Have you ever tried to copy a pose from a magazine? And, you looked nothing like the model?
What if I told you that sometimes, I pose my clients completely opposite of professional models, so that they look like professional models. Before I start to explain, I want to state that because every pose has various elements to it, it can get quite overwhelming. I’ve invested years and years in learning this stuff so I don’t expect you to get it overnight. Which is why today I’m breaking it down to just one thing, your weight.
Here’s the golden rule: Whatever is closest to the camera lens, looks the largest. This is particularly true when using certain types of lenses. And yes, your point and shoot or camera phone would be one of those lenses. So, when you push your weight forward [toward the camera], you’ll look larger than when you push your weight back [away from the camera].
You might think. Perfect, I’ll just always push my weight away from the camera. Done. However, models tend to push their weight toward the camera.
So when you copy them, you’re doing exactly what you shouldn’t do.
Why do they push their weight forward you ask?
Well, we don’t call them “walking clothes hangers” for nothing. Models typically are very thin. They actually need to create shape where there is no shape [irritating, I know]. So it makes total sense for them to push their weight forward. If you’re like me [and most women in America] we have curves!! And although our men [or women] love our curves, we need to know what to do with them on camera or we end up looking like one large curve. No one wants that.
To help demonstrate this concept, I’ve attached two pictures below. One is a professional Victoria’s Secret model and one is a client of mine. They are not the same pose but I want you to look at the curve of their hips and where the weight is on each of these women.
The model is putting all of her weight on the leg that’s closest to the camera [she’s bending the leg that’s farthest away], essentially pushing her weight forward. Our client is putting of her weight on the leg that’s farthest from the camera [she’s bending the leg that’s closest], essentially pushing her weight back.
Both women look amazing but they are posed completely opposite from one another.
So don’t feel bad about yourself the next time you try to copy a pose you like and don’t end up looking all that great. It’s not your fault, you just don’t understand yet how this all works yet. If you want to learn more about posing, CLICK HERE to check out our posing video. If you prefer to let me pose you, shoot us an email to work with me directly.
Boudoir is the ultimate in intimate gift giving. So it makes perfect sense that brides are having designer boudoir albums made to give their fiance’s on their wedding day.
Traditionally, grooms gifts are given on the morning of the wedding day. But when it comes to your intimate images, there are some logistics to consider. Like, how will you get the album to him without your dad or ring bearer getting a peak? Below are three “safe” ways to give him the gift he’ll never forget!
A.] THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT
O yes, your boudoir album on your very own personal app is the safest way to get your intimate images in the hands of your man without a drunken, joke-playing groomsman finding and sharing them with anyone and everyone. Imagine the love of your life, just a few hours from becoming your husband, and getting a text from you that contains the password to the NO PEAKING app, that you’ve so sneakily downloaded onto his phone the evening before. Even if he noticed the app, it says “no peaking” and if he is like most men and can’t keep his hands off it, he can’t get into the app without the password anyway. Click HERE to see the app.
B.] MR & MRS
Now that you’ve tied the knot, laughed with friends, cried with family, danced all night, and finished off the last of the champagne…there’s one more thing. It’s wedding night! Giving him the album the night of your wedding is a great way to share in the experience, make sure no one else sees it but still honors that bit of tradition about exchanging gifts the day of.
C.] HONEYMOONERS
Were you too exhausted to give him your album the night of? Did he have too much to drink and manage to shuffle his way to the suite’s kitchen to eat a snickers bar while wearing nothing but his socks? No worries, I’ve saved the best for last!
Give him your boudoir album the night of your honeymoon. This is my personal favorite because you get to see his reaction to the photos, you are both relaxed, refreshed and can enjoy the time together. Slip into one of those super sexy pieces of lingerie you’re wearing in the album, pop some champagne and have it wrapped and waiting on the bed…or even better…under his pillow.
There really is no right or wrong way to give your album to your groom to be but know that you have options and decide what’s going to work best for you!!
Ever heard all you need is confidence to take great picture? It’s total bullshit! How many of you have felt confident but still didn’t like your pictures?
Exactly.
Do you know that models are some of the most insecure people I’ve ever met? [shhhh, don’t tell anyone….they’re human too]. If you think about it, it makes perfect sense. Their entire career is based on rejection and rejection solely on their physical looks. They know exactly what’s “wrong” with them and they’re always aware of it. So how can that be? How can a model be insecure when one of the most important things you need to look great in pictures is confidence?
