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Day 4: Flow Posing

Lesson 12 from: 28 Days of Portrait Photography

Sue Bryce

Day 4: Flow Posing

Lesson 12 from: 28 Days of Portrait Photography

Sue Bryce

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Lesson Info

12. Day 4: Flow Posing

Lessons

Class Trailer

Day 1

1

First 2 Years: The Truth

1:23:37
2

Teaching 2 Photographers in 28 Days

1:10:45
3

Rate Your Business

1:05:08
4

Year One in Business

1:00:34

Day 2

5

28 Challenges

1:21:39
6

Fear

1:04:07
7

Price & Value

1:10:17
8

Checklist, Challenges, and Next Steps

26:35

Day 3

9

Day 1: The Natural Light Studio

38:09

Day 4

10

Day 2: Mapping Your Set and Outfits

1:54:32

Day 5

11

Day 3: One Composition - Five Poses

35:49

Day 6

12

Day 4: Flow Posing

49:31

Day 7

13

Day 5: Posing Couples

55:55

Day 8

14

Day 6: Capturing Beautiful Connection & Expression

40:47

Day 9

15

Day 7: The Rules - Chin, Shoulders, Hands

56:24

Day 10

16

First Weekly Q&A Session

1:00:15
17

Day 8: Rules - Hourglass, Body Language, Asymmetry, Connection

28:39

Day 11

18

Day 9: Styling & Wardrobe

40:50

Day 12

19

Day 10: Shooting Curves

48:40

Day 13

20

Day 11: Posing & Shooting - Groups of 2, 3, and 4

28:46

Day 14

21

Day 12: Posing & Shooting Families

28:36

Day 15

22

Day 13: Products & Price List

56:53

Day 16

23

Day 14: Marketing & Shooting the Before & After

41:20

Day 17

24

Day 15: Phone Coaching & Scripting

52:56

Day 18

25

Second Weekly Q&A Session

1:02:21
26

Day 16: Posing Young Teens

43:02

Day 19

27

Day 17: Marketing & Shooting - Family First Demographic

33:14

Day 20

28

Day 18: The Corporate Headshot

1:05:43

Day 21

29

Day 19: Glamour Shoot on Location & Shooting with Flare

53:56
30

Photoshop Video: Glamour Shoot on Location & Shooting with Flare

11:06

Day 22

31

Day 20: Photoshop - Warping & the Two Minute Rule

1:22:22

Day 23

32

Day 21: Posing Mothers & Daughters

42:22

Day 24

33

Third Weekly Q&A Session

1:31:41
34

Day 22: Marketing & Shooting - 50 & Fabulous Demographic

1:04:00

Day 25

35

Day 23: Shooting into the Backlight

58:22
36

Bonus: Shooting into the Backlight

06:52

Day 26

37

Day 24: Marketing & Shooting - Girl Power Demographic (18-30s)

39:17
38

Photoshop Video: Girl Power Demographic (18-30s)

1:07:21

Day 27

39

Day 25: The Beauty Shot

46:32
40

Bonus: Vintage Backdrop

04:54

Day 28

41

Day 26: Marketing & Shooting - Independent Women Demographic

49:40

Day 29

42

Day 27: Sales & Production

54:30

Day 30

43

Day 28: Posing Men

52:19

Day 31

44

Bonus: Pricing

42:32
45

Introduction

11:36
46

Photography, Style, Brand, and Price Part 1

1:06:49
47

Photography, Style, Brand, and Price Part 2

47:24
48

Marketing Part 1

38:01
49

Marketing Part 2

1:12:04
50

Money: What's Blocking You?

49:15
51

Bonus: The Folio Shoot

52:29

Day 32

52

Photo Critiques Images 1 through 10

23:11
53

Photo Critiques Images 11 through 27

25:01
54

Photo Critiques Images 28 through 45

30:19
55

Photo Critiques Images 47 through 67

36:47
56

Photo Critiques Images 68 through 84

23:22
57

Photo Critiques Images 85 through 105

36:01
58

Photo Critiques Images 106 through 130

34:49
59

Photo Critiques Images 131 through 141

13:45
60

Photo Critiques Images 142 through 167

25:27
61

Photo Critiques Images 168 through 197

29:13
62

Photo Critiques Images 198 through 216

25:51

Day 33

63

Identify Your Challenges

35:06
64

Identify Your Strengths

22:16
65

Getting Started Q&A

22:54
66

Rate Your Business

31:29
67

Marketing Vs Pricing

33:26
68

Facing Fear

23:45
69

The 28 Day Study Group

15:02
70

Selling Points

40:35
71

Interview with Susan Stripling

18:03
72

Emotional Honesty

29:09

Day 34

73

Sue's Evolution

18:36
74

28 Days Review

15:14
75

Student Pitches

11:28
76

28 Days Testimonial: Mapuana Reed

09:02
77

How to Pitch: Starting a Conversation

37:28
78

Your Block: Seeing is What You're Being

35:30
79

Your Block: Valuing and Receiving

37:09
80

Building Confidence: Your Own Stories

20:45
81

Building Confidence: Your Self Worth

36:05
82

Pitching An Experience

34:16
83

Pitching An Experience: Your Intentions

18:15
84

Pitching An Experience: Social Media

30:14
85

Final Thoughts

24:35

Lesson Info

Day 4: Flow Posing

Today's challenge is all about flowing and creating a map for you. I took a simple couch, a two-seater couch, or a loveseat. And I took a simple white box, and I saw how many times I could flow pose Jessica over the couch and over the box. I want you to see something that simple. A corner, a staggered couch line, an arm, or simple white plain box. And I want you to think of 30 poses that you can do over to flow and get movement so that you can practice and become a master poser. What I did was, I mapped this for you so that you can print out these contact sheets and work through your flow. This is where I want you to be. This is an advanced portrait photographer. This is really exciting today, and it's so easy for you to learn. Enjoy this challenge. Hello internet! (Sue laughing) Sorry, I couldn't resist. (Sue laughing) (Sue sighs) I thought I looked really hot today until Jessica came and sat beside me. Anyway. (Sue laughs) Today we're talking about studio props. This is a very hotly ...

