Womens

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION
Posing Guide
Table of Contents
Click to jump to a section
Introduction...........................................................................................2
How To Use This Guide.........................................................................3-5
10 Quick Tips For Posing Success!......................................................6-9
About The Author .................................................................................85
Standing Poses.....................................................................................10-29
Chair Poses...........................................................................................30-44
Stool Poses...........................................................................................45-51
Movement Poses...................................................................................52-55
Creative Poses......................................................................................56-63
Head/Shoulder Poses...........................................................................64-67
Floor Poses...........................................................................................68-84
WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER 1

Introduction
Posing is undoubtedly one of the most important tools available to photographers.

It is so much more than just directing our subjects into certain positions and snapping
a few frames. Posing is about flattering our subjects and utilizing body language to
convey something about their personalities.
Do we want the subjects to look thoughtful and reflective? Do we want them to be

portrayed as playful and carefree? Do we want them to look powerful and strong?
Posing and expression can work together to reveal something about your subject,
even in a single frame.
This guide consists of 100 high quality poses for fashion and portrait subjects. The
line between the two will often cross, and in my portrait sessions I always give my
subjects the fashion model treatment, which include hair, makeup, high-end styling,
and… high-end posing! Use this guide to get inspired for your next photo shoot,
whether it’s a fashion editorial, personal branding shoot, or portrait session.

How to Use This Guide
Create Variation:
You don’t need to remember 100 different poses to achieve

100 different shots. Instead, once you get a base of a pose
you should try working some of the possible variables to
create different results from one image to another. Some
photographers refer to this as ‘flow posing’. A single pose
can flow from one variation to the next, and then slowly into
another pose.
This is a really important point because many

photographers feel the pressure to memorize as many
poses as they can, but that simply isn’t necessary. Master
the basics, learn to create variation from a base pose, and
then bring along this guide as inspiration.
Let’s take a look at what I mean. In this pose I’ve found a

good ‘base’ for my subject. I’m going to ‘lock’ her legs in
place and even the arm on her back– for this demonstration
I’ve decided that these features of her body won’t change
at all.
I can easily achieve three different poses just by moving the

arm on the left. But what else could I do? Maybe I could
put her hand to her chest, across her stomach, to the side
of her neck and more… all without moving any other part of
her body.
What else? I could now introduce her other arm into the
equation and start achieving many more combinations and
results.
This is one of the most important things you should

remember. Don’t just hop from one drastically different
body position to another. Work the pose by adjusting the
position of the arms, hands, head and expression. Then, try
different crops or even change your camera angle. See how
as few as two dozen base poses could lead to hundreds of
different results?

Add some ‘posing props’
Another way to create more variation in your shots is to introduce some ‘props’. No, it
doesn’t have to be anything corny or complicated– keeping it simple will do the trick!
Giving your subjects something to interact with can help them feel more comfortable
and allow for more variation in your pose. There are only so many pose variations an
average person will be able to do for a typical standing position. If you have a chair,
a stool or a chaise for them to interact with you will get a lot more variety! When you
are on location, consider what is around you as a posing tool. For example, in a park
bench, a wall to lean against, or stairs– all become another posing option!
In this guide I utilize these posing props:
• Stools / Chairs
• Posing blocks
• Posing table

Practice directing:
Posing practice makes perfect posing.

Grab a friend, a family member or fellow
photographer and try directing them into
some of the poses in this guide.
Not every pose works for every person or

body type, so then it’s time to problem solve!
What can you do to flatter your subject?
Which poses work better for them, their body
and personality?
One of the most important things to master

for your own shoots is the ability to direct.
Learn to move their body into position without
touching them – practice mirroring poses and
using your words / body to communicate
what you want.
Don’t forget, confidence is contagious!

