How to avoid posed senior pictures by Eliezer Barros

In portrait photography, "posing" and "directing" refer to two related but meaningfully different approaches to working with a subject.

 Here's the core distinction that has become widely discussed among contemporary portrait photographers:

 - Posing  

  This is the more mechanical, position-focused approach.  

  You physically place or instruct the subject into very specific body positions, angles, hand placements, head tilts, shoulder positions, weight distribution, etc. (e.g., "put your left hand on your hip, chin down 10°, eyes to camera, weight on back foot").  

  → Goal = achieve a predetermined flattering or stylistically desired shape/composition.  

  → Common result (especially with inexperienced subjects) = stiff, "frozen," mannequin-like, or unnatural-looking images that scream "posed."

 - Directing  

This is a broader, more psychological and performance-oriented approach.  

You guide the subject toward a feeling, mood, action, story, or subtle movement rather than locking them into an exact shape. You give prompts that encourage natural behavior, emotion, or micro-adjustments (e.g., "imagine you're waiting for someone you love at the airport and just saw them walk through the door," "slowly let your shoulders drop as if you're finally exhaling after a long day," "look at me like I just told you a secret").  

  → Goal = evoke authentic emotion, genuine micro-expressions, relaxed body language, and believable moments.  

  → Common result = images that feel alive, emotional, storytelling-driven, and less obviously "posed."

 Photographers that don't have experience or the perception to read theirs subjects normally go full posing though rigid commands.

 Experimented portrait photographers (especially those shooting non-professional models) usually say:  

 "Don't pose — direct."  

 "My argument is that great poses almost always emerge naturally from good direction rather than being mechanically placed”.

 The highest-level approach is a hybrid:  

I know exactly what flattering structural posing elements I want (weight distribution, jawline definition, creating separation, S-curve, etc.), but I can achieve those elements through directing language and small movement cues instead of rigid commands.

 So in short:  

Posing = telling someone where to put their body  

Directing = helping someone become a character or feeling, from which beautiful posing naturally flows

Look at the photographer website and use this guide to choose what fit best for you!