What models do have, is confidence in how to pose on camera and because of that, they are comfortable being photographed. They know their angles and how to show a product, but as a person they have insecurities with their bodies just like you and me. So that thing you’ve heard about confidence is sexy. That’s probably true in person. But on film, I find that your confidence isn’t really needed. Mine is.
[Huh?!]
Keep reading…
[Megan – Norwell High – Class of 2016]
Since I don’t expect you to learn how to become a model overnight [although that would be nice], what you really need is a photographer who is confident in posing you!
So many of the women I work with are nervous about how to pose and that’s completely natural. But what I want you to know is that when you work with me, whether it’s for a boudoir shoot, a senior portrait, a headshot, maternity…it doesn’t matter… I will pose you, nose to toes! You will never have to worry about how to pose when you step into my studio. You just have to relax, enjoy having your hair and make up done and then trust me. I will teach you industry tricks and tips that work best with your body frame. But the best thing about fashion? The editorial division! If you’re just so totally bad at posing straight to the camera, I’m going to have you move in a way that I know will photograph nicely. Playing with your necklace, playing with your hair, movement, looking away and photographing details are all things I use to create a diverse album but also keep you looking good, no matter how awkward you get! After all…
You don’t pose to look like a model; You look like a model because I pose you!”
Contact us info@shannon-michelle.com now for booking info and find out firsthand how I would pose you!!
“What am I going to tell my fiance?!”
“I frantically threw stuff in a bag this morning on my way out the door and was just praying he didn’t notice.”
“I have NO idea what I’m going to tell him when I get home.”
These are just a few the statements I hear on a weekly basis from my clients. They are usually brides who are trying to surprise their fiance with the gift of his life. Trying to keep that a secret until the wedding day is not always an easy feat. If this is a grooms gift or birthday gift or anniversary gift or just because gift; the chances are you might have to be creative with how you pull this off, especially since you’ll be coming home with full hair and make up! And who wants to get all glammed up, just to remove it all hours later. After being pampered by our hair and make up artists, most of our clients enjoy a date night or girls night out! So just how do they pull this off?
That’s where we come in!
We have crafted a few lies we tell our clients to tell their significant others (assuming he notices).
1. “I had my trial hair and make up today! I love it but I think it’s a little too much for the wedding day so I’m going to have to have another trial with someone who does something more subtle. Don’t you agree?”
2. “Look! I popped into Sephora today and they were giving away free makeovers!”
[Men have no idea that makeover takes hours and this kind of transformation would never be considered a free trial.]
3. “They had mommy makeovers at the baby shower!”
4.”They had someone do makeovers at the bridal shower today!”
Three and four work if you:
A) Schedule your shoot for the morning of some event or party you are going to that evening.
B) Your man has no idea where and when the is a baby shower is, nor cares.
C) He thinks the shower was for someone at work and that you’ve been at work all day.
5. Can you believe it?! Our boss arranged for a surprise beauty day at work for all the girls to celebrate (fill in the blank)!
When there’s a will, there’s a way ladies! Part of what makes us so incredible as women is our ability to lie and manipulate the situation. It’s time to use those skills for good. He’ll be surprised and when you come home feeling full of confidence, he’s not going to ask too many questions. He’ll be happy for you! Just stick to the lie. Everything will be fine. You can do this! And don’t worry, chances are he’s not seeing this article right now. And if he is, he’ll forget about it by dinner.
“I have to say this is probably one of the best things that I have done for myself in a while! Walking in I was definitely feeling a little nervous and not knowing what to expect. I mean putting on a small amount of clothing in front of a stranger that you’ve never met before who wouldn’t be nervous! Not only is Shannon’s location super super cute and quaint. I felt so comfortable in her space and Shannon herself makes you feel like you are longtime friends. Plus she does this every day so she’s used to seeing every shape and size. So the first outfit was the most revealing (hence not being pictured here). The ones following that were more softer kind of sexy-over-the-shoulder outfits. With never doing this before Shannon gave me great direction and helpful hints. Who would’ve known how hard it is to be a model? I feel like at some points I was doing a yoga pose! Got to give those models some credit. After about three outfit changes we were on our last shoot. Which involved the fan blowing my hair which was absolutely amazing… I felt like a real supermodel! After leaving I really did not know what to expect. I basically just left everything up to Shannon. I am so glad that I did. I was completely blown away by the finished photos that she sent me. Not only did she make me look great but she made me feel amazing about myself. Which I think everybody should experience!”
Deanna is a co-owner of the earth friendly Salon, Verde Boutique in Braintree, MA. For the full review, click HERE.
