Clackers' Beginners' Tip 20: Posing Males

**clackers** · 05-05-2022, 08:20 PM - **13 Likes**

I've been pondering the mysteries of life recently.

I wonder, if a bottle of poison is past its expiry date, is it more poisonous or is it no longer poisonous?

Other thoughts keep me awake, too. Do twins ever realize that one of them is unplanned?

Another puzzle is what to do with posing guys for portraits. Males are arguably worse at this than females, and the facial expressions and body positions mighty unnatural. There seems to be a tendency for them to stand with their hands covering their crotches, as if they're soccer players facing a free kick.

Until you eventually break the ice with them in the photo session, I think it's best to start shooting males doing one of their favourite past times, it can be at a chess board, with their fishing rod, whatever. The familiar prop settles them, and if they can actually do some action ... reach to move the chess pieces, reel the line in, whatever, that's a brief moment they're thinking about what they're doing and not unnaturally concentrating on you take the photo at that point. I shot the pic below with the Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 on a Pentax K-S1.

I think it even more important to do this with a family member or friends, to start with, because any 'baggage' or sense of obligation between the two of you will briefly disappear.

A professional model will want to see some of the shots as feedback before moving to the next setup, but IMHO don't offer this to inexperienced subjects. The reaction to pictures of themselves (no matter how proud you are of them) may be unpredictable, and destroy the atmosphere of the rest of the time you have for the shoot.

To finish this week, there's the story of the young boy who enters a barber shop and the barber whispers to his customer: 'This is the dumbest kid in the world. Watch."

The barber puts a $2 coin in one hand and two 50c pieces in the other, and asks, 'Which do you want, son?'

The boy takes the 50c pieces and leaves.

'What did I tell you?' says the barber, 'That kid never learns.'

Later, when the customer leaves, he sees the boy coming out of an ice cream store.

'Hey, son. May I ask you a question? Why did you take the 50c pieces instead of the $2 coin?'

The boy licks his cone and replies: 'Because the day I take the $2 coin, the game is over.'

The rest of the series here: Clackers' Beginners Tips (Collected) - PentaxForums.com

**aslyfox** · 05-06-2022, 04:32 AM - **1 Like**

just to be helpful

Originally posted by clackers

I've been pondering the mysteries of life recently. . . . .

Do twins ever realize that one of them is unplanned? . . .

sounds like something the older would mention to the younger

Quote:

there's the story of the young boy who enters a barber shop . . .

stupid question almost all barbers/stylists have asked me -

" how do you like the haircut? "

" I don't, put the hair back on "

____________________

love the series of hints, please continue

**RICHARD L.** · 05-06-2022, 10:01 AM - **2 Likes**

I never took so many "portraits" over my 55 years of photography but my best subject ever was my Uncle Emile. He was what they used to call "deaf and dumb", meaning he was born profundly deaf and could not really learn to talk. He used the Sign language but knew how to read and write very well and he was very intelligent.

But mentally he remained a 10-year old child all his life, marveling at the sight of a flower or a bird. He was so "natural" in all the pictures I took of him, fishing for trout and putting a small fish under his nose like it was a mustache, proudly showing his 410 double barrel rifle and a hare he had just shot, putting his arm around the head of the pink-nosed white horse he used to get around, enjoying a Sunday dinner prepared by his beloved sister (my mother), etc.

He was always enjoying himself and lived a very happy life until the end. It showed in every picture I took of him. Plus I look a lot like him ...

Best Regards

Below is a scanned Kodachrome slide taken with a Minolta XE-7 + MC 35 mm f/1.8 HH

**clackers** · 05-08-2022, 09:54 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by RICHARD L.

But mentally he remained a 10-year old child all his life, marveling at the sight of a flower or a bird. He was so "natural" in all the pictures I took of him, fishing for trout and putting a small fish under his nose like it was a mustache, proudly showing his 410 double barrel rifle and a hare he had just shot, putting his arm around the head of the pink-nosed white horse he used to get around, enjoying a Sunday dinner prepared by his beloved sister (my mother), etc.

Yes, good examples, Richard. You can get great photos this way - 'know a man's hobbies, know the man', etc.