Directing your subject with confidence will help them to feel more confident in
themselves and the resulting shots. If something isn’t working in a pose, don’t let
them see your frustration or assume the ‘failure’ of the pose. Snap a few shots, and
then confidently direct them to try something new. Trust me, the confidence you
exude makes all the difference. How do you get this confidence? Study and practice!
Bring this guide as a reference!
Before your next shoot, take a quick look through this guide for some inspiration.
Which poses excite you and fit the vibe you are going for? Save 10-15 references of
poses you’d like to try and bring them along on the shoot.
I never feel that bringing references seems like I’m ‘cheating’ or don’t know how to
pose. Instead, I say “I brought these visual references so I could show you the body
positions we are going to try”. Or “I brought these references along so you could show
me where you want to start first!”.
In other words, bringing references helps THEM not just YOU!

10 Quick Tips for Posing Success!
While I certainly recommend you pick up my best selling book on posing, I want to
give you 10 quick tips to keep in mind when analyzing your subject’s poses.
1. Closer to the camera = larger!
Whatever is closest to the camera will appear larger in your frame due to perspective!
For example, if you want someone’s face and chest to appear larger in the frame you
may want to have them lean toward the camera. Alternatively, you can get at a higher
angle as a means to bring the face/chest closer to your camera. Use these rules of
perspectives to emphasize or deemphasize elements of your subject.
2. Hands can make or break a pose
If everything looks great in your pose but the

hands are clenched or awkward, it can ruin
your shot! We can read a lot of body language
and emotion from someone’s hands, and if
they are uncomfortable the hands can be a
giveaway! In general, make sure the hands are
relaxed and with the pinky side of the hand
toward the camera.
Pro Tip: To learn more about posing hands, be sure to check out these resources:
• 5 Things to Avoid while Posing Hands

• How to coach your subjects when posing hands
• Posing Hands Guide

3. Good posture is essential
If a subject is slouching it makes them look diminished and oftentimes is unflattering

(shorter neck, more rolls in the mid-section). Urge your subject to pull up through the
top of their head and elongate. If they look too tense or rigid, invite them to shake their
shoulders and relax. You want to achieve good posture but not rigid body language.
4. Asymmetry = drama
When everything is symmetrical in a frame, the shot

can feel stable and perhaps even quiet. Imagine a
pose where the hands are clasped in front of the
subject, elbows even, feet flat. When you vary the
placement of the hands (one high, one low) and pop
one hip out, suddenly everything becomes more
dynamic. Asymmetry helps you achieve more visual
movement and drama in the frame.
x
5. Avoid foreshortening!
Foreshortening occurs any time a body part (or

body) comes directly toward or away from the
camera. This makes the body part appear shorter
or truncated. For example, when a person puts
their hand on their neck but raises the elbow
toward the camera, the arm will look cut off! The
same is true if someone is posed on their stomach
with the head toward the camera– the rest of their
body disappears! Make adjustments to the pose
to avoid this unflattering result of perspective.
✓
Pro Tip: To learn more about foreshortening,
mergers and posture, be sure to check out the
“Posing Pitfalls” portion of my best-selling book.

x
6. Mergers can be unflattering
When the subjects arms are tight against their body,

this may cause mergers that make them look boxy or
wider than reality. Try creating some negative space
between the arms and the side of the body, or ‘in body
posing’ for a quieter result. Imagine your subject in
silhouette. How does the shape of the body appear to
the camera?
7. Lens choice matters
Your lens choice changes perspective and how the

camera sees. A wider focal length will exaggerate
distance and proportion, whereas a longer focal length
compresses (or reduces effects of perspective). Pose,
camera angle, and focal length all work together to
flatter the form.
✓
8. If it can bend, bend it!
When photographing women you’ll typically want to

avoid straight lines. If it can bend, bend it! If it can
curve, curve it! Try bending the knee, arching the
lower back, curving the angle of the fingers. Straight
lines are abrupt and do not encourage the eye to flow
throughout the frame.
Pro Tip: Although this is a women’s posing guide, these techniques can be used on a variety of
subjects. Is your subject nonbinary? Perhaps you want to show a more feminine side of a male
subject? The key is to understand your subject as an individual and what you want to portray
about them– then its all about body language. Do you want the pose to be quiet, thoughtful and
soft? Would you rather it be dramatic with movement? Discuss with your subject what you want
to convey and use posing techniques to achieve this, regardless of gender identity.

