Lesson 3: Subject and Equipment Positioning

At the conclusion of this lesson, students will be able to:

      • Secure the camera to the tripod to maximize stability while taking photos.
      • Utilize standard portrait positioning techniques and the ‘natural ideal’ to correctly position subject(s) for the portrait.
      • Arrange the camera and tripod so that the camera’s focal points are at eye level and fine-tune adjustments to ensure proper camera positioning.

Getting Everything Into Position

Begin With the Equipment

Once you have chosen a location and dressed your subject(s) for your photo shoot, you must arrange your subjects and position camera equipment to ensure the best results. Given that the camera and tripod are two separate pieces of equipment, it is important to know how to attach them to each other before moving them into position. Subject positioning is also a key component to taking a great portrait, so we will discuss ways to arrange your subject(s) for optimal results.

The first step in arranging elements of a portrait photo shoot is to attach the camera to the tripod. While not a difficult process, it is one that is not intuitive to new photographers so it warrants extra time spent going through the steps which are outlined below. To save time on the day of your photo shoot is recommended that you combine the camera and tripod prior to the shoot.

 

Step 1: Extend the legs of the tripod

    1. Locate the legs of the tripod
    2. Twist each leg in a counter-clockwise direction to loosen them
    3. Extend each leg to its full length (this will be adjusted later)
    4. Twist each leg in a clockwise direction to tighten them
Step 2: Attach the camera to the tripod

    1. Locate the threaded hole at the bottom of the camera
    2. Locate the threaded screw at the top of the tripod
    3. Join the threaded hole in the bottom of the camera to the threaded screw at the bottom of the tripod
    4. Twist the tripod in a clockwise direction while holding the camera steady until they are snugly joined
Step 3: Move camera and tripod to photo shoot location
Once the camera and tripod have been attached, move them to the photo shoot location for placement as discussed in the next section.

Posing and Positioning Your Subjects

Start With the Basic Steps

Once the camera and tripod have been connected and moved to the photo shoot location it is time to arrange your subject(s). There are many factors that determine ‘correct’ subject positioning, and some are subjective, but as a general rule positioning should follow what is universally considered standard portrait positioning. You can achieve this standard by following these basic steps:

      1. The position should be based on the physical limitations of the subjects. If standing is difficult, for example, a seated position would be most appropriate.
      2. You must determine the subject’s angle in relation to their positioning – if a subject is seated with their body facing the camera you would not want their head facing away from it.
      3. Determine what the subject(s) will be doing with their hands. This can be subjective, but generally, you want the hand placement to look natural and to not be a distraction (more information on how to get them to ‘look natural’ to come!)
      4. Finally, remove any non-required elements from the subject’s area that may unintentionally distract from the subject in the final result.

Once the subject has been positioned, verify that the subject is in the camera viewfinder. If you see too much or too little of the subject, move the camera and tripod closer or further away to achieve the desired result. If the camera is too high or too low you can adjust the tripod legs using the steps outlined in the ‘Extend the Legs of the Tripod’ section above.

After the tripod is generally at the right height you must fine-tune the adjustment so that the camera is at eye level. Eye-level means that the camera’s focal point (the center square when you look through the viewfinder) is trained on the subject’s eyes. To make this adjustment, locate the tripod’s center post and find the center post lever. Turn the tripod’s center post lever clockwise to raise the camera to eye level, or counter-clockwise to lower it. With the subject in the camera’s viewfinder at eye level, verify that the subject is not directly facing your light source and that they have elongated posture (ie, that they are sitting up straight).

Strike A Pose

When the camera and the subject are in place, hats removed, distracting elements gone and they are positioned in the viewfinder— it is time to work on their pose. Let’s start simply: with the hair. Take a look at this photo below showing some examples of variations for you to consider with your subjects, if they have not chosen their hair style already:

Make a note of options 4 and 5 with half of the hair swept back, and half in front. This is a great go-to for any hair type as it gives the camera access to the face while still showcasing the hair itself.
Detail of a before and after with the chin pushed out
Note the arrows: on the left, the subject looks apprehensive and it takes away from the shadow of their jaw creating the appearance of more skin in that area. On the right, the subject looks appears alert but relaxed, and has a nicely defined jawline.

