Male model photo shoot

Male Model Photoshoot NYC

MODELING ISN'T ABOUT BEING a good looking person BUT CREATING SOMETHING unique FOR PEOPLE TO LOOK AT AND THINK ABOUT

NEXT STEPs

1 - Choose and purchase a package

2 - We'll contact you to confirm the shooting time / date

3 - get results in just 3-5 days, We'll send you a link to download digital files

OUR CONVENIENT NYC LOCATIONS

Why Male Model Test shoot is slightly less expensive than a standard shoot?

Based on our experience we spend less time on makeup, hair and styling, so we reflect that in our price as well making it more affordable.

THAT’S HOW IT WORKS:

No phone calls or messages are required prior to booking the shoot with us

All you need is already included in the package. Please purchase it through our website and consider it done.

Purchase one of our packages

During the check out process you will be asked to provide specific details, time and date that would work best for you.

We will discuss all the requirements you might have before the shoot, we recommend you send us your mood board, so we can get a better understanding of your preferences (like outfits and so on).

Make a decision on what makeup, hair, outfit options you want to do

We have a team of professional makeup artists. But if you feel like you want to do your own makeup yourself, just let us know. What we recommend to bring for the test shoots:

Plain white/gray t-shirt
White classic shirt
Jeans, denim outfits
Blazer
Clothes that highlight your figure best

We will send you a reminder

We will send you a reminder in advance and also provide you with the contact information of one of our photographers who will meet you in the studio. Please sleep well before the shoot, as it’s crucial that you feel good and energized during the shoot.

Test Photo

We will do the test photo, before we start the shoot, so you can see it right away and decide if you like overall look.

Photo Editing Process

Our editing services include adjustments of the skin texture, removing any imperfections (if needed), hair editing, outfit adjustments, body sculpting (if needed), and background retouching. We will provide black&white options and different crop versions for you, along with the color photos.

The turnaround time

The turnaround time is usually from 3 to 5 business days. Please let us know if you have specific deadline, so we can do it faster. After you get the photos and feel like you want to get more photo options, we can always send it to you. As easy as it gets!

Click here for our refund policy

Male model test photoshoot allows you to understand and accordingly show off your best features

Signing up for a male model test photoshoot allows you to understand and accordingly show off your best features. This type of photoshoot is very popular, as it is the first step models need to make when starting a new modeling career.

We know what it takes to make sure that your professional photos show off the best sides of your unique beauty, as well as your personality. We’ll give you tips when it comes to working for the camera, an important ability for any model.

This beginning photoshoot allows you access to the professional photos you need to start building your portfolio. You’ll also understand what it’s like to be a model, giving you first initial experience as a professional model.

27 Best Male Model Poses for Photoshoots – Sunny 16

It’s challenging to think of what male model poses actually look good. What looks natural? Where should you start? What options are available? Also, as a photographer you may wonder what equipment you need with you. What's the best camera and lens backpack?

Actually, there are A LOT of great poses for men that look natural. They can work for any type of shoot, from fashion to headshot photography.

In this article, I’ll give you a great practical list of poses for men. Using these male poses you’ll be able to get your subject comfortable and achieve stellar photos.

Let's jump in!

27 Best Male Model Poses for Photoshoots

Counterpose
The Lean
Casual Stroll
Brisk Walk
Waiting on a Friend
One Leg Up
Soft Look Away
Sitting Relaxed
Step Up or Down
Arching Arm
Over Shoulder Look
That Interested Look
Hands in Pockets
Hand on Face
Reclining
The Stretch
Shouldered Jacket
Hands over Mouth
The Glance
The Jawline
Squint the Eyes
Tilt the Head
Getting Ready
Crossed Arms
Hair Swipe
The Thinker
The Improv

1. Counterpose

This is a natural-looking, relaxed pose. Essentially it’s a natural looking pose that does not appear to be contrived. It’s sometimes known as a “Contrapposto” pose.

Tell your model to ignore your camera and relax spontaneously. This posing technique for male models will always look unique because every male poses differently. This is what makes this one of the most popular male model poses for photography.

