The SecreT To CreaTing A Curvy Bum - Christa Meola

The Secret to Creating a Curvy BumGive a “wedgie”Any time I’m photographing a woman in her panties, I giveher undies a little tug to create a wedgie. (Male photographers will want to request that the model do this adjustment for herself.) It enhances the appearance of roundnessand flatters every size bum.Coaching your subject into an S-curve stance, shootingfrom a low angle, and choosing side lighting will all also helpcreate a juicy bum, but the real secret is the “wedgie.” Take apeek at the before and after (Figures 3.14 and 3.15).Figure 3.14 and 3.15 The quickest, easiest way to go from ho-hum toka-pow!50mm lens, ISO 1600, f/2.2, 160 sec.8 Biggest Posing Mistakesand How to Avoid ThemIt’s been a privilege to have taught hundreds of photographers, both newbies andpros, how to photograph women. I have a Facebook group where students share theirimages to get critiques, support, motivation, answers to questions, and access to mylatest tips. I have done hundreds of portfolio reviews, been a print competition judge,and seen thousands of boudoir pictures. It’s become fairly evident what the mostcommon mistakes are that separate a good image from a great one. Here are themost common mistakes:1. Eye line errorsI most often see three mistakes with eyes and eye lines: a) too much of the white ofthe eye is seen (Figure 3.16), b) the eye line is too high and looks strained (Figure3.17), and c) the subject’s eye line looks down her body too closely, resulting in adouble chin even on the thinnest models (Figure 3.18).Ch a pter 3 : P osin g to Mak e Your S ub jec t S h in e59

The fix in each case is easy: Make sure your subject’s eye line a) shows her pupils(Figure 3.19), b) is cast down enough so that her forehead, eyebrows, and eyelidsare comfortable, soft, and relaxed (Figure 3.20), and c) “cheats” when looking at herbody (actually looking at the furthest point out or even the floor in front of her), sothat her head is out and her chin is down (Figure 3.21).Figures 3.16–3.18 The three most common eye line mistakes nonmodels and inexperienced photo graphers make. I zoomed in and exaggerated the problem in each instance, but even a smaller versionof these mistakes can ruin an otherwise stunning photograph.50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2, 250 sec.Figures 3.19–3.21 The simple fix in each case is to adjust your subject’s point of focus.50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2, 250 sec.60T h e A rt o f B o u d oi r P h otog r ap h y: H o w to C r eat e S t un n i n g P hotogr a phs of Women

2. Nonsensual pose or expressionI often see boudoir pictures where the modelappears either insecure or in pain rather thanconfident or sensual. There’s a fine line betweenagony and ecstasy, but a subtle change can takea moment from one to the other. Here are thetwo nonsensual poses I notice most often: “themigraine” (Figure 3.22) and “the hand bra”(Figure 3.23).To infuse confidence and sensuality into apose while still covering up nudity, be creativeand make sure you pay attention to the subtletyof posture and expression. Rather than simplyplacing hands to cover up breasts, create a sensual moment by simply shifting posture to theside, obscuring breasts indirectly, and focusingon a more flirtatious expression (Figure 3.24).Slight changes in the hands, shoulders, and face(Figure 3.25) do wonders to change a don’t toa do!3. Tension in the handsSuch tension is a very common occurrence withnonmodels. The inexperienced photo subjectwill hold her hands in either tensed fists, claws,or straight fingers side by side, particularly whenplaying with her clothing, holding a prop, ortouching her body.To fix, watch carefully for any bit of tensionin your subject’s hands before snapping yourshutter, and make sure to coach her as describedearlier in this chapter. Remember that the sideview of hands appears more feminine, andseparation of fingers into “ballet hands” is moredesirable.Figure 3.22 The migraine.50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2, 250 sec.Figure 3.24 This is essentially thesame exact pose. A minute adjustment can transform a headacheinto bliss.50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2, 250 sec.Figure 3.23 The hand bra.50mm lens, ISO 1600, f/2.2,160 sec.Figure 3.25  A sexier way to bemodest.50mm lens, ISO 1600, f/2.2,160 sec.Ch a pter 3 : P osin g to Mak e Your S ub jec t S h in e61