You may have to remind them many times to move their chin or ears forward, but the next thing to do is to turn the shoulders. If a person is looking head long at the camera, it can take depth away from their body itself when the photo is captured. Take a look at this example below:

In the photo on the left, her body is slightly flattened and it makes her appear uncomfortable. On the right, with her shoulders slightly turned away, it creates depth in her torso, and makes her body appear more at ease.

As you get more comfortable directing your subjects, you will find many other elements that you prefer in a pose. Wonderful! This list is just to get you started and help you see how slight changes can make a big difference in the quality of the photo.

Looking Natural 

Develop Your Eye for the Natural Ideal

Being in front of a camera is not the most natural state for a person. When we refer to the ‘natural ideal’ we really just mean to say that the subject looks like they are comfortable. This isn’t always intuitive, so here are some helpful strategies to help your subjects feel and look more natural:

    1. Explain the process. As you move about, putting your camera in place or adjusting lighting, talk to your subjects, tell them what you are doing and why
    2. If you have many subjects, encourage them to interact with each other! The more you can encourage this, the more candid your subjects will become.
    3. Take as many pictures as possible, even the in-between moments. As they interact with each other, keep taking photos-you never know when you will accidentally capture the perfect moment between them.
    4. Keep your enthusiasm high and let the validation flow. It can be a little uncomfortable being in front of a camera. The more you can tell them they are doing great and make it seem like you are having fun, the more your subjects will loosen up and maybe even have fun themselves.
    5. Ask the subjects to shake out their hands, or blow raspberries with their lips when the energy gets stale or they start to slouch. If their energy starts to dwindle, or their smile starts to look strained, take a small break and have them move around a bit.
    6. Pick a fun playlist of songs. This can be a great way to get your subjects to open up! Who doesn’t love a good playlist?

So there are some ways you can help relax the environment. Below is an example of someone in a natural pose, and in a stressed pose. Can you see the difference?

A natural ideal pose is easiest to recognize when it is right in front of you. Take a note of the numbered elements, corresponding from the left and right photo. 1: On the right, his brow is furrowed, and his lips are curled down at the sides, making him look upset while on the left his face is more relaxed, his mouth is neutral; 2: On the right, his chin is tucked back, and on the left it is out; 3: On the right, his shoulders are closed and at a more straight on angle, and on the left, he is turned and broadened; 4: On the right, his hands are clenched around his elbows, while on the left they are open and relaxed. Because of these small changes to his body language, the photo on the left is much more preferable. Follow some of the strategies we’ve mentioned to help your subjects get into their most natural pose.

In Summary

The process of selecting a location, determining what your subject(s) should wear, and arranging your subject(s) and camera equipment for the photo shoot – while acknowledging certain guidelines and considerations – is a very subjective process and is open to the photographer’s interpretation of their desired end result. It can be described as the artistic part of the process. As we’ll learn in the next several lessons, there is a science to the process as well!

Self Check

GIVE IT A TRY!
Based on what you’ve learned about arranging subjects and camera for the desired composition, try it yourself! Take a sample family portrait while paying careful attention to why you are making decisions related to camera position and subject posing. Don’t worry about getting everything ‘just right.’ We’ll cover that in future lessons.
YOU CAN DO THIS! Post your favorite photos to social media.
Now that you’ve taken several portraits while honing your new skills, try posting some of your best photos to your favorite social media sites. While this involves tools and techniques that are outside the scope of this module, posting your work to social media will expose your work to the outside world, encourage you to keep going, and challenge you to expand your skills.
ADVANCED TOPIC: The Rule of Thirds
While there are many techniques for positioning subjects in portraits the ‘Rule of Thirds’ is one that is relied on often by professional photographers. The Rule of Thirds is a composition guideline which imagines an image divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal lines and two equally spaced vertical lines, and that your subject should be placed along these lines or their intersections. It can be a challenging concept, especially with auto-focus enabled, which will want to focus on the center point of the image, but if you can master the technique it will give a new artistic dimension to your portraits.

Continue to Self Assessment #1