contested subject on my Facebook page, on my CreativeLives, and also on my email. So, I get a whole lot of people asking me a whole lot of things about sizes, and ottomans, and boxes. I try everywhere I go, every country I go to, to get these wooden boxes. (knocking on wood) They're made of a very light wood, and I actually have gotten to Melbourne in Australia and I couldn't source any, so I made them myself and painted them white. I also went to, in Sydney, I went to a fashion retail outlet that was selling out and I bought a whole lot of different shaped boxes. The more boxes that I can have in my studio, the more staggered poses I can create. So today, I want to put the challenge to this. I wanna see how many poses I can shoot on one box. I wanna see how many images I can shoot on one loveseat. So, this is a two-seater couch. And it has a good side on it, it's white leather. I think it's gonna be really easy to photograph on. And I'm going to flow through as many poses as I can on these two props. Now, you've seen me pose on the bar stool, you've seen me do Fashion Quarterly, you've seen me freestyle, you've seen me spin around today. And I've showed you how to do a really good lying down shot on the ottoman. But I wanted to see if you have a light scenario in your studio, how many great ideas that I can come up with just off this. Now some will work, and some won't. Just like a normal shoot. And let's not pretend that everything we shoot is perfect. As I'm shooting, if I don't like something I'll change it straight away. If I feel like something's working, I'll keep going into it. And I'll just see if I can create a bit of a map for you, and a bit of a posing manual, based on how many moves I can get on something this simple. Then, what that's going to teach you is to look at a little piece of furniture or look at a box a little bit differently. Open up to lots and lots of different poses that you can learn. So that when you're shooting multiple people, you keep it interesting, you keep variety, and you keep it moving outside of just the normal five poses that I taught you. Now remember, the normal five poses I taught you are the basis of all of our poses. Now we wanna take it to the next level. So, let's go for it, and I'm just gonna keep this flow going, and then we're gonna create a little bit of a posing manual for you from this video. So Jessica, I'm gonna start off with a very typical pose. I'm gonna move this. And a very typical pose for me would be when you put your feet up on the couch. That's it. Behind you, this way. So tuck them in, that's it. Now slide back, and keep your knees away from you in the front. And I just want your elbow onto here. So come towards me a little bit more and come this way. And put your elbow there, that's it. And then keep your knees together. So this knee comes up higher, that's it. And then this one comes out. Now, we do that for two reasons. If I tuck your foot in, you look like you've got no bottom legs. So we always bring the bottom leg in. And the top knee always goes over the top of this one to keep our knees together. This hand's always here, nice and simple, right there. And your chin comes around this way and engages with your front shoulder here. So just working your front shoulder out towards me a little bit more. In this position, I'll take a few different degree turns around you. So I'm actually going to start here, I'm gonna cross here. Follow me with your chin. I start about here. I am shooting today, you can see my big, natural light space. I've got no reflectors 'cause I don't need to. I've got so much beautiful light bouncing in here today. I'm at 2.8, chin this way a little wee bit more Jessica, now follow me this way, good girl, stop. And I'm 640 ISO, so. That's right where I wanna be, perfect. So I can shoot this up high. I can come in a little bit closer. I can get you to lift that shoulder up and I can get you to bring your chin long and down towards me. And I can shoot this a little bit closer and a little bit lower than your eye line here. So that's perfect, beautiful little smile for me before I move on, gotcha. Okay, then I do what I normally do in this pose. I get you to push your elbow back. And I get you to rotate your body towards me and lean across, stop. Now long chin, towards me and down. Don't move. And bring your knees around to me a little wee bit more. Good girl. So from here, I love that, absolutely beautiful. Soften your eyes for me, Jessica. Beautiful. Chin forward, shoulder forward a little wee bit more in the front here. This shoulder. So bring it this way, good girl, chin that way. Perfect. Now give me a gorgeous big smile, go. Love that. From there I would like you to stretch out. Actually before you do anything, bring that elbow up into the center towards me. No, stay there. Just that elbow, good girl. And just sort of use it to cup your face. So, keeping this hand up and this hand across. Elbow across, sorry. No, on the inside. Just, that's it, that's it, so it's straight up and down. Now I just want the heel of your palm to go into here. Just cup your face this way, don't move. Perfect, good girl. Love that. And from here, beautiful. Love that. Chin up to me, long chin, push it forward. That's it, good girl. Beautiful. From here, I want you to go onto your tummy. So, slide back that way. I'm going to pull you towards me. Just ease it that way, perfect. I want you to scooch back a little bit more. So go there, that's it, perfect, perfect. And I want you to keep your feet on this side. Cross ankles, so I can't see them. And just let them slide down that way. Yep, so turn your body this way, and put your elbows forward. That's it. Now, tuck this one up underneath here. Let this hand go. And long chin towards me here, so chin this way. Long, now down a touch. And work that shoulder up, there. Perfect, don't move. So remember, this is your pretty standard ottoman pose. Relax those eyes down for me, Jessica. Don't be too staring at me, just soften your eyes. Good girl. Little wee, soft mouth. That's the one. We have got multiple poses in here in terms of bringing your fingertips up. And just touching down with the back. Long chin forward and down. Okay, I just don't wanna see that thumb, so if you just tuck your fingertips there. Chin down to me now, working that shoulder more. Also, remember, I'm not gonna go into all the arm changes 'cause this is just about using the props we've got. So we can do lots of arm changes. And we can do lots of expression changes. We can also shoot around here, and just get the top of that couch and do different angles. But today we're just gonna keep moving through what we wanna do. And now, I want you to lie back down. So further, go back further. Okay, and I want you to lie here. Okay, so, I want you to be on this hand. That's a girl, perfect. I love this. And chin down just a touch. I used to do this shot a lot. It was one of my definite favorites. I think it looks beautiful on everybody. You do have to make sure that that front arm doesn't dominate too much. If you feel like it does, you can either bring it there, up, but it doesn't go towards the camera. If it's dominating, it goes away from the camera, okay? Any