10 STEPS TO POSING CURVY WOMEN — NO PHOTOSHOP REQUIRED!

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curvy-women-posing-guide-button 10 STEPS TO POSING CURVY WOMEN -- NO PHOTOSHOP REQUIRED! Guest Bloggers Photo Sharing & Inspiration Photography Tips Photoshop Tips

I recently saw a photographer post a “before and after” photo of a beautiful woman that was so drastically Photoshopped she looked like she had a dozen surgeries to make her 40lbs thinner.  The photographer was fishing for critique from colleagues on whether her editing skills looked natural and proportionate.  I couldn’t believe the comments I read.  Photographers were praising the image on the natural editing and how much the woman would love the images.  This woman’s body was so far from her natural shape she was unrecognizable!

My question is this, “Why do many photographers feel the need to distort shapely women to look like someone they are not?”

There is a misconception that in order to photograph and please women who aren’t supermodel skinny, the photographer must present their clients with liquefied images.  Most women who aren’t stick thin don’t hire photographers to make them look 50 pounds less.  They hire you to help them look their absolute best.

When doing portraits you should focus on creating a photo that shows who the subject’s personality, dreams, hopes, fears, and love. The minute you change the way a woman’s body naturally looks, you are sending the message that she is not as beautiful as she is.  As photographers, we can encourage women with any body shape to embrace themselves and feel beautiful just by how we interact with them during the session and by the photos we deliver.  By combining posing techniques with simple editing, you won’t literally change your subject’s weight or shape, but can masterfully control the angles, lighting, and proportions to create images she will love.

I’m not saying that it is wrong to Photoshop women’s images, as I personally spend a lot of time editing; however, I absolutely do not change her body to look like a different woman.  I use editing to correct things that I didn’t catch in-camera, such as clothing and underwear puckering, distractions, lens distortions, hair wisps, lighting flaws that overly enhanced imperfections, and blemishes that eventually heal. It is my goal that when she sees her photos she will say, “That is me, and I am beautiful.”

Photographing Jodi Friedman of MCP Actions

Last summer I had the chance to do a My Beauty Campaign Beauty Session for MCP Actions owner Jodi (you can read her story here).  She was nervous to be in front of the camera and just like every single woman alive, she was self-conscious of her beautiful body.  It was such an honor to see her work through her insecurities before, during, and after her Beauty Session and to read about what her experience meant to her.  I have included some of her images from her session to illustrate the techniques.   I honestly feel that Jodi’s pictures are much more than a photo of her body. You can really see her personality and how beautiful Jodi is as a whole.  That should always be your #1 goal when photographing any woman.

Keep reading for 10 tips on flattering posing, posing different body types together, and editing.

When I photograph a woman, I always remind her that I will not make her beautiful, but that she already is!  I only imply that I will bring her beauty into focus and allow her to recognize the beautiful woman that she is today.

Posing Curvy Women: 10 Techniques for Flattering Images

Technique 1: Give Her Body Shape

You can give her body-flattering shape by either the way she faces and angles her body and by using her arms to enhance her curves and direct the eye.  You can also strategically use the surroundings to cover parts of her midsection or hips to either break up solid colored outfits or to keep the focus on her face and not her body.

Beautiful-Jodi-05 10 STEPS TO POSING CURVY WOMEN -- NO PHOTOSHOP REQUIRED! Guest Bloggers Photo Sharing & Inspiration Photography Tips Photoshop Tips

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Technique 2: Drop the Front Shoulder and Release Arm

This is one of the best techniques you can use on any woman and it is so flattering!  Just lower that front shoulder!  Every woman wants to avoid the notorious double chin and this is achieved by elongating the neck and pulling the chin forward.  If you direct her by saying “now pull your shoulders down towards the ground,” instead of “lengthen your neck up” you usually avoid her lifting her chin and eyes up awkwardly.Jodi-1 10 STEPS TO POSING CURVY WOMEN -- NO PHOTOSHOP REQUIRED! Guest Bloggers Photo Sharing & Inspiration Photography Tips Photoshop Tips

