Shooting Plus Sized Models: PART (1)

As indicated in the title this is gonna be about shooting plus sized models namely girls...So for starters we wanna keep something in mind....They all wanna look a lil ,hmmm, "lighter" , and thats what u as a photographer should aim to achieve..So first part is taken from strobists forum, and im copy pasting this :

e.graves ii says:
I have been contacted by a plus-size model, who is interested in adding to her portfolio. I was wondering if anyone has any suggested lighting tips/tricks etc for shooting a plus-sized model...in a studio and on location with off-camera flash. I have 4 strobed available to work with, plus umbrella's, softboxes, etc.oh yeah - i hope it is obvious that in the session I would like to demphasize the weight as much as possible, and still get some great images.Thanks. Posted at 2:37PM, 9 October 2007 PDT ( permalink )

whipartist says:
Be careful of chins. You'd rather have her looking up slightly than looking down.Do you want to de-emphasize weight, or does she? Posted 5 hours ago. ( permalink )

Johnny101 - Binary Studios says:
The trick is going to be more in how she's posed rather than the light hitting her. Think about how "depth" or "size" is defined in an image... by the shadow and highlight areas. So, first and foremost, soft, soft light. No harsh shadows. Do not have her squared up to the camera. Angles will be your (and hers) best friend. Keep her arms away from her body because the biceps/triceps area of women's arms tend to spread out quite a bit, causing the arms to look larger. Typical posing techniques should work - rest the hands on the body, no weight on the arms if she's resting them on her legs, no weight on her arms if she's resting her chin or cheek on them. Etc. Be careful of sitting poses, the hips and thighs will spread.Good luck! Posted 5 hours ago. ( permalink )

nunya.biznas says:
some good info here as well: lumitouch.com/benstudiotutorial/benji5.html Posted 4 hours ago. ( permalink )

e.graves ii says:
Thank you. I think both of us want the weight de-emphasized. I figured the info would be helpful when just working on other shoots as well given the great variance of sizes in people (especially with the season for Christmas and holiday photo's is here) Posted 4 hours ago. ( permalink )

Duckling Photography aka Ducky says:
Avoid using a wide lens.Avoid shooting from below her nose level.Shoot her "Long in the torso..." (especially if you shoot below nose level)This means standing tall, not hunched, arms a bit out when possible shoot her so her torso looks long and not just mugshotty, to pull the natural 'ripples' smooth in the clothes.You have to see her as beautiful in order to make her look it. Put away preconceived notions that thin is beautiful. Make her feel totally comfortable, make her know it is her day to shine. Confidence and a glowing smile will make a beautiful photo. Originally posted 2 hours ago. ( permalink ) Duckling Photography aka Ducky edited this topic 2 hours ago.