In a portrait, gesture plays a very important role because it helps to highlight the mood of the person we are photographing. But what if the subject does not know where to put his hands? The portrait photographer can guide with gentle firmness. Here’s how.
A moment of awkwardness
Have you ever had to photograph a person who, as soon as she sees your lens pointed at her, doesn’t know where to put her hands? Pockets are the first refuge, but those are usually immediately discarded with a “no, no, that’s no good…” and then begins an embarrassed search for what to do with one’s body exposed to your camera.
All this, of course, is assuming you haven’t already planned how to make the subject you will be portraying comfortable. The shot doesn’t begin when you focus, but, in fact, starts much earlier. From the moment you first meet, you must already be setting the stage for an interesting portrait to emerge.
During the informal conversation that precedes the shots, the attentive portrait photographer will notice the looks, the way they gesture, the shyness and many other details of the person he has to photograph. The portrait photographer will also have a chance to observe the way the light illuminates the face, the flaws it would be kind not to highlight, the most interesting somatic features and anything else he should pay special attention to while framing.
Observe
What kind of position should you suggest to the subject? It depends. A good portrait tells you something intimate about the person photographed, reveals a state of mind and highlights something special and unique. It is difficult to achieve these results if the person assumes a position that doesn’t suit their way of expressing themselves. The best thing the portrait photographer can do is to observe the subject when they are relaxed and remember their positions, how they use their hands and the way they move.
We all make gestures that we are not aware of. It happens naturally, and then when we are asked to make a spontaneous gesture, we don’t really know what to do. The portrait photographer who has been able to observe his subject may suggest, “I noticed earlier that you placed your hand like this. Would you feel comfortable now in the same position?” Usually, the subject is happy with this kind of suggestion for two reasons: first, they feel relieved of the burden of having to find a position, and second, they realize that they are in good hands because the portrait photographer has observed them and is taking care to portray them in a position that suits them.
Don’t be afraid to direct the subject
Many young portrait photographers are afraid of being too directive, and instead of gently suggesting to the subject how to move, they let their insecurity shine through. Would you trust an insecure portrait photographer? If the subject feels the photographer is indecisive, confidence in their qualities is likely to waver, and the whole relationship may well falter. Conversely, if the subject feels they are in good hands, they will be happier to reveal more intimate expressions and devote more time to the photo session.
But confidence is not something that can be improvised or even faked. A portrait photographer naturally develops a certain ability to direct the subject with experience and, more importantly, by realizing that this is one of the qualities that needs to be cultivated. The relationship between the portrait photographer and the subject is something alive that is built by knowing how to listen and behave in the way that best suits the situation. The attentive portrait photographer can sense what words to use and also when silence is preferable. The important thing is to always maintain a good connection with the subject, to empathically sense how they are feeling and what they need. It is better to, for example, prevent a moment of fatigue than to have to run for cover later. This sensitivity also helps the portrait photographer not to overdo it in the opposite direction. If, in fact, a non-directive photographer doesn’t convey confidence – directing without paying much attention to the vulnerability of the person they are photographing – he or she is bound to, at the very least, create discontent.
When the subject wants to direct
It sometimes happens that the subject is particularly “purposeful” and suggests positions and images to be taken. That’s all very interesting as long as it doesn’t clash with the portrait photographer’s creative freedom. It is the photographer who directs, evaluates different paths and guides with gentle firmness. A portrait photographer who tries to pander too much to the subject runs the risk of losing touch with their own vision and may not even be able to understand what the expectations are.
Suppose the subject is very accustomed to being photographed, for example, a celebrity. In that case, they will probably want to pose their best three-quarters, making the expression they have made a thousand times before, and get into the position they think is the most photogenic. Let’s indulge them, why not? But at the same time, let’s always be on the alert to catch that moment when we can suggest a different gesture that is peculiar to our encounter and not a repeated cliché.
