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Thanks for the suggestion Oksana. You know, you can read and analyze photography day and night and yet……..when you’re there, it’s so different. YOu have alot on your mind besides photography. You can’t live in a different world then.

I do try though to be aware of these things as much as i can. Did you mean point the toes with the feet flat, or curled UPwards? Anything to do with posing is so overwhelming. And then you have to deal with telling someone how to pose. When you do that, the person gets stiff.

I’ve read so much on that topic and what i’ve learned to simplify is that a girl can pose with two positions with one hand…..one on her hip, the other pose she can put her hand on her thigh.   With the other hand, she can do 3 positions. She can put her hand in her hair below the chin, 2nd, near her face, and 3rd on top of head.  

The legs can cross each other, and a few poses, where the girl looks back over her shoulder. I know their are several others, and i’ve saved some good examples. But really, i believe, you CAN comprehend it because it is limited. The rest is just variations of it.

I think i am visualizing what your saying Oksana with the toes. You mean to extend the whole foot (not curl just the toes). I sure would like to tell some of these friends’ of my wife what would be best, but no one likes to listen to me and they expect alot in the photos.

My wife is the first to cut in.. “Pat, just take the photo”!  Then, i can’t argue in front of anyone, so i have to just DO IT and know that it’s not going to be what i wanted.            That girl by the way is having a birthday at a park next weekend for your daughter. So, she wants me to take photos of it and her.   I need to limit myself more instead of adding on more things. ONE umbrella for any posed shots (only if someone wants to hold a rim for me too).   The rest will have to be fast shots with my 28-70mm with no flash. Need to simplify.   By the way, Oksana, i could look it up again but………….on a full frame camera (Mark ii) a 70mm is what-lesser or more telephoto??

One part of being a good portrait photographer is the ability to take control of your subject, especially in your case. They are not even paying you, they better listen! You have to get at least some benefits from taking their pictures for free, and this can be a practice, improving your craft, learning how to direct people. Just tell them to take the pose they want and make small adjustments from there: “Please point the toes, rise your chin, put your right arm on the hips, etc…” If they don’t listen, session is over, lol. Talk to your wife beforehand. Tell her that you put a lot of effort in those pictures and you wont to practice to direct people better and she should help you to do so by saying: “Please listen to Pat, because he know what he is doing!” instead of “Pat, just take the photo”! I am sure she’ll understand.