dominating arms look too big, and we don't like them. Sorry, that was a blink. Beautiful. Good girl. From here, I want you to stretch out with both of your arms. And just bring your chin down to me here. That's exactly right. And I also like coming in here and doing a nice little close low shot like this. Beautiful, big smile. I also like that you get a little bit of the pattern on the back of the chaise, on the back of the lounge, when you are low. And you don't quite get that cutaway. So now what I want you to do is to come off there and sit down onto the floor. And I'm gonna push you back, here. If you can bring that side around to me, Jessica. Just that, yep, perfect. Now I'm gonna come back. And I want you to sit down on the floor. Perhaps push that couch back a little bit on this side. That's it, yeah, okay. Now sit down on the floor to me. And the easiest way to do that without flashing me is to just cross this leg over here. (Jessica laughs) So I want your back to the couch. So turn and face me, good girl. That's it. Now bring this foot towards me. That's it. Always in the front here. So, I want you to lean back on the couch. That's it, turn square. No, square to me. That's it. So scooch around just a little wee bit more. That's it. Now, from the front, I can't see up between your legs because your knee, your knee come across here. Stay pointed, no, no, come up. That's it, that's it. So you're covered there. I want you to lean forward onto both those knees. So this is a position that I always sit people in on the bar stool as well. So I just want you to bring this here, that's it. And I just want you to, you're sitting really upright, okay, 'cause you've got really good posture. I want you to scooch your bum towards me. Yeah, so that you are, yeah. Now, stretch out on to let this one across. Maybe go, that's it. And then this one across here. So I just mix up arms exactly as I would on a box. But I shoot it leaning back on the couch, 'cause I think that this is just a really good. Okay, this hand, you need to turn it side-on to me. It can't go to the camera, that's a girl. So it goes that way. And I want a bend in that arm, you've got it. Perfect. Okay, from here, there. Okay, lips together and a tiny little smile. Gorgeous. I also shoot this here. Now, I quite like this idea that we're going to stretch this arm across a little wee bit more. This one, that's it. Stay there, but don't, keep it onto your knee. Down onto your knee, elbow. This elbow. That's it, perfect. Lower, that's the one. Now, keep a bend in this one. This one, good girl. Long chin towards me. I often shoot this this way. 'Cause I think it's just really clean. It's like a beauty shot, and I love it. So I'm gonna pull back a little bit more and get that hand in there. Jessica's actually really long, 'cause you're so tall. So if someone's shorter I can shoot that a little closer, but you are so long I'm just going to pull right back to here, and I love that. Okay, from there, that's something I do quite often. Is I just lean back onto the couch like that. I just am trying to create an image with the couch in the background that gives the wall a bit of texture and just something a little bit different that is not entirely about being in a white space. Like, I could take that couch away and just create a completely white space background but I just like, with that drop away at 2.8, that the couch is interesting in the background. Alright, from here, stand up, and I want you to this time sit, pull the couch, stop. Let me just do one thing. The one thing I didn't do, you're gonna go on that side, is I'm gonna shoot this side of the couch. So when I shot you with you knees up, this time I want you to do it directly front-on version of that. So here. So your knees and everything is front, straight to me. So it's really kind of like a sitting Cover Girl. It's not the angular one. And just put your right foot underneath. And tuck it up. So, that's it, perfect. Okay, now from here I want that angle there, so that you're creating a triangle with your right hand. This one here goes onto there. And I just want you to push your lower half away. I was too close. Keep going. Keep going. That's it, stop. Alright, let this hand relax. Slide this one up and back. And sitting up nice and tall, upright. So, I love that. I'm gonna shoot that there. Perfect, wait. Long chin towards me, good girl. Excellent, stay there. Now from here, I just want you to bring your chin all the way down. Completely side-on to me, pushing forward. That's it, stay there. Love the angle. Alright. And now, I want you to stand up, and let's have a look. This is something else I do, I get you to sit. You can actually turn around that way. Sit up on the side, and put your feet out. So you're directly side-on to me. Now, put your right foot down on the ground, and I want you to lean forward onto this knee. So this hand comes onto the inside, that's exactly right. And this one goes onto your thigh. Now, here, I'm in almost exactly the Fashion Quarterly pose again. I'm staggering limbs, I'm creating triangles, and I can do this one, and make it really model-y. Let's see, bring this shoulder forward. Good girl, long chin towards me. Keep that one tucked in there. Long chin out that way, you got it. And I can also shoot this here like that. Chin all the way around to me now. Keep coming, good girl, this way. Keep going dear, that's it. Stop. Perfect. Or, I can just renew this up here, put this hand down. And now I want you to work the shoulder towards me. And bring your chin down this way. And I can come into here too. Love that, okay. I've just gotta watch the back of this hand. As soon as I turned her around, I lost sight of where that hand was. So just relax it and make sure, ballet fingers. Good girl, perfect. And then I wanna shoot that again. And show legs, 'cause it looks great. Now, your chin is tucked right in, dear, so push it towards me. So you'll see how easy it is for people just to revert back to a comfortable sitting position. We've gotta watch them all the time. Bring this hand up. Just touch the face. Bring your chin around to me this way, more. Bring this shoulder forward, more. Come in nice and close and hit this here. Now this hand I just want like a cup. Around here, or even around your neck. That's it. Now, your posture is so beautiful but I want you to cave in, more, more, more. Good girl. Now bring your chin around. Long chin towards me. And Jess teaches yoga so she's not gonna like my posture. (Jessica laughs) Your chin is tucked right in there so push it towards me, good girl. Work that front shoulder. Okay, there you go. Love that big, beautiful smile there. Gotcha. Okay, from there, let's go up to... I would even go so far, if this was all I had to pose on, I could even do this. Go around the back of there. And what I want you to do, is I'm gonna, oh this is gonna make a noise, I'm sorry. I would kneel on that. And if it's too low, I might need to bring you up, but I would even, that's it. Perfect, there you go. I would shoot this on here. Come across. Because the good thing about stills is, now bring your elbows out for me. And take one side across. Let's go this way. No, other way. Okay, keep