My-Beauty-Campaign-3 10 STEPS TO POSING CURVY WOMEN -- NO PHOTOSHOP REQUIRED! Guest Bloggers Photo Sharing & Inspiration Photography Tips Photoshop Tips

Techniques 3: Shoot Directly at or Above Eye Level

I have found that across the board, most women’s favorite part of herself is her eyes.  These tightly framed beauty shots are usually the favorites of their portfolio because of the focus on the eyes.  You can get away with shooting below eye level on slender women, but it is just not as flattering on women who carry more weight.  When you shoot slightly above her eye level, it slims her chin and jawline.  Just be sure to not have her put her chin too far down because it will make her forehead appear larger than it really is.  These tight headshots are also the most flattering through 85mm lenses or more.  I usually shoot these on my 70-200mm 2.8 zoomed all the way to 200mm.  I think this because I can get a very tight shot of her face without invading her space by shooting a foot away from her.  I am out of her “bubble” and she can be more natural.

Jodi-2 10 STEPS TO POSING CURVY WOMEN -- NO PHOTOSHOP REQUIRED! Guest Bloggers Photo Sharing & Inspiration Photography Tips Photoshop Tips

Technique 4: Chin Towards Camera, Hips Farther Away

This is a simple technique to visually slim her mid-section and hips.  Whatever is furthest away from the camera will appear smaller.  By having her bring her face closer to the camera and pushing her hips away, she will look proportionate and the focus will be on her face (while also utilizing the previous techniques).  Be sure to have her slightly lower her chin while her jaw is still pulled towards you.  She will feel strange leaning so far forward, but her neck and jaw will look amazing, her midsection and hips will look flattering.  In the images below, her face was at least a foot closer to my lens than her hips were creating this lovely slimming effect.untitled-1 10 STEPS TO POSING CURVY WOMEN -- NO PHOTOSHOP REQUIRED! Guest Bloggers Photo Sharing & Inspiration Photography Tips Photoshop Tips

My-Beauty-Campaign-2 10 STEPS TO POSING CURVY WOMEN -- NO PHOTOSHOP REQUIRED! Guest Bloggers Photo Sharing & Inspiration Photography Tips Photoshop Tips

Posing Different Sized Bodies Together

Techniques 5: Flattering the Mom in Family Photos

When posing the Mom in family photos it is very natural for her to hold her children, but you can use this to balance the composition.  Simply place the children in front of mom to de-emphasize certain areas.  Also, be sure to use the previous techniques and she will absolutely love her family photos.  This same technique applies when using the surroundings to either cover parts of her lower body or midsection, to keep the focus of the attention on her face. My-Beauty-Campaign-4 10 STEPS TO POSING CURVY WOMEN -- NO PHOTOSHOP REQUIRED! Guest Bloggers Photo Sharing & Inspiration Photography Tips Photoshop Tips

Technique 6: Smaller Body Type Faces the Camera, Larger Turn Away From Camera

When posing a smaller framed woman next to a woman who is larger, you can balance out the different body sizes by having the smaller framed woman turn more towards the camera, and the larger woman turns toward the side looking over her shoulder.  Just be sure to have the same amount of body shown on each woman even if one needs to be completely profile and the other mostly facing the camera.  You can also utilize the smaller framed woman’s arms to add even more.  This will balance out the composition and both women will love the image.

Addie-Taylor-34 10 STEPS TO POSING CURVY WOMEN -- NO PHOTOSHOP REQUIRED! Guest Bloggers Photo Sharing & Inspiration Photography Tips Photoshop Tips

Editing the Natural Way

Technique 7. Fix Clothing Puckering

Many women wear spanks or a belt which can cause unusual bulges at the tightest point that are not her natural body shape.  This is one of the only times I change her body shape.  Natural body curves are not lumpy like the image on the left.  So I even it out. Now changing her body would be to bring the bulges into the smallest point on the belt.  She would look much slimmer if you did this.  Instead, I loosen the belt to make a smooth transition.  I usually find these problem areas from bra straps on their back below the shoulder blades, waistlines from pants or spanks, or her biceps because her arm is pressed against her body making it look larger than it really is.  After working with her, you will know her body shape…just be sure to not change her beautiful body!