2. The Lean

A guy poses easily when he leans against something. This is another good pose for a male photoshoot because it produces relaxed looking photos.

This male model pose often works well when combined with his arms folded. Having one led cocked and the tips of his toes against the ground can also have a natural appeal.

Watch you model to see if he understands you when you offer directions. Some guys will pick up what you want more quickly than others.

3. Casual Stroll

A male photoshoot will often include poses for men when they are walking. A casual stroll is another pose that helps guys feel relaxed and confident.

Your male model poses better when he feels comfortable and less aware of your camera so instruct him to walk slowly and with self-assurance.

Photographing male models doing something normal helps you create more stunning images.

His expression should be relaxed to match his gait.

4. Brisk Walk

Ramp up the speed and get him to look more determined for the brisk walk pose. Poses for men when they appear to intentionally convey power.

Again, his expression needs to work with the way he’s walking for this male pose to be most effective.

Having your model walk towards the camera produces a different look than when he’s walking across your field of view. You’ll need to follow the action and be precise with your focus to get nice sharp images with this male model pose.

Communicate clearly with your male model. Ask him to walk a little slower and keep the same composure if you need to.

5. Waiting on a Friend

Here’s another natural, relaxed-looking male model pose. Sitting on a park bench or at a cafe like he’s waiting on a friend. He’s got to be looking natural in his environment, so choose your location for this male model pose carefully.

You may need to give him some direction for what to do with his hands so they look good. Pay attention to the details with male body poses so they don’t look awkward. Look at his hands. What shape do his arms make?

Sometimes to get guy poses looking natural you can ask your model to stand up and walk around a little. Then have him sit back down in a natural manner.

6. One Leg Up

This male standing pose produces a balanced look of relaxed confidence. Like a guy standing at a bar with one leg on the kick rail.

Or on something higher, like a chair. When his leg is high enough, have him lean on it casually.

Try the shot both ways.

Poses for men like this one can often work well from different perspectives. Stand with your camera so you are side on to your model. Then come around a little more in front of him, to about a forty-five-degree angle.

Be careful he still looks good when you move around directly in front of him. This is one of our favorite male model poses!

7. Soft Look Away

This is a popular male model pose in the fashion industry. Don’t get your guy so he’s always looking into your camera lens.

The soft look away poses for male models can be used subtly to contrive a thoughtful portrait. You can alter the look of this pose simply by having your model look up or look down.

Male poses like this one are mostly about the direction of the look. It’s still important to pay attention to how he places his hands. If it’s used as a standing pose, take care to position his legs and body well also.

It can be a good idea to tell you male model to imagine what he’s looking at. If there’s nothing interesting around, create some scenario for him to think about. This will help his expression.

8. Sitting Relaxed

When thinking about male body poses, consider a selection of poses where your guy is seated. Sitting relaxed at a table or on the ground in a park makes a man relatable. Communicate well with him so he knows he looks relaxed.

He might be thinking, ‘How do I make myself look photogenic?’ As a photographer, this is part of your job. When you arrange male model poses you must assure him that he looks great.

When you do, he will become more relaxed and confident.

This alone will mean your photos are more impactful and realistic looking.

9. Step Up or Down

Position yourself at the top of a flight of stairs when you arrange poses for men like the step-up pose. Have him hold his gaze high and straight ahead as he walks towards you. Or have him pose in a freeze-frame. This will make it easier for you to focus on him.

Alternatively, stand below and photograph him as he walks away from your camera.

Once you have a couple of frames with his best foot forward looking like he’s in motion, get him to actually move. Capturing the real action it’s more challenging. Shoot a lot of frames and pick the sharpest one – where he’s in focus and looking great.

The step down is a pose for men with a different feel than the step-up pose. Have you man walking down the stairs towards you, or away from you. This creates an alternative appearance than when he’s walking up the stairs.

As he comes down towards you have him look more pensive. Maybe he has one hand in a pocket, looking thoughtful. Naturally, his eyes will be looking at where he’s walking. Don’t forget this when you take a freeze-frame shot or two of him in this pose.

10.

Arching Arm

The arching arm is another one of the popular male model poses. Think, how do I pose like a male model, and you’re likely to imagine a guy with an arching arm.