this elbow out. That's the one. And your hands are over the edge, I want them to be on top. Perfect. Now, right up on the top with your elbow, and sitting up nice and tall with your head straight. And chin towards me. Good girl, stay there. I love that, wow. So from here, I could also bring this elbow in and bring the hand up and cup the face here. So 'round the throat more. Sit up nice and tall. Pull your torso away and go down a bit lower. Good girl, perfect, don't move. Oh I love that. This is such a gorgeous shot of you. Wow. Let's bring both hands up, elbows together. And just sort of cupping the face, that's it. And then chin sitting down, love that. And you know what? Chin up to me a little bit more. This is a shot that I took maybe 20 years ago. This was a really popular shot for me. It was a very, very modern beauty shot and I just loved it then and I love it now. Let's try just free-styling it a little bit. Let's bring the elbow across so that your fingertips can touch down. This hand can drop down across the seat. Stop. And then just bring your chin down and work the shoulder in for me a little bit more. More, more, love that. Don't move. Okay, I need to get your chin and your shoulder together. That's the one. Love that, good girl. And then I need this hand to slide over more. Keep going, keep going, stop. Elbow down. And I like that too. So, from here, let's sit up. I'll put this back on that couch. Very good. And from here, I could easily, I'm gonna push this this way. Just use this couch for one of my favorites. So sitting on the edge there. Just on the tip. Feet that way, good girl. Perfect. Hands sort of at the back. And then leaning forward, and then bringing your chin around. So don't tip your head back, tip it forward. But just turn this shoulder away from me. So what I want you to do here, is I want you to get rid of that arm. So slide it there. And I want you to bring your chin all the way to edge and then tip in that way. Good girl, stay there. And there we go. Just using the edge of the seat. And I cannot see the couch at all. So now I'm just using it to flow pose. And of course, there's a million different ways I can do this one. Go this way, more. Keep going, keep going, stop. Let's pretend for one minute you can swap sides, so let's come around here this way. So I just want you to now turn your shoulder to me this way, 'cause I wanna see if the sleeve is different. And no, we had the right sleeve 'cause I like that side even more. Okay, so from here, the next thing I would do would be, okay. From the front, step over here, Jess. I'm gonna pull this over. What I want you to do, is I want you to sit comfortably up on here again. Just like you were on the floor, but just don't flash me to the camera. Keep one foot in front of you here. And I want you to hug that knee, and just do a nice, comfortable sitting series where I can just get a more friendly, sort of... Okay, from there. That's the one. Now, bring your right knee, right foot in. And then hug that knee, okay. Perhaps don't cross over, bring that foot here. 'Cause if you, there, that's better. That's the one. Now, let's use your arms up and over this side so you're crossing up over that knee on top of it. The one thing I never do in these poses is have a knee just sticking up out of the center. It always looks odd. I always have this hand up here when I hug the knee and try and get these sideways angles and then long chin this way. Good girl. Stay there. Now, work the shoulder in towards me a little wee bit more. I love all of these closeup shots. You really need to push your chin towards me, dear, more. And now this way. This way, keep going. Push that chin towards me. And the reason that I do these closeup shots like this is I feel like they fill the frame. I think they look really beautiful, this pose looks really beautiful with young girls that are wearing jeans. It's a young pose. You can friendly it up. But what I love is it shuts down all the body language and you can create this gorgeous tight frame, filled with arms and legs. And it always looks great. Always hugging the body and lifting the neck up tall and pushing your chin forward. So adjust your chin down here like this. Okay, stay there. I'm shooting this nice and low, nice and tight, arms and legs. Now to me, this is just friendly, cute, gorgeous, young. And I love that. Stay there. Now let's open it up a little bit and show you just how beautiful that can look back here. Now what I want you to do, is I want you to bring this hand to your face. So we can use this hand for our expression. Slide down so it sits on your hand. That's a girl. Straighten your head up to me. Long chin towards me this way, down, down, stop. Now, I just need you to drop this shoulder and bring it forward. And this hand can come a bit lower. And then longer, down, now pull your hand away from your neck. The reason I pull the hand away from the neck is I feel like, when the hand touches down it can look too clamped on there. Oh, I love this. Beautiful. Good girl. From here, I want you to put your head into your hands. So I want you to use your body language. Put it behind up on top of your hair, that's a girl. That's it. Now, relax this hand out. Over and around, more. So it's real, like we're talking. That's it. Now as soon as I see you go into that real pose, I know that looks real to me. And I believe that. So all I need now, to believe, is the most beautiful smile you have. And big grin, smile smile, big big big. Chin up to me. Really big smile, you got it. Wow. Okay, from there. So, we leaned against the side, we Fashion Quarterly-ed, we sat against the side, we leaned against the back, we lay in the front, we lay across, and even every one of those poses still has a full 180 rotation on them. So, let's have a quick look at what we took right now. I'm gonna quickly take you through the map. As you can see, when we started on the first lean back that would be one of my most classic poses. Right from the very beginning pose. And then she rotated over. We could use her hands in this pose, as we did. We can pull back, we can shoot that horizontally as well. As soon as she laid down on the ottoman, there are at least 10 different variations you can do there. I absolutely adore that lying down pose. It's something I should do more often. Not so keen on this one because I feel like the front arm dominates too much, but we talked about that. I love how we can sit her down, shoot that horizontally with it. White couch just coming in on the outside. And I love that side view. I like the Fashion Quarterly view on the side of the couch, which is amazing. Over the back of it, so easy. Just to create such a simple, beautiful beauty shot. And I love the side looking back. And then we curled up on the couch. So, we've got lots of beautiful scenarios there. And lots for you to practice. Lots of flow. If I was going to do all of that in one outfit, I think she'd probably only buy maybe five or six of those images. If I was not going to move my white background, I would change her clothes. So I could've done it in three different outfits in one corner and still created enough images to sell a folio. So, I want her buy maybe five or