Strike a Pose: Mastering the Art of Posing like a Boss in a photobooth
Updated: Jan 8
So you think you can pose huh? What if I told you there was an easy-to-follow recipe for improving your picture-posing skills by one gazillion percent? Read this article to learn the top 3 mistakes I see people make when posing for their picture and how to avoid them.
#3 mistake - You're not looking at the lens.
Remedy: Stop looking at yourself on the screen while you're posing.
If you're new to pictures, here's a great tip, look directly into the camera lens.
It sounds painfully obvious, you pose for a picture, you look in the lens. You'd be surprised at how many pictures I go through where people are looking at themselves on the screen. I'm sure in the haste of things this seemed ideal (O.M.G my hair looks so fabulous right now) but the end result is a picture with drastically less presence. You (the subject) look out of place and your picture won’t be staying on your fridge's door for very long.
Here's an example of what happens when everyone is looking into the lens. Magic.
If you want to bring your "A" game, while posing, try looking on the horizon. Props help here, but when you immerse yourself and fully commit to whatever it is you're expressing, your picture will surely be a home run.
#2 mistake - You're not filling the frame
Remedy: Step closer to the photo booth.
Look, let's be real here. You don't need a fancy degree in photography to know that filling the frame is important. I mean, come on, it's not rocket science. But apparently, some people need a reminder. So here it is: if you want to take a decent photo, make sure you fill the damn frame.
Now, I know what you're thinking. "But I don't know anything about composition!" Well, join the club, pal. But guess what? It doesn't matter. Because filling the frame is the one thing you can do to salvage a crappy photo. Trust me, I've seen more terrible photos than I care to admit. And let me tell you, a simple tweak like filling the frame can make all the difference between a cringe-worthy photo and a mediocre one.
So, don't be afraid to get up close and personal with your subject. Get that camera all up in its face, show it who's boss.
No two booths are identical, and they carry all kind of different cameras and lens, Here at GoBooth Photo Booth Rental in Ottawa, we use an 18-70mm lens, mostly in the 22-35mm area. What this means is that, just like the passenger side view mirror of your car, "Objects are closer than they apmost impressive results, this is no exception.
By filling the frame you can add great impact to the image. You eliminate unnecessary clutter and bring a dynamic element to the photo. In photography school, they teach you to either use your zoom lens or your feet, since our photo booths are stationary, you're limited to your feet.
Here I asked this gorgeous couple to step closer. See the difference?pear". We use wide angle lens because I like the ability to shoot large groups. I can fit 10 people with ease and I've seen up to 20 get on top of one another trying to fit. The downside is that people's default behaviour is to stand as far away possible from the camera, butt against the backdrop. This isn't a police lineup people.
To account for this, All of our photo booth attendants have been trained to entice the guests to come closer so they fill the frame, this is especially true if you're only 2. I've started putting tape on the floor as a marker for the amount of guests in the session, but not everyone is the same height so results can vary.
Pro tip:
If you want to create an epic shot, then I encourage you to get your face all up in that lens. Doing so will create a cool head-shot. When you're game to try this, the trick to this is to lower the strobe light power by 1/8th (flash's intensity) or else your pretty face will end up overexposed (washed out). This is something that only our trained professional photo booth attendant will do. When posing, feel free to throw gang signs in there and act like you're in a Rap video.
Top #1 mistake (by far) - You're slouching!
Remedy: Stand up straight.
Your mother has told you countless times, and the truth is standing up straight (or the lack thereof) can really make or break a great picture.
If you recognize yourself here, don't be offended, know that you're not alone. Slouching happens approximately 99.9% of the time, People love to slouch, I'm sometimes even attacked with snarky comments from people who are very pro-slouching when I suggest that they stand up straight. No need to defend your rights to slouch... it's just that the booth is configured in such a way that it assumes people are standing.
"When people slouch, their heads come forward, forcing the shoulders to come forward as well. This leads to jaw pains and headaches, and to shoulder and back pains too," says Susan, my favourite yin yoga teacher. "Additionally, if the mechanics of your spine are not aligning properly, it can affect your rib cage, which can damage your heart and lungs, and lead to gastrointestinal issues." Wait a minute.... What? Did I hear that right? Heart and lung problems!? Gastrointestinal issues!? The Doctors and Photographers Against Slouching and Bad Posture (DPASBP) might not be a real thing but I'm here, strongly suggesting that we all stop filling the top half of your photos with a backdrop and take a small step to better ourselves by being ergonomically correct, I promise positive things will follow.
Once you've mastered what I've expressed here, your photo booth game will surely be boss AF in no time.
