With the gaining popularity of “lifestyle” and “documentary” family photography the word “pose” has gained a bad rap. 

One of the things I see photographers posting on social media all the time is “I just love the in-between moments.” Or “I swoon over candid moments.” 

You guys! Let me let you in on a little secret. Unless a photographer is a 100% documentary photographer. Meaning that they are coming into a home or location and standing back and doing zero guiding, almost all those amazing “candid” moments you see were orchestrated or “posed” by the photographer. 

Yup. True story. 

Take the image in this post for example. It looks unposed. It looks candid. But I literally made the entire moment happened. I told them where to stand. I told them what to do right down to where dad is looking. I guided the children. Everything! Except maybe the dog ;). And there is no shame in that. My families trust me to make them into my art. They trust me to tell them what will look the best and yield the best photo. 

Posing and guiding is an art form. It is important that you know how to direct a session so that it yield the results you and your clients are expecting. 

I like to say that I guide my clients but really I pose them. Then I direct them to interact and that is where the moments come from. 

Heck, I will come in and move their heads how I want them. 

So don’t believe the lies social media is telling you. Not many are showing up with their camera and simply getting lucky catching beautiful candid moments. They are gifted in making those moments happen. 

Posing is not a bad thing. In fact I proudly do it every time I photograph a family. 

xo,

Elena

P.S. Are you ready to get started with posing? Grab my FREE family posing guide by clicking the button below!