5 Simple Poses for Alluring Outdoor Portrait Photos (VIDEO)

You may not consider yourself a portrait photographer, but trust us: Sooner or later you’ll be asked to work some magic with family members or friends. And it’s likely your “model” will be just as inexperienced as you are.

That may sound like a daunting task full of pitfalls, but the quick video below will help you get the job done with excellent results. One way to simplify the task is to shoot outdoors with available, light but how do you respond when your subject asks, “What do you want me to do?” 

Julia Trotti is a portrait pro based in Sydney, Australia, with experience on both sides of the camera. She comes to the rescue in this nine-minute tutorial, by demonstrating five alluring poses—with simple tips on how to direct inexperienced models. To get you inspired, she offers several great examples of flattering portraits with both women and men.

Trotti says she uses these methods when photographing professional models, but they rank as her favorites because they also work really well for subjects who’ve never been in front of a camera. As she explains, “it’s really important to make subject comfortable,” if you want great results.

One way to do that is to strike a balance between very basic instructions, and “micromanaging” the situation with overly detailed directions that may overwhelm your subject. And a bit of positive reinforcement throughout the shoot goes a really long way toward putting a subject as ease.

If you also lack experience it’s easy to neglect a very important initial step before beginning to shoot, which is to decide exactly what look you’re after. Is the goal a corporate portrait, a fashion photo, an elegant image, or an editorial look? That key concept will determine how you proceed.

Trotti’s other posing tips include how to add movement for more dynamic images, injecting some into the session, and making sure to capture a variety of positions.

After watching this video head over to Trotti’s YouTube channel where you’ll find more helpful portraiture advice.

And be sure to check out the tutorial we posted from another pro recently, with five fun light hacks for unique people pictures.

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