideas, it’s overwhelming, but I’m trying to tell myself to chill out and just pick one idea… it’s ok to start with just one.
You were on Joy of Marketing webinar today and I MISSED IT??? oh, I’m kicking myself now! — I love reading all of your posts, Sue! All of them. And this one is so simple yet mind blowing! Thanks for sharing.
you are able to purchase to own at a very reasonable cost. Did you see that?
quick question ..
do your posing guide poses work for the ‘girl with curves’?
Damn you’re good Sue….. amazing, amazing… thankyou for sharing!
wuhuhu, it works, I’m now one of the girls how wnats to run around with her hands in the waist the whole day
thanks for sharing!
I’m one of those curvy girls who has never, EVER taken a pic I’ve been happy with. I even asked my wedding photog to pose me so that I looked thinner. didn’t happen. now – i’m all about embracing the woman that I am and am relatively happy with the way I look, but it never hurts to have some great tips like this! Thanks for sharing!!
I consider you my hero!
I’m so happy I stumbled across your post on Pintrest…I’m a very curvy girl and had just been sayin’ the other day how I wish I knew how to look better in photos. I see all these thin girls and they always look great but it seems like I never know how to pose correctly. Thank you for the tips.!
Wow! It is all about perspective, isn’t it?
Gorgous! Looks like a Bellocq portrait from the turn of the century.
yeah! what a nice trick! A chubby girl turning into sexy one..