Using a Posing Chair

SCOTT KELBY

One of the best reasons to pose your subjects in a chair is that people often feel more comfortable in a chair, and if they’re comfortable, your chances of getting a relaxed, natural portrait go way up. If you have your subject standing alone in the middle of a studio, with all sorts of lights aimed at them, you’re giving your subject every opportunity to be uncomfortable, and that usually translates to less-than-natural, uncomfortable-looking portraits. By the way, if you do shoot your subject seated, here’s a tip to help get better-looking poses: have them sit near the end of the chair (being that far from the back of the chair almost ensures that they won’t slouch or lean back), and it helps the overall look to have them lean a little forward, into the camera. So, the next time your subject looks really uncomfortable, offer them a seat, and watch them instantly become more comfortable, which usually results in better, more natural-looking portraits.