It happens to the best of us. We arrive at our portrait session full of creative posing ideas and ready to totally rock it…but then a few minutes into the session, we freeze up. We forget all of the posing ideas that we had planned (even if we saved them to our phones because, let’s be real, panic mode starts to set in) and go completely blank. Our clients are staring at us waiting for the next instruction and we just can’t seem to think of a creative post to do next. Does this sound like something you’ve experienced!? Because you definitely aren’t alone! I having posing brain farts all the time, but I’ve created one sure-fire way to NEVER get stuck with poses during my senior sessions. (Also…I hope I’m not the only one who calls it a brain fart. If I introduced you to that term, you’re welcome.)

At the beginning of every senior session, I start with my clients standing up for their poses. I do the typical hand-on-hip pose, the hand-in-hair pose and a few other standard poses that I do at every shoot before I start posing creatively. If I get stuck with posing during the session, this is typically the time that it happens! So, I started trying to brainstorm ways to get creative with my posing FAST when I get stuck. How can I quickly change the pose so that the set of images looks unique and not too similar!? And here is what I constantly remind myself while I’m shooting. Anytime I get stuck, I choose from one of the following options:

Sitting, Standing, Leaning, Laying or Kneeling

This sounds pretty simple, right? But, when I’m in the middle of a posing brain fart, I quickly choose from one of those 5 options that I haven’t incorporated into the shoot yet. Has my client been standing the entire time? Is there a way to incorporate a really pretty wall or florals at the location by having them lay or lean? Have I had her sit yet? Anytime I get stuck with posing, I quickly switch to one of the options listed above and it prevents me from EVER getting stuck and not knowing what to do next!

Here are some examples of each type of pose at a senior session:

Standing:

Sitting:

Leaning:

Kneeling:

Laying:

 I hope this helps next time you’re in a posing brain fart at your senior or portrait session! XO!

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