six images in each outfit. So you could've changed her out three times and still not moved in your space. So if you are shooting in a small space, and all you have available is a two-seater couch, then it would not be a bad thing at all. So now what I'm gonna do is I'm going to change Jess's outfit and I'm going to see how many shots I can take in, on, and around the white box with a very similar principle. Now what we're going to do is flow pose over this white box. Exactly as we did on the white loveseat. I'm going to try and hold exactly the same pattern, or a similar pattern. I won't sit her in front of the white box because I wouldn't do that anyway. Instead, I'm going to have her kneel and stand on it at the end. So, I'll get just as many poses from this simple white wooden box as I would from the white loveseat. I'm also gonna use this little apple box for her to sit on so that I can stagger her arms and use legs. So, this is gonna be a really great one for you to watch and try. Also, I think we need to focus on looking at the size of this box right now. So, when she stands up, stand up nice and tall, Jess. This actually comes up to her knees. It's a very simple little white wooden box. You can buy an ottoman from, a little white square ottoman. They're around 60 to 80 dollars at IKEA. And if you can't, then you can make these little wooden boxes. Keep them light, paint them white. Remember, they drag around in the studio a lot, so we lose a bit of paint off them. And then you can just repaint them every year. Keep them nice and fresh. And try and get as many different size boxes as you can, 'cause it's so easy to learn how to pose on them. So I'm gonna start with the very similar pose that we did before. I'm gonna get you to sit down here. And on the side, no. Legs on the side. Yep. And I want you to turn this way and put your elbow here. Now, exactly as I did on the couch, but I want your knees together and I want them this way. That's it, stay there and stop. Okay, turn your body away from me a little bit more. I'm gonna bring this forward. And you're going to use the white box the same way that you were using the white couch with the corner. And that one goes there. And then you lift up nice and tall. So, the idea from the front is we're creating triangles. In our poses, I want 45 degrees here, chin comes around to the front, and I'm gonna shoot that there. So from this one, I can start. I'm just gonna remove that. I'm gonna start around here, just like I did on the couch. And I'm gonna get you to bring your chin around to me a little bit more. And I'm shooting down on this eye line. Just a tickle. I'm gonna pull back. I'm at 2.8, I'm still at 640. Bring your chin around to me just a little bit more. Good girl, stop. And a little smile. I'm gonna get you to work the shoulder up a little wee bit more. I'm gonna get you to bring your chin down. And around, nice and close, bring your chin around to me now. Good girl. Lips together, a little smirk. Lovely. From here, I want you to keep your knees together and bring them around to me. And I want you to slide your elbow back. And I want this hand to go across here. That's it, now lean forward towards me, 'til your elbow touches down. That's the one. Long chin towards me this way. And down there, stop. Perfect, don't move from there. Now this is where we can use this hand. So you can bring your fingertips up, you can stretch out. That's it. This is nice and soft on the box, hand down. Ballet hands, good girl. Fingertips there. Not quite so much of a lean, and bring this shoulder in. Okay, that's perfect, right there. And we're there. Now, from here, as you can see, I'm just starting to pick up the wooden floor. So I don't actually wanna do that. So what I'm gonna try and do is stay back a little lower. So I can shoot just below her eye line and shoot back towards the white wall there. That's it, perfect. And at any time too, I can turn my camera this way and this horizontally or square. I'm just gonna toggle that over, check my focal point, and there we go. Beautiful. Now, from here we came up. Just sit up nice and tall for me. And instead of lying down, because we can't do this, we can't lay down without the ottoman. I'm gonna show you a version of lying down here. So I want you to come around here, Jess, and kneel down. And I want you to lie across here. That's it. So we give the illusion of lying down. But of course it's not. But, if this hand just relaxes and then this one goes across there. We lead with this shoulder. We make sure we don't squish that arm. We bring the chin long and around, there. Then I can shoot this one horizontally this way. And even though it kind of, you can tell she's not lying down, it's just a really good way to crop in, I'll show you. I'm just gonna pull back to here. And, beautiful. Also, I can shoot this way. Which is like a side beauty pose. And that looks great too. I once had a client who couldn't lie on her stomach because of her knees. And she couldn't kneel. So I put a stick-in box up here and had her standing and leaning over, just like this. And it was a great way to get a variation in posing. Okay from there, our lying down pose, remember when I had you lying down like this? So, it's about, good girl. So this hand goes on the inside. No no no, this hand goes on inside. And this one stretches across and in, remember? You can't have it towards me. The elbow has to go, it goes across. Just mirror me. That's it, stay there. And then lean there, that side. Perfect, don't move. So just touching down. Maybe put it up under your elbow. Good girl. Now, flatten this inside hand. Good girl, that's perfect. And then lie, chin around here, and I'm nice and close here. Oh, I love this. So beautiful, wow. Stay there. Now, can this hand just come up a little bit more so that it is actually resting, that's a girl, perfect. Don't move. Wow, that's gorgeous. Okay. From there, after we laid down, I stretched out the arms. I did that above. And I didn't actually like it, 'cause we were dominating too much with the front arm. So, let's imagine then that this one is coming up behind the head and supporting the head. And then this one is coming in on the inside. And let's try that there. So it's a little bit more upright. Working the shoulder in. I don't want it clamped on the ear, I want it behind your head. So fingertips at the top of your head there. Good girl. Now lean into it. And now bring your chin down to me here. Down a little bit more. And I love that too. Beautiful. I am getting a little bit of body, pushing away 'cause I want that. And I want your elbow to go back towards you. I feel like the arm is leading too much. There it is. Let's try and take it again and see if we improve it. Chin towards me and down. Down, stop. There it is. And I love that, that's much better. Also let me try and take one a little further back. I don't think I need to see the box in the front. I think I think I like this crop. So let's have a look and you can see the difference. It looks good to me. Now, here, to get more expression we can work the shoulder all the way into her, stop. And there it is there. So it gives the, push your chin towards me now, Jessica. Don't move, good