Photographer, author, and educator Roberto Valenzuela has a proven track record for teaching and explaining difficult concepts to photographers of all skill levels. His remarkable ability to break down complicated ideas into understandable, approachable elements that photographers can truly grasp–and then use their newfound knowledge to improve their photography–made his first book, Picture Perfect Practice, a breakout success.

In Picture Perfect Posing, Roberto takes on the art of posing. For many photographers, after learning to compose an image and even light it properly, a portrait can still easily be a failure if the pose is not natural, elegant, and serving the needs of both the subject and the photographer. Instead of just showing page after page of poses–like most posing books on the market–Roberto actually breaks down the concept of posing by examining the anatomy, starting with the core foundation: the spinal chord and neck. Building from there, Roberto discusses every component of what makes poses work, as well as fail. How should the model hold her hands? Bend her elbows? Position her fingers? Should the model look toward or away from the camera, and why? It all depends on what the photographer wants for the shot, and Roberto discusses the entire process, from the intent of the photographer through the execution of the pose. For those who have been discouraged by an inability to pose their subjects, or who have simply not known where to start in order to "figure it out," Picture Perfect Posing is the essential resource they need to learn how posing truly works, and how they can learn to direct the exact pose they need for the shot they want.  

Roberto Valenzuela is a Beverly Hills—based photographer and educator, specializing in wedding photography. He has been recognized as one of the world's top wedding photographers by Junebug Weddings, and has won over 50 international print competition accolades from the Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI) association. He is an active speaker and teacher at photography conferences across the country. See more at robertovalenzuelaphotography.com.

Part I: Roberto Valenzuela’s Posing System

I: FOUNDATION
Chapter 1: Spinal Chord: The foundation of all posing
Chapter 2: Weight Distribution

2: FEELING AND ENERGY
Chapter 3: 90-degree angles on the arms, wrists, or legs
Chapter 4: Three point check combinations (collarbones, nose, eyes)
Chapter 5: Create Gaps

3: HANDS
Chapter 6: The Hand / Arm Context System (H.C.S)
Chapter 7: Styling Hands and Fingers (Advanced Techniques)
Chapter 8: Origin of Hands Must Be Visible
Chapter 9: Avoid Mirroring

4: SUBJECT(S) RATIO AND PLACEMENT
Chapter 10: Interaction and Placement of Subjects
Chapter 11: Near Equal Ratio of Subjects’ Bodies (Couples)

5: EXECUTION AND DYNAMIC GROUPS PORTRAITS
Chapter 12: Invisible Plane Angle Check
Chapter 13: The Nose X-Factor
Chapter 14: Subject Emphasis
Chapter 15: Posing with Movement, Feeling, and Expression

Part II: Posing Chart for Couples Implementing the Posing System