This pose is simple. You make sure one or both of his arms are not straight. This creates a more dynamic shape than when his arms are both by his side.

Add a slight lean to this pose and he’ll appear like a movie star. Combined with the right expression, the arching arm poses for male models can convey the image of a powerful man.

This can be one of the best male model poses.

11. Over Shoulder Look

As you guy poses standing square to your camera, have him glance back over his shoulder. Like someone just called his name. If you get his partner to actually do that you may catch a nice, natural smile.

Male photography poses such as this one show a strong profile view of his face. Pay attention to his neck. This must look good too. Ask him not to stretch too far around otherwise you’ll not see enough of his face.

Male poses where you are photographing him from behind are very effective. Get him to look back over his shoulder at you. This can be coupled with a fun expression or a more sullen one. Make sure to let him know the look you want.

If you want him looking directly at the camera, ask him to turn from his hips, not only his neck. This will make the look more natural and easy.

Asking him to look off to one side and not directly at you creates a similarly effective male model pose.

12. That Interested Look

When you’re directing a man how to pose for a photoshoot, you’ll want to ask him for one pose in particular.

That’s the interested look pose.

This is often used when a male model poses sitting. Have him lean forward, looking directly into your lens. His elbows can be resting on his knees to add emphasis to this look. It must be accompanied by an intense expression of interest.

Direct him not to put his full weight on his elbows so his shoulders don’t come too far forward.

13. Hands in Pockets

Male poses calling for the guy to have his hands in his pockets convey a sense of casual confidence. He appears relaxed and content.

This male model pose is useful in business or casual settings.

Have your guy position his hands so they look good. If he’s plunged his hands deep into his pockets the look will be very different than if he just has his fingers in.

You decide the look you want.

14. Hand on Face

One or both hands placed open on the cheeks creates an interesting look, especially for a tightly cropped portrait.

Have you model lean with his elbows on a table and place his chin in the ball of his hand. How does this look with his fingers closed together? Or spread apart a little.

Whether you have him place one hand or two on his face will result in a couple of quite different looking pictures.

Consider how your guy looks when he leans hard on his hand and when he justs rest his chin lightly.

When a guy poses with his chin resting on a fist it creates a strong portrait. When he rests his cheek against the same fist, the look is a lot different.

Both fist side by side with knuckles together is another worthy variation on this pose to try.

As with the open hands on face pose, this one works best when he’s leaning with his elbow on a table or some other surface. Like this, it looks more natural.

The ‘creative hand on face’ is a variation on this pose. It was mastered by the late, great Irving Penn in his portrait of Truman Capote, (and others.) Be creative with your male model poses. Get a little unconventional.

Study the shape of your model’s face and hands. Arrange them together for the look you want.

The creative combination of hands used in male poses can produce unique photographs.

15. Reclining

Reclining by the pool or on a bed. Poses for men relaxing in this way add a new dimension to your male photoshoot.

Get him laying on his side, propping his head up with this hand. Or resting on his back with both hands behind his head. Have him bend one knee, or both.

Work with the environment where the male model poses for the photoshoot. Get him to genuinely relax as he would naturally.

This may be different if you’re photographing him laying on the beach or in a deck chair.

16. The Stretch

Is it an early morning stretch or a late at night one? Maybe it’s a warm-up stretch before some serious exercise. What do you want to communicate with these male model poses?

Look at the shape of his body and what he’s doing with his arms. You want him to stretch naturally, but the pose must also look good in your photograph.

His arms can both be extended upwards. Or you can have him place his hands behind his head.

17. Shouldered Jacket

For the last of our male model poses I give you the classic.

The shouldered jacket.

Clean and confident.

This is a staple for any photographer wanting to create a more relaxed feel to a business photoshoot. With his jacket off and slung over his shoulder, it might be the end of the workday, but he’s still in charge.

This is a feel-good shot. Have him roll his shirt sleeves up and put a big smile on his face. He’s closed the deal and looking forward to his vacation.

18. Hands over Mouth

When you're pushing in for a closeup of your model, try one with their mouth covered. This can draw a lot of visual interest to the photo especially if you crop it tightly. We love these poses for men!