Besides, it’s not necessarily the case that the position suggested by the subject is really that interesting, and it’s always good to check at a glance whether it can be improved. Also, the portrait photographer needs to check every detail that only they can account for: how the hair sits (perhaps a lock should be put in place?), how the light falls (wouldn’t it be better to raise the chin a bit?), how the clothes are (is the collar out of place?), etc.
As for suggesting a position, the same applies to celebrities as to ordinary people: a suggestion is generally welcome if it keeps the person in front of us in mind, if it serves to emphasize a mood, enhance a quality of him or her, or highlight something unique.
Hands
Sometimes you could photograph just the hands and that image would already constitute a significant portrait. Hands say a lot about a person’s life by their skin, nails, how they are groomed – and the positions they assume. Plump hands can be far more graceful than hands that are well-proportioned but not very expressive; it all depends on who it is that animates those hands. When they compose themselves in a habitual gesture, they emphasize something about the person we are photographing and tell us an aspect of their character. There are functional gestures, gestures that help a larger movement, gestures made out of shyness… the careful portrait photographer knows how to suggest a position or small changes that put the subject at ease and help them express themselves.
More daring portrait photographers will sometimes suggest a type of gesture unfamiliar to the subject being photographed, as this breaks the mold and creates the conditions for something unusual but equally authentic to emerge. For example, a generally very composed person might try to assume a playful and ironic posture. This challenge could be liberating, and perhaps a part of that person, somewhat hidden under so much seriousness, might surface. But it could also cause terrible embarrassment! Again, it is a matter of being sensitive enough to sense how far one can go.
Even proposing a very composed gesture to a rather expansive person can have a pleasantly destabilizing effect or, on the contrary, inhibit their spontaneity. By proposing gestures that are little used by the subject, there is a serious risk that the photo will cease to be a portrait and become a fake, and that is certainly not what we want to achieve. When in doubt, limiting the suggestions to the subject’s own gestures is better. And in any case, it’s essential that the portrait photographer always conveys confidence and knows how to direct the subject appropriately without asking too much. If the subject feels comfortable, they are more likely to reveal something intimate to the camera, and the portrait will be more interesting.
Simplicity is a virtue
When looking at a photograph, many elements determine our experience, some of which are entirely subliminal. Sometimes an image doesn’t convince us, and we can’t explain why. Then we uncover a detail and realize it was what distracted us because it didn’t fit in with the rest. Generally, a good rule of thumb when framing is to try to notice right away what’s in the way.
Perhaps an object in the background could be moved, a detail that would be better cut out of the frame, or a gesture that needs to be simplified. Two hands crossed in a tangle of fingers might distract the viewer from the mood of the person being portrayed. Unless one wants to emphasize precisely the subject’s neurotic character, the photographer – in the shot – might suggest moving the fingers in another way. Even when a gesture creates exaggerated creases in the clothes, the portrait photographer must have the foresight to fix them quickly. The same goes for an interesting position that, however, undermines the lighting. Or a position that doesn’t harmoniously integrate with the other elements of the photo.
A lack of simplicity in an image is likely to diminish its visual impact and dampen its intensity. The portrait photographer’s glance makes it possible to understand in a split second whether there are aspects that compromise the harmony of the image or could be improved. A gesture, besides suggesting a mood or telling something about the character of the person photographed, can add dynamism to a portrait. Much attention should be paid to the subject’s position without, of course, forgetting to focus on all the other elements that make up a portrait.
10 tips for making the best use of gestures in portraits
- Begin by carefully and empathically observing the characteristics of the subject you want to photograph as soon as you meet him or her. Study the way they move and express themselves.
- Put the subject at ease and never stop sensing their needs and state of mind.
- When shooting, suggest positions to the subject (observed beforehand) that will help them express themselves.
- Always direct the subject by conveying confidence and being careful to respect their limits.
- If the subject becomes too “purposeful,” restrain them with gentle firmness.
- Always be on the alert to seize the moment to suggest a different gesture.
- Continuously check every framed detail.
- Suggest (possibly) something slightly destabilizing.
- Compose simple images with a few elements emphasizing the intensity of the expression.
- Try to highlight something intimate about the person you are photographing by letting gestures help as well.