9. Add Motion
Try adding movement to a pose to bring your shots to life! A small step back and
forth can give just a bit more energy to your images. A flick of the dress or hair and
make it appear as if you are capturing a moment in time. This guide has an entire
section dedicated to shooting with movement because it can really elevate your
posing!
10. Expression is Paramount!
No matter how good your pose, if the expression

is bad then the shot is bad! I can’t tell you how
many times I’ve had a subject select a shot where I
thought the pose was only ‘okay’ but they loved their
expression. Expression is always the most important
thing! Take the time to connect with and engage your
subjects.

Standing Poses
WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER standing poses 10

Pointed toes on both feet (image above) makes all of the
difference in this pose! This tightens the muscles and
elongates the legs for more pleasing lines. The movement
in the hair also helps to bring attention back to the
subject’s face.
In the right two images, leaning the subject’s chest

forward toward camera and shooting at a slightly higher
angle creates a more defined waist and emphasis on the
subject’s face and upper body.

Try shifting the subject’s weight from one leg to the other.
In the above image the subject’s weight is shifted toward
camera, which emphasizes her buttocks. Shifting the
weight away or leaning the shoulders toward camera puts
more emphasis on the face and chest (bottom right).
When the subject raises her arm from this angle (above),
be sure that the shoulder does not merge with her chin
or hide her neckline. Longer necks tend to appear more
flattering and elegant.

The more body parts (hands, legs, feet, hips) that are at
different levels, the more dramatic the pose. In the above
shot you can see that the bent knee and varied hands
create many lines for the viewer’s eye to explore.
In the bottom right shot the pose is still dramatic, but the
even legs creates a slightly less exaggerated result.
When in doubt, bend the subject’s leg that is closest to

camera for more flattering curves (particularly in a dress).

One reason these poses are dynamic is that they have
implied motion in the body language. Rather than the
subject simply ‘hitting a pose’, it seems as if the image
captures them in a moment.
Try the ‘fall through’ technique. The subject can raise a

foot and slowly fall through (placing their foot down on the
other end of the ‘fall’). This allows them to lean in a way
that is difficult to hold but looks energetic in a photograph.

The more space the subject’s arms and legs take up in a
frame, the more ‘agressive’ or ‘strong’ they will appear.
Notice how in the image above the legs to the side and
the arms above/beside the body create an extremely
strong presence. She fills the frame.
Posing the arms within the frame of the body or closer to

the body create a quieter, more subtle result.

You don’t need to come up with entirely new poses for every single shot. Take time to create v
ariations based upon one base pose and flow into different subtle changes.
For example, in the bottom three images the subject’s base pose (legs crossed over, hip out) is all
the same. We’ve only changed the position of the hands for different results. From there, you can
vary your crop and the subject’s expression for countless looks and variety.

Many of the arm positions in this guide are ‘out of body’
poses. This means that the position of the hands and the
arms are outside the subject’s frame (as seen in the
bottom right image of this image).
In the shot above, however, the arm on the right is

‘contouring’ the body. This is a common technique on
covers of magazines. The elbow is bent in at the waist to
emphasize the waistline and create a narrower
composition.

Consider using a chair, wall, stool or other element as a prop in a studio environment. When there
is a prop for the subject to interact with, this will create many more possibilities. Furthermore,
when a subject can use a prop to lean against this will help them to feel anchored and powerful in
the scene.
In this pose the subject’s crossed legs create a narrowing point at the knees for an hourglass
shape while also creating dynamic triangles in the negative space of the arms and legs.

Remember that hands are like arrows; a viewer will look wherever the hands are pointing.
By having the hands frame the eyes in an alluring way, this creates an image that emphasizes the
eyes and creates a bit of mystery.

In all of these images the lower half of the body remains static (the legs are the same).
The subject crosses one leg over the other to create a narrowing point at the bottom of the
composition.
The variation here is created by the position of the hands. Notice how the placement of hands
changes the mood of the images. The top left image is dynamic, angular and creative. The bottom
right is quieter and delicate. Body language is a powerful tool to commuicate a story about your
subject and the goal of your images.