05-05-2022, 08:20 PM - 13 Likes	#1
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Clackers' Beginners' Tip 20: Posing Males I've been pondering the mysteries of life recently. I wonder, if a bottle of poison is past its expiry date, is it more poisonous or is it no longer poisonous? Other thoughts keep me awake, too. Do twins ever realize that one of them is unplanned? Another puzzle is what to do with posing guys for portraits. Males are arguably worse at this than females, and the facial expressions and body positions mighty unnatural. There seems to be a tendency for them to stand with their hands covering their crotches, as if they're soccer players facing a free kick. Until you eventually break the ice with them in the photo session, I think it's best to start shooting males doing one of their favourite past times, it can be at a chess board, with their fishing rod, whatever. The familiar prop settles them, and if they can actually do some action ... reach to move the chess pieces, reel the line in, whatever, that's a brief moment they're thinking about what they're doing and not unnaturally concentrating on you take the photo at that point. I shot the pic below with the Sigma 17-50mm f2.8 on a Pentax K-S1. I think it even more important to do this with a family member or friends, to start with, because any 'baggage' or sense of obligation between the two of you will briefly disappear. A professional model will want to see some of the shots as feedback before moving to the next setup, but IMHO don't offer this to inexperienced subjects. The reaction to pictures of themselves (no matter how proud you are of them) may be unpredictable, and destroy the atmosphere of the rest of the time you have for the shoot. To finish this week, there's the story of the young boy who enters a barber shop and the barber whispers to his customer: 'This is the dumbest kid in the world. Watch." The barber puts a $2 coin in one hand and two 50c pieces in the other, and asks, 'Which do you want, son?' The boy takes the 50c pieces and leaves. 'What did I tell you?' says the barber, 'That kid never learns.' Later, when the customer leaves, he sees the boy coming out of an ice cream store. 'Hey, son. May I ask you a question? Why did you take the 50c pieces instead of the $2 coin?' The boy licks his cone and replies: 'Because the day I take the $2 coin, the game is over.' The rest of the series here: Clackers' Beginners Tips (Collected) - PentaxForums.com

05-06-2022, 04:32 AM - 1 Like	#2
aslyfox Seeker of Knowledge Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Topeka, Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,581	just to be helpful Originally posted by clackers I've been pondering the mysteries of life recently. . . . . Do twins ever realize that one of them is unplanned? . . . sounds like something the older would mention to the younger Quote: there's the story of the young boy who enters a barber shop . . . stupid question almost all barbers/stylists have asked me - " how do you like the haircut? " " I don't, put the hair back on " ____________________ love the series of hints, please continue Last edited by aslyfox; 05-06-2022 at 04:37 AM.

05-06-2022, 10:01 AM - 2 Likes	#3
RICHARD L. Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Quebec City, Quebec Posts: 6,582	I never took so many "portraits" over my 55 years of photography but my best subject ever was my Uncle Emile. He was what they used to call "deaf and dumb", meaning he was born profundly deaf and could not really learn to talk. He used the Sign language but knew how to read and write very well and he was very intelligent. But mentally he remained a 10-year old child all his life, marveling at the sight of a flower or a bird. He was so "natural" in all the pictures I took of him, fishing for trout and putting a small fish under his nose like it was a mustache, proudly showing his 410 double barrel rifle and a hare he had just shot, putting his arm around the head of the pink-nosed white horse he used to get around, enjoying a Sunday dinner prepared by his beloved sister (my mother), etc. He was always enjoying himself and lived a very happy life until the end. It showed in every picture I took of him. Plus I look a lot like him ... Best Regards Below is a scanned Kodachrome slide taken with a Minolta XE-7 + MC 35 mm f/1.8 HH Attached Images Last edited by RICHARD L.; 05-07-2022 at 09:45 AM.

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05-08-2022, 09:54 PM - 1 Like	#4
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397 Original Poster	Originally posted by RICHARD L. But mentally he remained a 10-year old child all his life, marveling at the sight of a flower or a bird. He was so "natural" in all the pictures I took of him, fishing for trout and putting a small fish under his nose like it was a mustache, proudly showing his 410 double barrel rifle and a hare he had just shot, putting his arm around the head of the pink-nosed white horse he used to get around, enjoying a Sunday dinner prepared by his beloved sister (my mother), etc. Yes, good examples, Richard. You can get great photos this way - 'know a man's hobbies, know the man', etc.