girl. It gives the illusion that she is lying down but she really isn't. Big smile, right there. Gotcha. I love that. Alright, let me just take one more here. Chin towards me, up. And beautiful big smile, go. Gotcha, lovely. Be aware, what I just did then and I didn't like it. I came in and I cropped too much of this arm off. And I just feel like it didn't work. I feel like that front arm is dominating here. All I did was pull back to here, chin up a little touch, and there it is there. And I love that, that makes a big difference to me. And I want that with a huge, big smiley smiley smiley, go. Perfect. Good girl. Okay, give me teeth smile not gums. You just lift it up. (laughs) That's the one! I love that. Also this looks good too. Relax your hands down, and just let your eyes go down like, no, put that up. Yeah, that's it. And just look down your body line. I just love this downward angle, I love the eyelashes looking down. I think this is really beautiful. Cropping into the hairline, I think that's a really pretty shot. Always have. Okay, from there, when we were lying down we then sat in front of the couch. We don't wanna do that now. So, instead what we're going to do is we're going to do the sitting on the box version of that. We're gonna sit up, no we're gonna do that at the end. Then we came around the side and... We did around the back of the couch, we did this. So, that's exactly right. Now remember it's not about having your bum up in the air it's about having, no, come up and over your shoulders. That's perfect. I just want you to go back down so I can show people when you sit down and back. Look how much shorter Jess looks here when she comes up and over, stop. And that's up and over her own shoulders and elbows. So, a very significant rise coming up. And I really want you to master this. From here, I want your elbows towards the center. And I want one out further. So this one can go out that way, good girl, stop. Now, long chin. And you need to bring your body towards there, that's exactly right. Go back with your chin, too far, forward. So pull back with your shoulders. Yeah, that's a girl, a little bit more. You've got it. I can see the angle right now. There it is there, this is my beauty shot. Lips together. And I want you to push your chin up and towards me. Just, stop. Wow that's gorgeous. Soften your eyes for me, lips together. Tiny little smile in your lips. Just ever so slightly. You've got it, that's perfect. This is where we can bring this elbow in. And this hand around. I can't do that without squashing my microphone, so. I'll get you do it. So bring it to the center and then just touch your throat. Really simple here. This way, not back of the hand to the camera. Stop. That's gorgeous. Slide your elbows towards me Jess, just a tickle. Elbows towards me, both of them. Good girl, more, stop. There it is, wow. If you wanna include this hand, make sure that you do if you don't wanna cut it off, then you just pull back and you can crop it wider and longer 'cause that's gorgeous. Also, you can shoot this horizontally right here. Which I think is amazing. I want you to lift your chin up. I want you to push your chin towards me. More. That's a girl, right there. Beautiful. Okay, from there I want you to put both hands up, elbows together. And bring your elbow, that's it. And just touch down and cup very gently in here with your hands out. Okay, and then just bring your chin forward and sit in there. Bring your elbows towards me right now. Stop. I love that. Don't move, that it so gorgeous. Soft eyes. Bring the hands closer to the face. Push your chin up, lips together. And a little tiny smile in the eyes there, you've got it. Stop putting your head down, keep it up. Good girl, don't move, don't move. And more smile, more smile. Okay, from here, we came to the side a little bit more. So it was actually very similar to what we were just doing in the ottoman shots. So let's just put it, elbow out. This hand down, touch behind your head, and keep your elbow down low. And then roll the shoulder towards me. More, more, stop. This is the same version as the lying down shot. I don't wanna see this palm, that's a girl. So fingertips in, tuck your thumb in. That's it, that's beautiful. Right there. And I need you to soften your eyes to me dear, stop putting them down. That's a girl, perfect. And nice soft eyes, a little wee smile on your lips. Work the shoulder forward a little wee bit more. You got it, that's gorgeous. Chin forward, forward, down, down. Big big smile, go go go go, more more more. Okay, big gorgeous smile, good girl. Now what I want you to do is come around and sit up here. So your knees are that way. Yep, so turn that way. Now, I just want this hand to go here. Both hands like that on both hips. Now I want you to lean forward away from me. So point that way, good girl. Now this shoulder here, I just want you to turn it away from me, Jess. So there. And then you look over your shoulder at me. Okay, so don't tip your head back. It has to come around on this axis, and then around that way, that's perfect. I'm just gonna stand here and take a shot of that. I love this shot. I love this shot, I love doing this shot for everyone. Not everyone can do it. It's one of those shots that sometimes I try and it doesn't work. And push forward, long chin towards me. And good girl, there it is. Nice and low. See where my angle is right now. It's really really important that you can see that I'm shooting Jessica right below the eye line all the time. And it's such a different shot. If you come up high and shoot down, it does not work. It does not work quite the same, okay? From here, I now want you to... Let's have a look, tip this way. Good girl. Not quite so far, bring it back. And I'm just gonna try and work that shoulder in the front. I'm gonna shoot this here. Wow. Nice and low, shooting nice and low. Pushing that chin forward, Jess. Don't tip back. Tip forward, stop. You got it right there. Okay. Now, as I sit here I can move her around and do multiple shots here. This is all, one of my favorites as you know, I love this. No different than the bar stool. Bring you knees around to me. Put one foot up and one down. Now, stay towards me, that's it. Point this toe in the front. The more you point this toe, the longer the leg looks in the front. Come forward onto your elbows again. Now, not with your torso, just with your arms. So you come forward like that. And we're always looking for asymmetry. So one has to be slightly different. So we wanna hold the legs, we wanna do lots of different, wanna keep the elbows bent. And what I don't want is for Jess to push forward with the front of her chest. So, I need almost a cave in. So it's real, that's it. It's really anti-posture. (laughs) The supermodel is anti-posture. Okay, and from the front I'm gonna shoot this nice and low here. Below her eye line. And I just want you to push your chin forward. And up, Jess. Now, as you know, this is a shot that I do all of the time. It's one of my go-tos. So you're gonna do this a hundred times, but I wanted to show you how to use the white box and the apple box. Remember you can come up onto your elbow. This elbow. And just use it on