A general rule of posing hands is that you want the pinkie side of the hand facing camera. In most
cases you should avoid the palm or back of the hand flat against the body or facing the lens.
That being said, rules can be broken! In this image the bottom hand has the thumb toward
camera (rather than the pinkie). For this example the rule-breaking works because of the relaxed
and delicate position of the fingers.

Narrowing points are an extremely important technique to
create an hourglass curve for a subject in a dress.
This is true for subjects of all shapes and sizes.
The narrowing point in this image is created by the

subject crossing her legs and then an A-clamp used to
tighten the dress at the knees. The frame ‘narrows’ at the
knees. Notice in these poses how the curves are exag-
gerated by the legs crossed / clamp technique.

Negative space helps to define a subject’s form.
This occurs by leaving space between the arms/legs and
the body. When the negative space creates triangles, this
can create a very graphic and dramatic pose.
In the image above, both of the subject’s arms create

large triangles of negative space, and the large space
between the position of the legs balances out the top of
the pose.

Try giving your subject prompts to help them get a bit more creative with their poses. For example,
you may try “Pretend you are a diva on stage, just about to hit a high note” (the prompt used for
this pose).
Some subjects need precise directing, while others respond better to creating characters that they
can play before the camera (and then making subtle adjustments).

When photographing women, we often try to emphasize
the subject’s waist through various visual approaches.
The choice of clothing can make a significant difference

in the body’s appearance. In the image in the bottom right
the cut of the dress helps to define the waistline.
You can also use the subject’s hand and arm position to
visually create a waistline. In the top two images the
subject’s arms / hands help to delineate the waist area.

Chair Poses
WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER chair poses 30

Using a chair as a prop can allow a subject to be more comfortable and to show their personality
through how they interact with the chair.
Do they lean back comfortably and ‘own their space’? Do they flip it around toward camera,
straddling it in a more ‘masculine’ way? Do they sit sideways and create long lines with their
legs?
Pay close attention to how chair poses communicate different moods and body language.

The back of the chair can be a great support to create posing variation, especially for head and
shoudlers images. Notice in the top three images how we have variation, yet in all of the images
the pinkie side of the hand is toward camera. This creates the most delicate, narrow lines.

A director’s chair is a great prop for the studio because it
provides a lot of elements to interactive with. The subject
can throw their leg over the arm (see above image), lean
into the chair, or rest their arm on the back of it.
If your subject is leaning back into the chair, you will want
to shoot from a higher angle. An apple box may be useful
to achieve these looks or use the back of a LCD screen
when holding the camera higher. The images seen here
were shot significantly above the model to help
emphasize the face/chest.

When a woman sits barefoot in a chair, it can create a
casual and more vulnerable result. There have been
countless images of actresses barefoot in a chair to make
them appear more approachable.
In the bottom right image, the subject wrapping her arms

around her legs creates a coy and vulnerable look. When
a subject wraps their arms around themselves (legs/waist/
chest) this signifies a self-protective body lanaugage,
hence ‘vulnerable’.

Posing blocks are another useful tool. They are very
helpful for posing groups at different heights or when
wanting a cleaner asethetic for a sitting subject. They can
also be used for a subject to lean against in a floor pose,
or stacked for a small studio set.
Known as posing blocks or posing cubes, you can find

them on Etsy or from sites like Denny Manufacturing.
They come in a variety of heights and can even be used
for standing shots.

When you sit your subject straight on toward camera (as seen here), you’ll need to pose the
arms and legs in a way that will create interesting lines in the frame. Notice how there is negative
space between the arms and the side of the body. The legs have purposefully been posed to point
in different directions for more dynamic lines.
This is certainly not the only way to pose a subject straight on and you can see an ‘in-body
posing’ example on the next page (bottom right).