Experiment with different variations on this with your male model. Just have them cover their mouth with one hand, then two.

Get creative with these shots and don't delete any images until you're in Capture One (or Lightroom).

19. The glance

This male model pose is extremely popular and similar to the soft look away, however, this one features a more intentional and focused off-camera glance.

These are ideal when you're looking to showcase a specific product, whether it's apparel or an accessory.

Like the Voyager camera backpack in the photo? That's our best-selling backpack for photographers which has been sold out atleast 7x this year.

20. Highlighting the Jawline

Many believe that a strong jawline is a way to present masculinity in male model poses. As a photographer, you will want to make sure your subject will push their chin out and down slightly. By making the jawline well-defined and sharp you will accentuate that side of your model’s face.

Another clever tactic that photographers use to highlight the jawline is by using shadows from the lighting around them. When taking the photos, you want to make sure that the jawline isn’t blending into the neck.

This is a subtle and excellent pose for men.

21. Squinting the eyes

Have you seen that look that male models do when posing where they look a bit playful and mischievous all in one? It’s the squint in their eyes. It makes the model look like they have something up their sleeves. This pose for men is worth including during your session.

This tends to be a common trend among male model poses. They will do a squint where they raise their eyelids a bit too narrow the eyes giving them a more attractive pose in their pictures.

22. Tilt the head away from the camera

One note that male models should keep in mind is that when they are posing for a picture, they should tilt their head away from the camera. It should be a slight tilt so that it makes the subject look slightly mysterious and interesting. If tilted too much, it may make the male model’s pose seem more angry and aggressive.

23. Getting Ready

This is a very easy one to add to the repertoire of male model poses. The subject should be posing when they are in movement while getting ready. For example, they can grab the lapels of their jacket as they put it on and walk towards the camera. This is one of our favorite poses for men!

This is a great one to incorporate with props as well. Thinking of adding a backpack to this pose? It's perfect. Check out the Voyager for your next photo shoot!

Male model poses don’t need to be complicated, but rather could be as simple as one that is on the go.

24. Crossed Arms

This male model pose is a great one even for the most inexperienced model. It gives the model a stance of authority or can even be seen to be “airy” depending on the facial expressions that the model is also expressing.

It can be used when the model is both standing and sitting and it helps solve the awkwardness that some people feel when they don’t know what to do with their arms.

25. Hair swipe

A go-to for many fashion photographers is the hair swipe. This male model pose gives off a vibe that is sultry and relaxed. It helps to also accentuate the model’s upper body strength.

26.

The Thinker

The Thinker is a male model pose that has been taken from the famous sculpture by Auguste Rodin. This pose for men is a classic one where the model is in a sitting pose with their chin resting on their hand which is turned inward.

27. The Improv

This isn’t necessarily a conventional pose. It’s a pose that is usually captured spontaneously. It’s the movement that the male model expresses between his formal poses.

This male model pose can be one that happens during a dance break. It’s just a little bit of improv and can help keep the direction of the shoot in a positive and fun environment.

Pin this article for your next shoot

Keep this on your phone and reference it during your next photoshoot.

Having a visual reference to work from makes a photoshoot run more smoothly. Male model poses can be challenging to think of on the fly when you’re in the midst of a shoot.

Using these examples of the best male model poses for photoshoots will ensure your next one will be a real winner.

Up Next: Best Female Model Poses →

Photographing male models | Photography Lessons

Categories Articles by PhotoGraff - Sep 20, 2013

Recently, images of male models have been in increasing commercial demand in advertising and modeling business. Sports goods, men's cosmetics, fashionable clothes, calendars, posters, billboards - all these areas of fashion and advertising require colorful male portraits. Posing, lighting, images in photography of male models are fundamentally different from the principles of working with a female model.

Create an image.

In male portraits in advertising photography, most clients want to see serious, purposeful, strong and stern men. Seductiveness and sexuality are no longer in fashion, these qualities are reserved for female images. The male image should be either dynamic, strong, rude or self-absorbed, mysterious and inaccessible. To create such images, a dark background, sharp contrasting light, simple lines and strict forms are used. There should be nothing superfluous in the frame, the surroundings should be kept to a minimum, so that there are not too many objects in the picture that distract the viewer's attention from the model. As a rule, emotions are not needed in a male portrait; facial expressions should be strong-willed and simple.