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Technique 8: Editing Skin

I personally smooth skin on every photo because with the incredible glass in lenses today, we get lovely crisp images…but crisp skin is not a women’s friend.  Sharpening during post-processing also adds even more harshness to the skin.  So when I edit, I have a strict rule that I will not remove any permanent features.  However, if a marking on her face will eventually heal or fade or the redness will go away, I will speed up the process by cloning or using the healing brush.  The goal is for the viewer to focus on her eyes and smile, and not a last-minute zit.

You can edit skin manually in Photoshop or using tools like MCP’s Magic Skin actions or even MCP Newborn Necessities actions (yes they are not just for newborns).

MBC 10 STEPS TO POSING CURVY WOMEN -- NO PHOTOSHOP REQUIRED! Guest Bloggers Photo Sharing & Inspiration Photography Tips Photoshop Tips

 

Technique 9: Look for Short Lighting and Other Flattering Lighting Patterns

Whether you shoot in natural light or use flash, watch the way light falls on your subject.  You can use lighting to mold the face and body as well as utilize shadows to slim and flatter your model.  In the example below, look at how the light is flattering her face.  Also, notice how the light source is above eye level casting the shadows from the top of her head to the bottom.  To see if you have your lighting right, always look to see if there is a slight shadow under the nose.  If there is no shadow, either raise your light source or have her bring her chin down.  Always utilize the light on the most flattering side of her body.

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Technique 10: Stop Photographing a Body Type – and Simply Photograph a Woman!

So often we can get so caught up on what type of woman we are photographing and not who we are photographing.  Every woman has an incredible story, personality, and love for life that you need to discover. The most beautiful photos are ones that show who she is and what makes her beautiful.  Her body is only an extension of who she is and should not be the main focus.  Find her.  Find her Beauty.

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As stated earlier, it is not our job to make women look like someone they are not.  However, it is our job to be sure we photograph her best self.  Unfortunately, there are times that we forgot to have her pull her arm away from her body and it appears larger than it really is, or her clothes are puckering strangely, or camera distortion made her look out of proportion.  If you pose your subject correctly, you should have less editing.  Please be aware that the more you change your subject, the harder you are making it for her to accept and love the body that she has.  All women are perfect because of who they are, not because of how much we can edit.  Remember the vulnerability she feels when she is in your care.  You have such a valuable opportunity to build her self esteem and grow her confidence in herself.

 

Mandi Nuttall is the founder and creator of My Beauty Campaign where photographers are uplifting women all over the world. 

curvy-women-posing-guide-button 10 STEPS TO POSING CURVY WOMEN -- NO PHOTOSHOP REQUIRED! Guest Bloggers Photo Sharing & Inspiration Photography Tips Photoshop Tips

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34 Comments

  1. Jeri on March 19, 2014 at 8:46 am

    Thank you! As women and moms we are already far too critical of ourselves. And it bothers me that so many photographers feel it is necessary to completely transform their subjects to make them feel pretty. Simply knowing flattering poses (that work for curvy and skinny alike) makes a huge difference and allows women to see themselves in the same light their loved ones do! If it’s not going to go away within the week, there’s no need to change it! The only changes I make are for acne, scratches, or stretch marks (although the last is largely bc it’s distracting). Thank you again for this article!

  2. Michelle Brooks on March 19, 2014 at 9:18 am

    What an AWESOME article! I’ve been looking for something like this for so long, I cna’t tell you how much I appreciate these tips in bringing out any woman’s natural beauty!

  3. Kim on March 19, 2014 at 9:31 am

    Fabulous article! Thank you!

  4. Judie on March 19, 2014 at 9:52 am

    Fantastic Article!!