There are many ways to handle the midsection of a
curvier subject. Poses that elongate the subject (see
above) can help to lengthen the body and reduce rolls.
Poses like the bottom right allow you to use arms to

slightly hide or obscure the stomach. Or, as seen in the
top right image, you can simply embrace the rolls!
Everyone has them and in certain poses they are
inevitable.
Body positivity is growing like never before, and you

should try to figure out your subject’s comfort level.

Be careful that your sitting poses don’t become to blocky or static. When your subject sits straight
on toward camera or rests back into the chair, their limbs may become foreshortened and overall
body appear like a solid mass.
Work your poses to create dynamic lines. In this image you can see that there is a strong line that
leads from the subject’s extended foot, up her arms, to her face.

When you have a subject straddle a chair, be mindful of
your clothing choices. For example, lighter color clothing
may be less flattering and draw more attention to the
subject’s midsection and groin.
Notice that while this pose is typically considered more

‘masculine’, it works well for a female subject to create
body language of power and confidence.
Use the back of the chair as an anchor for hands and be

sure to maintain relaxed shoulders.

Leaning the subject back in a chair with a leg crossed
over is a great way to create body language that
communicates confidence and relaxation.
When shooting this position, however, you will often want

to shoot from a higher angle. Shooting from a lower angle
will put too much emphasis on the feet/bottom and the
head may look too small.
Try varying the hands from the pockets, to behind the

head, to across the body and more.

These poses are a great choice for personal branding and
portraiture. They are often on book covers and executive
portraits because they are both confident and relaxed.
Sit the subject in a chair/stool with one leg crossed over

the other. Next, have them put an elbow on their knee,
lean forward, and cross the other arm across their body
(see above). Typically a soft hand near the face/neck
helps to brings attention upward.

Comparing these shots helps to demonstrate how much body language can communicate
something about your subjects. Pairing body language with expression is a powerful combination
for your photographic/posing toolkit.
In the top left the subject exudes a relaxed joy and her hand suggests she is surprised/amused.
In the bottom right the subject appears to be quiet and confident, leaning back. In the top middle
the subject is relaxed and pleasant, appearing ready to listen to the viewer in conversation.
Consider what you are trying to say about your subject, and use body language to assist you!

Stool Poses
WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER Stool POSES 45

This pose is great when trying to show off the subject’s legs or create dynamic lines.
When positioning the subject, their legs should be angled to one side of the frame for elongation,
rather than the legs coming toward the camera (foreshortening).
Typically, you’ll want to bend the knee closest to the camera (rather than the far leg) in order to
create a visually pleasing curve near the buttocks. Using the far leg bent up often makes the
subject appear wider, though it can work depending on the clothing and body language. Be sure
to rotate the stool to make it easier for the subject to hook their foot on a rung for stability.

Train your eye to follow the lines of a pose in an image.
Ask yourself some of these questions:
Where do you look first in the image, and is this where

you want the center of attention to be?
How do the positions of the arms/legs move your eye

through the frame?
Is there anything your eyes get ‘stuck on’, and can you
make a change to improve this?

When thinking of posing variation you’ll often think about the position of the hands, feet, legs, hips
and chest, but what about the face and the eyes? Even subtle adjustments to the chin and eyes
can transform the mood of an image.
Here, for example, the eyes are looking much further out of frame than is usually recommended,
however, it serves to create a bit of drama and mystery in the resulting shot. Looking directly at
camera or softly downward would create a drastically different emotional reaction for the viewer.

In-body poses are where the subject’s hands are posed
within the frame of the body (as seen in these examples).
The results are a bit quieter and softer than ‘out of body’
poses.
Because the subject’s waist may be obscured, often the

hands/arms are posed in a way to create a line that juts in
at the waistline.

If coming up with variations seems overwhelming, try to lock in as many variables as possible and
just change one. For example, in the above poses the legs are identical and the hand on the waist
is in the same place. Keep these ‘locked in’, and then try varying the other arm, the angle of the
chin, and the expression.
You can see that the hand can go to the knee, the chest, the hair, the face, or behind the head.
Then try varying the other hand. Now you can put it on the thigh, lower on the buttocks, or over
the head. Don’t think that everything needs to change every shot. Make it easier on yourself!

