The Natural Light Portrait Book

Keep Arms, Legs, Fingers, Everything Bent

There’s a basic rule for posing body parts: arms, legs, elbows—bend ‘em. In fact, I’ve heard the phrase, “If it bends, bend it.” It makes for more interesting, and more flattering poses. Essentially, you don’t want straight arms (don’t let them just hang there) or legs (bend those legs!) because they make your subject look stiff. When their arms are straight against their body, it can also make their body look thicker. And, there is one simple rule to watch out for about bending: don’t bend their arms at 90° angles. Just a little bend will do it.