Posing for commercial photography.

Male models usually don't shoot in full length, this is explained by the fact that even muscular male legs are not particularly photogenic. With the exception of advertising shots of clothes and joint shootings of men and women. On joint shootings, most often you need to show a couple in love, so you definitely need to follow the facial expressions of the models, the direction of their views. Many photographers use a proven technique - they make one model (often a woman) dominant, the man remains in the background, complementing the composition. The same technique is successfully used on the set of clothing demonstrations, in advertising photography. It is enough if one model (dominant) looks at the camera, a man can look at a woman or to the side, past the camera.

In a photo session with only a male model, the main task of the photographer is to emphasize the muscularity of the body. If you need to shoot a muscular torso, then it is better to put the model in front of the camera or turn it at a slight angle - then the angularity of the figure will be emphasized and the contours of the muscles will be sharper indicated.
When photographing a male portrait, consider the shape of the model's face. If the face is oval, the features are not particularly expressive, then the model's face needs to be slightly turned away from the camera (three-quarter profile) in order for angularity to appear. If, on the contrary, a face with characteristically pronounced features (for example, a heavy lower jaw), then the most spectacular pictures are obtained in front. The light in this case should emphasize the relief of the face.

Lighting for male models.

Men's images can be revealed with the help of competent lighting. The choice of lighting here is much wider than when working with a female model. Suitable as warm diffused light from softboxes and reflectors, as well as sharp light sources - tubes, plates, honeycombs. Soft light is commonly used when photographing men advertising various types of men's cosmetics - gels, shampoos, deodorants, etc. It is ideal for photographing young men and blondes, for models with soft, feminine features.

If the task is the opposite, and you need to shoot a strong, strong-willed male image, then you need a sharper, more directional light (tubes and honeycombs). The light will turn out to be contrasting, with sharp transitions - just what you need when creating dynamic, strong-willed and collected male images.
A softbox can be used when creating standard shots advertising men's cosmetics (when the customer has no special requirements). The light will be even and gentle, but only if the softbox is not turned at an acute angle to the model. Otherwise, hard shadows will appear, and then it’s better to shoot some kind of dramatic image.

You can use the ring flash for portrait photography, which produces clear light without shadows, but flattens the image slightly, blurring fine lines. However, in model shows, such light is only welcome.
Warm lighting, golden reflectors are rarely used in photography of male models. Preference is given to filters that create cool colors to make it easier to convey the rough texture of the face and figure of the male model.

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Tags: TFP, commercial, model, photo studio equipment, portrait, studio, people photography

Sep
9

10 tips and ideas for a male photoshoot | Articles | Photo, video, optics

Photo: stocksnap.io

Every photographer can attest that male clients are often more shy than female clients. Many representatives of the stronger sex simply do not like to be photographed, they are shy, they do not know what position to take, where to look or where to put their hands. All this prevents the creation of an expressive male portrait. There are many tricks and ideas for such photo shoots - we talk about the basic tricks and tricks for perfect shots.

Style of shooting a male portrait

It is better to discuss with the man in advance what kind of photos he wants to take. If the client has not thought about it or has not decided, offer him a choice of several options, for example:

male photo session in the studio;
filming in the gym if the person goes in for sports;
photographs on the roof of a house or in an abandoned building;
photo session with your favorite car or in the garage.

Props make a huge variety in men's images for a photo shoot. It can be anything your heart desires: all kinds of hats, suspenders and other accessories, a guitar, strong alcohol or a cup of coffee, a cigar, an umbrella, a book. .. When choosing, be guided by the man's hobbies and preferences. Chat and try to highlight something that might be of interest to him.

Original shots can sometimes be obtained without shooting the model's face. Photo: hippopx.com

The most expressive and brutal male portraits are obtained when the photo is created on a “rough” background: brick, graffiti, concrete, stone, and so on. The main thing is that no butterflies or flowers.