When posing women we can lean into creating a lot of
curves. Another approach (used often in fashion) is to
create graphic lines and shapes.
The poses featured on this page are all about creating

dramatic angles. These poses create many traingles and
dramatic diagonal lines that keep the eye moving
throughout the frame.

Movement Poses
WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER Movement POSES 52

Get your subjects moving to create more dynamic,
energetic results. Large steps or ‘falling through a step’ is
a go-to in many fashion editorials.
Typically you’ll want to have the subject work one

repeated movement over and over again, allowing you to
make variations each time. Constant changing movement
may be difficult for you to capture a moment when all the
pieces (hands, legs, expression) come together
successfully in a single frame.

Creative Poses
WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER Creative POSES 56

The unusual poses in this section will most often be used
for fashion editorials or for portraits of creative artists
(dancers, performers, etc).
On the previous page, you’ll see a fashion pose is a great

way to show off pants or shoes. The subject’s relaxed
face is absolutely essential for the success of this shot.
On this page the subject lunges to the side and creates

visually compelling shapes with the placement of the
arms/hands.

The stool section of this guide focused primarily on sitting
poses, but a stool can also be a great prop to support the
subject in more dramatic leaning shots.
In the shot above, the elongated line of the subject’s legs

and back creates an extremely dynamic diagonal line.
The slight bend to the elbows creates a more pleasing
result than locked elbows.
On the bottom right, the subject’s arch and chin up create

a dramatic and sensual mood.

If you have the ‘safe shots’ and have more time to shoot,
why not encourage your subject to try something
unexpected? This is a powerful apporach to fashion
editorials and commonly used in musician/singer
poritraits.
Perhaps the subject can use a chair or stool in an

unexpected way (shot above), or maybe they can create
atypical shapes with their arms (bottom right).
Feel free to bring along references to get the subject

inspired, particularly if they are not a professional model.

This creative pose is a favorite in swimsuit shoots,
allowing the subject to create dramatic arches in their
back, elongated tight stomach, lifted chest, and face to
the sky.
You can also use this pose to emphasize the shoes in a

fashion editorial.
Vary the far arm to the head, face, and chest to create
different takes on this pose.

Head & Shoulder Poses
WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER Head/Shoulder POSES 64

A posing table, though traditional, can still be a very
useful tool for portraits. It allows the subject to lean
against it and use their hands/arms in a more creative
way.
This bottom right image (and pose on the previous page)

is fantastic for an elegant portrait. Place a posing table or
other surface beside your subject. Have them turn away
from the table and rest their elbow upon it. Be sure to
keep negative space beside the arm and the body.
Having a posing table is useful because it can be
adjusted to the ideal height.

One of the challenges of beauty/portrait photography is to create a lot of variation to the images
without having the entire pose of the body to work with. This encourages photographers and
subjects to get creative with position of the shoulders and hands.
This pose, and the two on the next page, are samples of thinking outside the box for hand
placement. Be sure to check out our dedicated “Hand Posing Guide” for 50 more references.

Floor Poses
WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER Floor POSES 68

When a subject has their hand on the floor, watch out for locked elbows. A straight arm with a lot
of pressure or hyperextended elbow can break up the flow of the pose and make the subject look
uncomfortable.
Try having them slighlty bend at the elbow, soften the hands, and barely put any weight on their
arm (as seen here).

Clothing and posing can work together for compelling
visual results.
Here, a hat provides a fun prop for the model to interact

with. Because the subject has on fishnets, the pattern on
the stocking makes the legs a focial point of the image.
In the bottom right image the leg has been carefully

positioned to obscure the groin area. In the above image,
the shift of the hips creates beautiful curves and leading
lines.

When you pose your subject on their side you can create drastically different results by varying
the position of the top leg.
In this example, the leg is kicked up to create a strong, stable shape with a bit more ‘masculine’
body language. On page 70 you can see when the top knee is bent over to the ground which cre-
ates extreme curves to the hips and a beautifully feminine result.