Figure 3.26  I took this shotfrom the first rung of a ladder,about 4 inches higher than mynormal height.Figure 3.27  I shot this from akneeling position, well below themodel’s waist. You can see howmuch more flattering this angle is.24–70mm lens, ISO 320, f/2.8,125 sec.24–70mm lens, ISO 320, f/2.8,125 sec.Figure 3.28 This may be a mat-ter of personal taste, but I thinkthe stumpy appearance is lessattractive than the “do” version ofthis shot.50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2,500 sec.62Figure 3.29 A simple adjustment makes a world of difference.You don’t even have to turn yourmodel this far to see the sides ofher legs and feet.4. Awkward limb placementThis mistake takes many forms, most often whenan arm or leg is uncomfortably bent, resultingin a clumsy appearance. To prevent this, makesure that your model is comfortable and that youadhere to the posing principles listed above. Ifyou feel something about a pose is “off,” it’s mostlikely an awkward limb. Stick with the core of thepose and try a few different positions with theoffending limb to find a posture that looks andfeels better. If it’s not working, change your angleor point of view. If it’s still not working, go aheadand move on. There are a lot of hot poses in yourfuture.5. Out-of-proportion bodyI see this mistake frequently with the photographs students take for my Online BoudoirWorkshop. The appearance of the woman’s lowerhalf is grossly out of proportion with the rest ofher body, resulting in short stumpy legs and alarger head and torso (Figure 3.26).Here’s another easy fix! Just change yourplacement and angle so that you’re shootingfrom a low angle, at the waistline or well belowthe waistline (Figure 3.27). Never shoot a woman’s full body from above. You’ll see a dramaticdifference.6. Appearance of stumpy legsIf a woman is kneeling and facing the cameradirectly, an unappealing illusion will result, making her limbs look like stumps (Figure 3.28). Toremedy this, you can move slightly to the side orhave your subject angle herself slightly to the sideso that her lower legs and feet are visible (Figure3.29). This will prevent the stump effect.50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2, 500 sec.T h e A rt o f B o u d oi r P h otog r ap h y: H o w to C r eat e S t un n i n g P hotogr a phs of Women

Figure 3.30 Both pro models and nonmodelsalike can appear disengaged. It’s vital that yourecognize this when it occurs, whether duringthe shoot or while selecting your best edits.Figure 3.31  Asking my model to be presentand engaged results in more than just a genuinesmile. She also has an engaged body, particularly her hands, and feeling behind her eyes.50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2, 250 sec.50mm lens, ISO 320, f/2, 250 sec.7. Loss of spontaneity!Depicting a subject who lacks life or is not engaged is one of the worst mistakesa boudoir photographer can make. Rather than conveying a sensual posture, thesubject appears posed (Figure 3.30).The prescription for avoiding stale postures is to coach some life into your subject. Ask for a pose, but then create a bit of movement, even if it’s as simple as havingher move her hand, exhale deeply, or turn her head (Figure 3.31). Give her a direction and tell her to come back to this posture.8. Stereotyped poses without your signatureMany boudoir poses you’ve seen before are a wonderful place to start a picture orposture. A mistake many photographers make from time to time, though (and Iinclude myself in this), is to duplicate a posture that they love, rather than letting itinspire a different creative moment.To avoid this mistake, allow yourself the freedom to explore a posture. Mix it upand coach different actions while in the same pose or try an alternate angle to seewhat you like best. Go ahead and break the rules. Lastly, make sure to really look atthe woman in front of you and ask if the pose truly affects you and what’s interestingand attractive about it to you. Then make your own adjustments according to what’smeaningful to you and your style.Ch a pter 3 : P osin g to Mak e Your S ub jec t S h in e63

Jan 08, 2016 · 60 The arT of Boudoir PhoTograPhy: T CAT STNNN HOTAS WMN. 2. Nonsensual pose or expression I often see boudoir pictures where the model appears either insecure or in pain rather than confident or sensual. There’s a fine lin