Test shots

A simple technique that can be used to get great live shots. In fairness, we note that it does not always work, but we still recommend trying it. In fact, this is just a trick: tell the man that the first few frames are test. Because of this, he will feel even more relaxed and at ease. And perhaps a couple of first photos will fall into a series of the most successful shots.

Ask the client to look at a point and then look at the lens. At this moment, you need to take a picture: the look will turn out as natural as possible.

What to do with a man's hands in a photograph

This problem may seem a little funny to you, but in fact, many photographers face it when shooting male portraits. The easiest way to attach your hands is to put them in your pockets. When doing this, pay attention to the fact that the thumbs remain outside.

You can put one hand in your pocket and show off an expensive watch with the other. Photo: pixabay.com

Or you can keep your hands busy with something you have with you. It can be anything: glasses, phone, cigarette, keys. If something is in the hands, the poses will become more varied and natural.

No blurring or smoothing

Textured sharpness is the best solution for a male portrait. There should be no blurring, smoothing of the skin or other processing techniques that give the image softness and good looks. The smallest details should be clearly worked out - from stubble and wrinkles to light gray hair. All this adds brutality to the image of a man, and the resulting portrait captivates with honesty. Of course, features such as imperfections in the skin or a large belly are better hidden or slightly smoothed out by retouching or simply by changing the angle.

Man's b/w photoshoot in studio

Monochrome shots always look more serious and solid. Black and white shots with the right approach to a male photo shoot in a studio or any other place turn out to be stylish and expressive. The composition of the frame in black and white photography should be impeccable. Not a single extra point is allowed, which can stand out in a monochrome picture and ruin everything.

Processing in b/w will add brutality to the man in the portrait. Photo: photoblog.com

Cropped pictures

Cropping is an elementary but very powerful technique that will make the image of a man in a photo more weighty and meaningful. When the model looks into the lens, it's an excuse to zoom in, creating a chest-length or waist-length framing portrait. In this case, the man will occupy the main part of the photo, which will attract more attention to himself. Do not try to immediately create close-up shots, as you can miss and the frame will be irretrievably lost. It is better to crop photos in post-processing.

How to properly photograph men from the front

Men at a photo session (if they are not professional models) usually have to relax and tune in to the right wave longer than girls. Start with several frontal angles (facing directly towards the camera). At the same time, the model will practice freezing before releasing the shutter, and the photographer will practice focusing on the eyes.

Shooting near a window with blinds can make a banal frontal shot expressive and original. Photo: pxhere.com

Also, full-face shots will help you understand what facial expression is best for a man who came to you for a photo session. There is one simple trick: ask the model to think about something good and exciting, but not show emotions. At the same time, the person's eyes will sparkle, and the face will remain relaxed.

Poses for a photo of a man with tattoos

If a man has tattoos, be sure to show them in the pictures. Believe me, there is not a single man with tattoos who would not be proud of them. Invite the model to take a picture of them separately or somehow beat them in the pictures - you will almost certainly get an affirmative answer. Try different angles and b/w. It is also now fashionable to take detailed shots. Take photos of individual body parts with tattoos to later attach these shots to a series of portrait shots.

Portrait of a man in the studio - making the “right” face for the photo

If you work in the studio, be sure to “play” with the light and find the strong side of the model's face. There are a few tricks that will help make a male portrait more brutal and expressive:

If a man has a short neck, ask him to lift his chin to visually lengthen it.
A neutral facial expression can make a portrait more mysterious.
Tilts of the head to the side are not the best technique for male photography.
Don't force difficult emotions on the model's face. The best photos are always taken randomly and naturally.

If the model turns away from the camera and thinks about something else, the portrait will come out very natural. Photo: pxhere.com

If your face looks tense and a man can't seem to relax it, try one trick. Ask the model to tilt her head, and on command, quickly raise it. Take a couple of shots at this point. The trick is that the mimic muscles of the face do not have time to tighten when the head is lifted, so it looks as natural as possible.

Men's images and poses for a photo shoot

Posing is generally a separate topic, but we will tell you in general terms how to photograph men correctly and what poses are most advantageous. There are basic tricks that help the model look more masculine and brutal.