Posing Basics: The Art of the Gaze

Photograph by Spencer Lum of 5 West Studios

One of the most common mistakes I see from beginning to intermediate level photographers is misunderstanding the gaze. I see so many brides who are looking at the camera, but not connected with it. And for good reason – connection is not that easy to come by. A great portrait is not simply someone looking at the camera, though. It’s a look that feels like it reveals their inner self to you. The picture should seem as if the person were looking right through you, and you’re looking straight into them. It’s a gaze or a stare, not just a glance.

And there’s another catch to it, too. As a National Geographic photographer said about a crowd of hundreds, there are only going to be one or two faces that really say it all. His job was to find those faces. Now, of course, you can’t control your couples, and who can give you a stare that freezes time and space. But you can be aware of it, and decide on the types of expressions and mood you’re going for based on that. There’s nothing worse than seeing a shot that tries to hit a mark, but just doesn’t quite get there.

A few tips

1. Genuinely connect with people, so you can get inside their heads.

2. Let people get into the mood. Don’t rush it.

3. Go for the shots between the shots. Often, when people relax right after a shot, their expression changes and becomes more natural. The same goes for shots before they think they’re supposed to pose.

4. Lower the head angle or shoot from a slightly elevated position. It makes the eyes larger and gives more intensity to the image. You see this a lot in those old Hollywood shots. It works best with tighter shots.

5. Get people to think about something. When people aren’t focused on you in their heads, their expressions frequently change. It’s subtle, but it matters.

6. Let people know what you’re after. It gets them involved, and it allows them to put their guard down.

A Master at Work
Richard Avedon is a master of connection, and of his images, I thinking nothing captures the gaze better than his work in The American West. If you can get a look at the book, definitely check it out. But even if not, you can see some of it through Google. In the pictures below, it takes nothing more than a glance to know what these people are all about. You can feel them and you sense everything about them through the strength of their gaze.