Expression: The Other Part of Modeling

On forums and elsewhere, I see lot of people talking about posing. That is, a model's ability to physically pose their bodies to the camera. Usually, the talk is in the form of critiques of images. Less discussion, however, seems to take place regarding expression. I'm not saying expression is overlooked, it's not, but it's certainly a less-talked-about topic.

Your model's expression can be one of the most powerful elements of your image! Whether it's glamour, fashion, lifestyle, commercial, boudoir, family, a business portrait, whatever, expression speaks volumes to viewers. Why? Because expression conveys attitude and emotion in big ways. If nothing else, we are emotional beings.

Sure, physical posing can do the same, body language and all that, but expression, more often than not, is the most often seen way attitude and emotion are expressed, whether it's with subtle expressions or an expression that hits viewers over the head.

I wrote about expression, along with posing, directing models, and much more, in my ebook, Guerrilla Glamour.

Here's some of what I wrote in the book:

"Human beings are emotionally complex. Sometimes, the emotions they convey are fairly easy to read. Other times, they're subtle and confusing. Guerrilla Glamour shooters earn to use attitude and emotion,in addition to beauty and allure, as weapons of glamour photo construction.

Subtly imparted emotions can be mysterious yet fascinating. If pictures speak a thousand words, including pictures of gorgeous models, it's often due to the sometimes refined and faintly conveyed, at other times loudly-speaking, emotions we see in the eyes, faces, and body language of the subject.

As photographers, guerrilla glamour photographers, we use our tools, training, and creativity to further shade human mystique with light and shadow and composition and more.

Images of people containing hard-to-label emotions are often explained off as being enigmatic. Leonardo da Vinci's, Mona Lisa, is a perfect and famous example: What's with that smile? Is it really a smile or is it something else? Perhaps it's a grin? Maybe a simper? Is she happy? Wistful? Melancholy? Does she have gas? We'll probably never know. One thing is fairly certain: People will admire and be charmed and captivated by da Vinci's portrait of Mona and her enigmatic expression for... well, probably forever.

How would you like to capture an image that fascinates people forever?

Yeah. Me too."

The pretty girl at the top is Cindi. The one further down is Charmaine.