your, yeah. Anywhere, no. Yeah, okay, swap over but don't show me the back of your hand. That's a girl. Put it on top of that arm. Just to the side. Yeah, that's it. Now, I want you around here, don't tip away from me. That's it, stay there. And here it is. So I can use the box. Chin forward, push that chin towards me, Jessica girl. Stay there. I can use the box a million different ways. And this is another great way to do it. Stand up, come around here. I'm going to put this little blanket on here because I don't wanna hurt her knees, because this is a wooden box. Hold my camera for me. Don't drop it on live camera. No pressure. Okay, I always have little soft blankets like this in the studio. I'm not gonna see it. What I'm gonna do, Jess, is I'm gonna get you to kneel on this box with staggered legs. So the legs are scissored, and they're 45 degrees this way. And I'm gonna show you why. When I get Jess onto here, this way Jess. Knees this way. That's it. And I want your back, come up. I want your back leg out and your front leg back. So, other way. That's it. Okay, now I want you on an angle this way. Your knees. So that's it, stop. Now, what I wanna work on here, is when I bring this back here, can you see what happens to the shape of the hip as soon as I stagger the legs? I all of a sudden have this ability to move. And even though Jess doesn't have a lot of curves, we're gonna try and give her as much curve as we can. So from here, I can get both hands up on the back of her waist. And I can get your elbows pointing back. And your face that way, just for now. I just wanna show you that body line. I do this with curves. And I want that elbow to tuck all the way in, Jess, at that side. I do with curvy bodies, I do this with lean bodies, what I'm trying to do is create exactly the same thing. And that is movement. Now bring your chin all the way around to me now, like all the way around. Keep going, stop. Now, I want you to pretend you've got a big booty and you're pushing it out the back. Good girl, stop. Relax your mouth. Look at the curve on her body now. Now, for a curvier body, exactly the same rules apply. We want booty, we want a waist, we wanna create a breast line. So it's exactly the same rules. Now that I've got her body in this shape, I'm going to drop her arms down both sides, and just let them go completely flat. Now, I want you to fall into it. And because she's on her knees, she can do this. This is very hard to do standing up. And it's so easy to do when you're kneeling. And so now, I can do all sorts of really great lines, like this. Now if I ask Jessica to stand like this, chin up to me, Jess. Chin this way, stop. Relax your mouth. If I asked Jessica to just stand in this position I don't think she would be able to get this curve in her body. But you can do this on the knees. And this works so beautifully with a flowing dress. Any movement. Now, I can get her to do pretty much anything I want with the hands. And just to give you some fast examples, let's try back hand comes up and sweeps across, that's it, stop. Now give me heaps of bend through there. Good girl, that's perfect. Now I want you to hold across here. That's it. Now push across even more so I can't see it. Good girl, stop. Now give me hips and booty. Now open that shoulder up to me, stop. Can you see the shape in her body right now? It works for everybody. And it's absolutely beautiful. Now, what I'm gonna do is switch it up. And I'm gonna get you to just bring this shoulder in a little bit more, more, more, stop. I'm go closer, I'm gonna go to here. Push your chin towards me, Jessica, more. Good girl, there it is. More, push it towards me. Up up up, more, more, stop. Beautiful, there it is. Okay, so from here, now I can turn your body towards me, or your upper body towards me. And I want you to put your hands on your hips like Cover Girl. So no different than Cover Girl pose, but now she's actually kneeling on the box. So kick your booty up that way. And I'm gonna come in here. Push your chin towards me, up and long. Good girl, stay there. Love that. Now from here, hold your elbows across your body. And I want you to kick out this way. That's it, lots of shape in there. And we are there. Chin up to me, pushing your chin forward. Good girl, stop. Beautiful. And those are just simple, gorgeous Cover Girl shots. Now, I would finish with this, very similar to what we did. I want you to sit this way, I want you to sit on your knee like this. The way you were. And I want you to hug that knee and turn around this way to me. Good girl, stay there. Now, I want you to bring your arm up and over. And hug your arm the way you were when you were on the couch, lower. That's it. And so, I just need this thumb to relax. And I need this elbow soft on that leg. There it is, but hold your leg. Always hands connected around there, like put your hand across there. There, that's it. Okay, now I don't want that hand to be back at the camera, so we either need to bring it hanging down, but towards you this way. That's it, relax it down though. We'll find it. The hands always have their own little mind of their own. Just turn this way a little wee bit. That way, that's a girl. Now long chin towards me. And chin down to me now. Now, can you work that shoulder in a little wee bit more? And chin down now, down, stop. That's it, Jess. That's beautiful. Okay from there, I want you to, I can't see up your skirt from the front, so I want you to bring both arms up over the top of that knee 'cause you're side-on to me. All I want now to make this perfect would be able to see that space through there. So your foot can go to the edge of there, your heel. And your toe can go off. And I just want you to find hands that aren't to the back of the camera. So this one sits up there, that's a girl. Now, just bring your chin all the way around to me now. And down. I love that. Okay. Lower back here, nice and long. And that's kind of a curled up version of the Fashion Quarterly pose. Where normally we would be on the box. Now I just want your hands to go between your legs. Both of them straight down. Straight down, yep, that's it. And bring your chin, good girl, don't move. I love that. And now, I want you to drop that foot down. Good girl, stop. And I want you to cave in through your upper body. And I want you to bend your arms. That's it, not that far, halfway. Elbows in. And I want you to turn and open your body up towards me a little wee bit. Stop. Keep that shoulder forward. Keep that shoulder forward. No, this one. And good girl, stay there. And I'm gonna shoot that there. Now don't tip your head back, come around this way. No, the other way. Good girl, stop. Chin towards me, and down. There it is. Cave in through your body. Give me a soft, that's it! There you go. Chin up, relax your mouth. Vogue. (laughs) Multiple poses on a white box. I don't know how many I got, so let's count them through now. Let's have a look at them. And let's see what we're doing and how we're doing it, and followed the same pattern, just added the knees up on the couch after there. And I absolutely loved that, thank you so much. And I love the pink dress, absolutely beautiful on white. So let's have a look at what we've got.

