Perkins - 500 poses for photographing brides: a visual sourcebook for digital wedding photographers

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Copyright 2010 by Michelle Perkins.
All rights reserved.

Front cover photographs by Dawn Shields.
Back cover photograph by Regetis Photography.

Published by:
Amherst Media, Inc.
P.O. Box 586
Buffalo, N.Y. 14226
Fax: 716-874-4508
www.AmherstMedia.com

Publisher: Craig Alesse
Assistant Editor: Barbara A. Lynch-Johnt
Editorial Assistance: Sally Jarzab, John S. Loder, Carey A. Maines

ISBN-13: 978-1-58428-272-3
Library of Congress Control Number: 2009903898

Printed in Korea.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded or otherwise, without prior written consent from the publisher.

Notice of Disclaimer: The information contained in this book is based on the authors experience and opinions. The author and publisher will not be held liable for the use or misuse of the information in this book.

D etermining the best way to pose a subjecta way that is simultaneously flattering, appropriate, and visually appealingcan be one of the biggest challenges in designing a successful portrait. This is especially true when creating portraits of brides, where the photographer may be called on to create anything from a very traditional head-and-shoulders pose to a more adventurous full-length look straight out of the pages of a fashion magazine. Quite simply, the variations are almost limitlessas is the pressure to perform flawlessly throughout this once-in-a-lifetime event.

This collection is a visual sourcebook designed to address exactly that problem. Filled with images by some of the worlds most accomplished wedding photographers, it provides a resource for professionals seeking inspiration for their own work. Stuck on what to do with a particular bride or unsure how to make use of a location? Flip through the sample portraits, pick something you like, then adapt it as needed to suit your tastes. Looking to spice up your work with some new poses? Find a sample that appeals to you and look for ways to implement it (or some element of it) with one of your brides.

For ease of use, the portraits are grouped according to how much of the subject is shown in the frame. Thus, the book begins with head-and-shoulders portraits. Next are waist-up portraits, featuring images that include the head and shoulders, arms and hands, and at least some of the subjects torso. Moving on to three-quarter-length portraits, the examples feature subjects shown from the head down to mid-thigh or mid-calf. The balance of the book features full-length imagesthe most complex portraits to pose because they include the entire body. Both the three-quarter- and full-length portraits are additionally subdivided into poses for standing subjects, seated subjects, and reclining subjects. As much as possible, images are also grouped thematically to demonstrate poses for photographing the bride with her bouquet, displaying her rings, showing the back of the dress, etc. In these subgroupings, it becomes particularly obvious how even subtle posing changes can completely transform an imageand how differently photographers can approach the creative process of posing.

It can be difficult to remain creative day after day, year after year, but sometimes all you need to break through a slump is a little spark. In this book, youll find a plethora of images designed to provide just that.

PLATE 1. PHOTOGRAPH BY TRACY DORR.

PLATE 2. PHOTOGRAPH BY TRACY DORR.

PLATE 3. PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVE AND QUIN CHEUNG.

PLATE 4. PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN KUBOTA.

PLATE 5. PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVE AND QUIN CHEUNG.

PLATE 6. PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVE AND QUIN CHEUNG.

PLATE 7. PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVE AND QUIN CHEUNG.

PLATE 8. PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVE AND QUIN CHEUNG.

PLATE 9. PHOTOGRAPH BY JEFF AND KATHLEEN HAWKINS.

PLATE 10. PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN KUBOTA.

PLATE 11 (BELOW). PHOTOGRAPH BY JEFF AND KATHLEEN HAWKINS.

PLATE 12 (BELOW). PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN KUBOTA.

PLATE 13. PHOTOGRAPH BY DOUG BOX.

PLATE 14. PHOTOGRAPH BY MARK CHEN.

PLATE 15. PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVE AND QUIN CHEUNG.

PLATE 16. PHOTOGRAPH BY JEFF AND KATHLEEN HAWKINS.

PLATE 17. PHOTOGRAPH BY JEFFREY AND JULIA WOODS.

PLATE 18. PHOTOGRAPH BY TRACY DORR.

PLATE 19. PHOTOGRAPH BY RICK AND DEBORAH FERRO.