Celebrating the addition of their new Glo Mineral lip crayons to their make up experience, Verde Salon is giving away a Shannon Michelle Boudoir Shoot!! For details, visit the Verde Boutique Salon’s blog.
Ok guys, you know those Victoria’s Secret commercials that come on? The ones with all the wind blowing and slow motion walking, flirty smiles and legs for days? Well, you know how you have become a pro at secretly enjoying these few and far between moments without your significant other noticing, even when she’s sitting right next to you? Well, she notices!!! She knows you are drooling on the inside for that full 30 seconds or more.
Secretly, there is a part of her that wishes she could be that woman for you. Don’t get me wrong; she knows you love and appreciate her, but there’s still that inner girlie girl who would love to come forward in the most intimate way and be able to completely surprise you. She wants to completely surprise herself! And sure, you could purchase the lingerie, the shoes, the perfume etc., but it’s the experience that will last long after those goods go out of style. Why not become the one man who can give her the experience of feeling like that model you know she knows you notice.
All women love having great photographs of themselves. Yes, it may take a little loving support from you; after all, feeling self-conscious and a bit nervous about being photographed is completely natural. Wouldn’t you be if you were stepping so far out of your comfort zone? But what you and I both know is that after being pampered with hair, make up, lighting, editing, maybe some new lingerie and after being coached through a shoot by a professional fashion photographer, she can’t help but leave feel full of confidence! She will see herself differently and although she knows she may not have that 24″ waist, she now knows she doesn’t have to. She can feel amazingly sexy in the body she has and even better, she will feel desired and celebrated by the one person who means the most to her…you. Do you know why she wants to look like those models, aside from the obvious? If you take nothing else from me, know this; it’s because every women wants to feel wanted. She knows you adore her but she will feel sexy, confident, loved, valued, desired, all of the above, when you remind her that you want her. What better way to do that than by creating lasting, tasteful, intimate images of her that the two of you can cherish for years to come.
As spring approaches, what better time to let her know how much you love and celebrate her. Email info@shannon-michelle.com or call 617.307.1155 to contact us about purchasing a boudoir experience with Shannon Michelle. For pricing and more info, visit our website HERE.
FOR BOOKINGS OR INQUIRIES: info@shannon-michelle.com
“Sometimes, you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory.” ~ Dr. Seuss
I often hear photographers talk about how much your images will mean to you when your children’s children look at your wedding album or about how quickly your newborn baby will grow. And I believe every word of it. But as a boudoir / fashion photographer, I sometimes find myself feeling a little….well….if I’m being honest here…superficial.
There, I said it.
I mean, I know what I do is important. I know I’m meant to do this work. I’m good at it, and I absolutely LOVE helping women celebrate themselves as they are! But does it really compare to the newborn photographs of your children?!
And then, I opened my inbox this morning.
Wow! I will print this out as a daily reminder that what I do has significant impact. I am so inspired by this woman and I am honored that she trusted with me with creating such intimate images for her, that now hold so much meaning. I am reminded that I don’t need to compare with other life moments; because this moment is equally as great!
Please enjoy her letter below and let her inspire you to celebrate yourself today. Not in 6 months, not in 10lbs…today.
You are loved. You deserve to be celebrated.
HAIR / MAKE UP FOR CLIENT “J” WAS CREATED BY KRISANN KILEY.
This letter reads:
Hello Shannon,
I’ve been meaning to write and thank you for some time, but better late than never. In the summer of 2013 I got a boudoir shoot, in anticipation of my husband’s 40th birthday. When I came to the studio, I had just had a biopsy and was waiting for the results; I found out later that I had breast cancer, and several months later had a mastectomy. I really appreciated the opportunity to be playful and sexy and forget about what was going on during the shoot, and I’m very grateful to have some beautiful images of my pre-cancer body. I just wanted you to know how much those photos have meant to me.
J.
Boudoir by Shannon Michelle: The ultimate in intimate gift giving. Just in time for the holidays (gift certificates available), we are adding boudoir videos to our exclusive list of available services. Book a` la carte or with a print package. This boudoir video was created behind the scenes for an exclusive shoot featuring Black Lace Skin Jewelry.
Enjoy
View the full Black Lace Skin Jewelry hoto shoot HERE
or
Click HERE to view behind the scenes coverage featuring Black Lace Skin Jewelry at New York Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.
Custom Lingerie and featured accessories: Black Lace Skin Jewelry
Model: Hailey Welsh of Dynasty Models
Hair / Make Up: Lynne Avellone
Video: Shannon Michelle Photography
Assistant: Jaclyn Lombardo