Class Materials

bonus material

Business Checklist
Keynote Part 1
Keynote Part 2
Posing Guide: Set Map and Outfit
Posing Guide: Flow Posing
Posing Guide: Couples Posing
Posing Guide: Curves
Posing Guide: Teen Posing
Posing Guide: Family Posing
Posing Guide: Over 50 Demographic
Posing Guide: Beauty Shot
Posing Guide: Posing Men
Workbook
How It Works
Styling and Wardrobe

Ratings and Reviews

a Creativelive Student
 

I have purchased four of Sue's courses and love them all. I have learned so much. I found the lesson on connecting with people thru their eyes has made a huge difference in my photos already. Her before and after's made me cry. I want to be able to take these kinds of photos for my family and friends. I just love what she does. She is such a great teacher. I learn much better seeing things done, so this was the perfect choice for me to learn. I love Sue's humor, her honesty, her detailed teaching and sweet and wonderful personality. Her sessions will or should not disappoint anyone. It is the best money I have ever spent on self-help teaching. Thanks a million creative live. You GOTTA LOVE SUE!

katie
 

Pure gold. Sue Bryce is likable, talented, funny, and an amazing teacher. She calls you on your BS (your excuses for why you aren't succeeding), gives you business, posing, marketing, pricing and LIFE advice. The class is 58 hours long - and you spend the majority of it looking right over her shoulder, through her lens and watch her walk through many, many photoshoots. She verbally and clearly repeats several critical formulas for success so it's imprinted in your mind. Her advice is crystal clear and your photography will dramatically improve after this class. Before Creative Live, you'd NEVER have had the opportunity to shadow a photographer of her quality... hands down the best photography class I've ever taken.

JRomkee
 

I have just began this course and I am excited to see how following her model will help me to improve and get my business started. I have been through the first two days and there is lots of information to absorb and things to get in order before I begin the actual challenges. I am thankful that there are photographers out there who are will to reveal there secrets ad are truly invested in others improving themselves in all aspects of their life and not just their photography skills. Thanks Sue Bryce for your passion for empowering woman and your knowledge of creating and sustaining a business by being true to who you and commitment to the improvement of others! I am excited to grow myself and my business, I am confident this will be worth every penny! Were the templates for the email PDF included in this course

Student Work

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