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER FLOOR POSES 84
About The Author
Lindsay Adler has risen to the top of

her industry as both a photographer
and educator. Based in New York
City, her fashion editorials can be
found in a range of publications
including Marie Claire, Vanity Fair,
L’Officiel, Harper’s Bazaar and
more. As a photographic educator,
she is one of the most sought-after
speakers internationally and appears
as a keynote speaker in many of the
industry’s most prestigious events.
Lindsay engages photographers

throughout the world with her
incredible mix of creativity, technical
mastery and easy-to-understand
classes. A prolific content creator,
she has a robust social media
following of photographers eager
for inspiration and education. Her
energy and enthusiastic teaching
style showcase her excitement to
share her passion and knowledge
with others, whether through her
own educational platform, Youtube,
or her five books.
Lindsay is a sought after commercial fashion and beauty photographer with a robust
client list that includes NBC, UNICEF, Aveeno, Pat McGrath, Grey, and countless
others. She is honored to have been named a Canon Explorer of Light as well as a
Profoto Legend of Light, and the Rangefinder Icon of the Year.
WEBSITE INSTAGRAM YOUTUBE FACEBOOK

Additional Posing Reference
Be sure to check out my 400+ page book

“The Photographers’ Guide to Posing: Techniques to Flatter Everyone”, sold
at all major book retailers and online at Amazon or get a signed copy through
my site.
This best-selling book covers perspective and how your lens choice and
camera angle affect the appearance of the body. I help to train your eye to
recognize ‘posing pitfalls’ that ruin an otherwise good pose. Together we go
in depth into posing a range of different subjects from maternity, to boudoir,
to families and more. I also cover my 5 go-to poses for each subject, so
pairing the book with this guide is a powerful combination of knowledge and
inspiration!
Pro Tip: If you prefer to watch and learn, check out the book’s companion videos
“The Posing Series” https://lindsayadler.photo/posingseries Use code:
WOMENSPOSING for a discount!

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WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION

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WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER 1

Posing is undoubtedly one of the most important tools available to photographers.

Do we want the subjects to look thoughtful and reflective? Do we want them to be

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER 2

You don’t need to remember 100 different poses to achieve

This is a really important point because many

Let’s take a look at what I mean. In this pose I’ve found a

I can easily achieve three different poses just by moving the

This is one of the most important things you should

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER 3

Add some ‘posing props’

In this guide I utilize these posing props:

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER 4

Posing practice makes perfect posing.

Not every pose works for every person or

One of the most important things to master

Don’t forget, confidence is contagious!

Bring this guide as a reference!

In other words, bringing references helps THEM not just YOU!

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER 5

1. Closer to the camera = larger!

2. Hands can make or break a pose

If everything looks great in your pose but the

• 5 Things to Avoid while Posing Hands

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER 6

3. Good posture is essential

If a subject is slouching it makes them look diminished and oftentimes is unflattering

When everything is symmetrical in a frame, the shot

Foreshortening occurs any time a body part (or

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER 7

When the subjects arms are tight against their body,

7. Lens choice matters

Your lens choice changes perspective and how the

When photographing women you’ll typically want to

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER 8

10. Expression is Paramount!

No matter how good your pose, if the expression

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER 9

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER standing poses 10

In the right two images, leaning the subject’s chest

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER standing poses 11

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER standing poses 12

When in doubt, bend the subject’s leg that is closest to

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER standing poses 13

Try the ‘fall through’ technique. The subject can raise a

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER standing poses 14

Posing the arms within the frame of the body or closer to

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER standing poses 15

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER standing poses 16

In the shot above, however, the arm on the right is

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER standing poses 17

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER standing poses 19

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER standing poses 22

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER standing poses 23

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The narrowing point in this image is created by the

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER standing poses 25

In the image above, both of the subject’s arms create

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER standing poses 27

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER standing poses 28

The choice of clothing can make a significant difference

WOMEN’S PORTRAIT & FASHION POSING | LINDSAY ADLER standing poses 29