  5. Goldee on March 19, 2014 at 10:00 am

    Great techniques! As a curvy woman and someone who appreciates natural beauty period, I appreciate taking the time to pose well and not trying to use PS to completely change a woman, regardless her size. I would like to point out, though, that not “every woman alive” is insecure or self-conscious of her figure so I’d be cautious of making that assumption. Many of us know we’re beautiful and are happy in the skin we’re in! Unfortunately the super skinny American and European models (as well as all the rampant photoshopping) are intended to make women insecure so the spend more on surgeries, creams, spanx and other crap but it doesn’t work on all of us 🙂

    • Jodi Friedman, MCP Actions on March 19, 2014 at 10:04 am

      I agree with you. I never would wear Spanx or for that matter control tops. Beauty does not have to hurt!

    • MCP Guest Writer on March 19, 2014 at 12:46 pm

      GoldeeI agree with you but wanted to clarify what I meant by “every woman alive is insecure.” With all the women I have encountered and no matter the age or size or confidence level…the moment you turn a camera on her, her insecurities she has ever felt quickly come to the surface (whether extreme or minimal). Yes there are some women that have come to love their body, but there is always something about getting in front of the camera that brings anxiety. But what I love about this program is that we help women work through those and leave loving all of who they are. Thanks for your comment!

  6. Donna on March 19, 2014 at 10:07 am

    Thank you for so clearly describing your philosophy and posing suggestions. The women in these pictures are gorgeous and your photography does justice to them. I appreciate your insights and agree with your stance. I will utilize every one of these tips.

  7. Linda on March 19, 2014 at 10:08 am

    Wonderful tips, thank you so much! The women in these photo’s look awesome. I’ll be using your tips for sure.

  8. Annette on March 19, 2014 at 10:20 am

    Great article! Thank you for the wonderful tips !

  9. SJ on March 19, 2014 at 10:38 am

    Terrific post. Your photos were great illustrations of the advice and really helped make your message clear. Thank you!

  10. Trude on March 19, 2014 at 11:12 am

    Great article, I absolutely agree! As someone who suffered from acne for years, skin tends to be the first thing I start on, with your same approach that a blemish is not something that’s there permanently. I remember reading a great post Scott Kelby had a few years ago, pointing out that when we look at people around us in real life, our eyes tend to skim or blur over imperfections without us even realizing it. That made a huge impact on me and something that always comes to mind when I’m editing, because the camera will point out in full focus everything your eyes didn’t really care about in the moment.

    • MCP Guest Writer on March 19, 2014 at 12:52 pm

      Scott Kelby does it again 🙂 Such great advice from him! I’m glad you enjoyed the article.

  11. Jacquie on March 19, 2014 at 11:13 am

    Thank you for a FANTASTIC article on this subject!

  12. Rachael May on March 19, 2014 at 12:17 pm

    Would have really liked to see some tips on curvy PREGNANT women.

  13. Jenni carter on March 19, 2014 at 2:02 pm

    This is an amazing article, as a woman with curves I always try to make my curvey girls look good! 🙂 These are some good tips… I knew some… but learned a few things too!! Thank you!

  14. kathy on March 19, 2014 at 3:37 pm

    great article…. knew some – learned more….

  15. Tracy Callahan on March 19, 2014 at 9:12 pm

    GREAT article!! Very helpful and I love the images you shared :). Having met Jodi recently I really believe you captured her beauty perfectly!! Her amazing personality just shines through these gorgeous images of her!! I learned some great tricks that I will be applying to my posing techniques with new Mom’s and their babies. Thank you!!

    • Jodi Friedman, MCP Actions on March 21, 2014 at 9:34 am

      Tracy,That is so true. With new moms, slim or not, they may carry extra baby weight and this will definitely help. And you are so sweet with what you said about me. :)Jodi

  16. Abigail Stoops on March 20, 2014 at 11:53 am

    Love this article! Thanks!

  17. Rod arroyo on March 20, 2014 at 5:59 pm

    Excellent posing tips. Thanks for sharing.

