What do I do with my hands?

What do I do with my hands?

One of the most asked questions for a photographer during a shoot is “What do I do with my hands?” And it’s very valid. 

Being photographed is, lets face it, a tiny bit uncomfortable. A lot of the time all that tension can be seen in your hands. Fists balled so tight that your knuckles turn white or hands so straight that with your fingers rigidly standing to attention like 10 little soldiers.

So, how should you hands be?

Soft, nice and soft. Relax your hands. In their neutral position your hands naturally for a pleasing curved shape that I’ve often heard it referred to as ‘ballet hands’.

Close your eyes and visualise how a ballerina holds her hands while dancing. They look beautifully soft, fingers barely touching each other and lightly curved. 

As I write this **, I also realise that the way I’m lightly holding my pen also gives it that soft soft ballet hands shape. Try it for yourself, pretend to lightly hold a pen in your hand. See how your fingers naturally position themselves in a relaxed state.

Another method, try balling your fists, super tight, now just relax your hand and observe how your fingers naturally form a nice curved shape.

Now that you have ballet hands perfected, lets work a little on hand position. During your photoshoot my aim is to photograph you with your hands never facing flat on towards the camera. The palm or back of our hands are quite large and compete with our face for attention. Similar size, similar brightness and colour.

So, to reduce distraction from your beautiful face, your hands are angled to be viewed side on. That way we get to see the lovely natural curve of your ballet hands.

** I’m creating the bones for this email in my journal, old school, pen and paper, during my daughter’s swimming lesson :)

Post created by Wellington headshots photographer, Tim Morrison