How to pose subjects using non-verbal cues

One of the biggest challenges for me when I first started taking photos was posing subjects. Coming from a more photojournalistic background, the idea of posing subjects for portraits wasn’t something I was too keen on.

It took a lot of time and work to not only learn how to post my subjects, but also learn how to direct them while in the middle of a shoot. For those of you who struggle with the same issue, photographer Caroline Tran has teamed up with SLR Lounge to share a helpful tutorial on how to pose subject using non-verbal cues.

The four minute video is just part of a longer video from SLR Lounge, but even in the four minute teaser, there’s a lot to learn from Tran. Most notably, she shows how a little subliminal training can help teach subjects how to pose on their own without having to say a word.

It’s part social engineering, part subtle manipulation, but when brought together in an effective manner, it makes the posing process much easier and natural for all parties involved.