  18. Paul on March 21, 2014 at 9:21 am

    This is really good article, as stated multiple times over and loaded with tips that I plan to use. The only thing I would suggest to many of the readers is that we lighten up on the photographers that use Photoshop to an extent that we don’t always agree with. For those who don’t understand why they do it, its called personal style. Every photographer has his or her style of working and most clients choose their photographer based on their taste for the photographer’s work style. There are clients who want to be photoshopped in such a manner and its not wrong to deny them that service. As photographer’s we’re in the business of providing a service. I’m not good at photographing infants, but there is a market for it, so I refer clients looking for that style work to someone who can do it. Point is, there is a market for curvy men and women that want to be photoshopped .. so don’t bash those who provide that service that’s all.

    • Jodi Friedman, MCP Actions on March 21, 2014 at 9:33 am

      Paul, I completely see what you are saying. I am one that prefers be slimmed a little in Photoshop. And yes, I hosted this article and even posed for pictures for it. And yes, it took everything in my power to resist slimming myself just a tiny bit – tuck here or overall slimming there… BUT, after having this shoot, I realized that I am what I am, and I am glad someone could help me feel comfortable with my own body. The question will be next time I have my own photo in Photoshop, can I resist. I will try but likely it will depend how well I was posed.Jodi

      • Paul on March 21, 2014 at 10:46 am

        Thanks Jodi for such an admirable response, much respect. No denying the importance of proper posing during the shoot, very key. Just wanted to point out that its not always the photographer deciding whether a client is good enough as they are or whether photo-shopping is required. I’ve included an example of a client that I photographed, that felt her images needed to be photoshopped and I disagreed. I felt she looked great. However, I learned from an old 1990’s song written by the O’jays that says “You Got To Give The People What They Want” especially if they’re paying (-: So the next time you have your own photo in Photoshop and you’re trying to decide should you or shouldn’t you, I say you will always be your first customer and biggest critic .. so do what pleases you (-:

  19. Lori on March 21, 2014 at 11:59 am

    This has so much great information in this blog.

  20. Penny on March 23, 2014 at 3:05 pm

    Fantastic article. Thank you SO much.

  21. Karen on March 25, 2014 at 8:41 am

    as a curvy girl and a photographer I LOVE these hints. And all in one place, awesome! Next up, I’d love to see an article, tutorial on how to pose the larger mom in a maternity shoot. A lot of the same principles apply but rarely do you see a larger mom featured in any of the maternity tuts. Bigger moms want to feel beautiful and remember their pregnancies too. Just because they don’t have a cute basketball belly doesn’t mean they aren’t worthy of being photographed.

  22. Michael on March 31, 2014 at 7:27 am

    Great article. I was so interested in reading it that I read it at 5am. Totally worth losing sleep.

  23. Victoria Hannah on September 4, 2014 at 10:44 pm

    Simply photograph a woman “ñ fantastic article, thank you!As a gown designer and patternmaker, my work is all about enhancing my clients’ silhouettes, often for a very special day such as a wedding or birthday. It’s so nice to read an article with the same priorities that I have “ñ to make every woman feel as special as they should.I’m going to share this article with my clients, and on my blog, because my clients often come to me when preparing for a special day where photography is going to be paramount. These tips are very valuable, thanks 🙂

  24. Jenny M on February 18, 2016 at 5:05 pm

    Great article with wonderful tips! But, what impressed me most was the philosophy behind your methods, not trying to make the woman into something that she isn’t. Your efforts to find and appreciate her real beauty, and help the client realize that beauty, is admirable. Making her look her best with good photography techniques and some minor post is enhancing her, not changing her. I can’t imagine how humiliating it would be for a woman to get compliments on a new photo, people asking if she’s lost a lot of weight, or had a facelift, etc…. and have to tell them, “no”, it was all a Photoshop scam!

  25. Kishona on April 15, 2016 at 3:05 pm

    Wonderful article and great tips. I think my favorite was “Find her. Find her beauty.” Amen! Thank you for sharing.

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