Men in photos: This Is How The Male Portrait Succeeds

Tips & Tricks for photo shooting with men

THE MAN AS A SPORTSMAN
 Many athletes like to be photographed. After all, the picture
 shows the man doing something he is good at - possibly
better than others. Important details are the sports equipment
 and an aperture that is not opened too wide so that the
 landscape in which the sport takes place remains recognizable.
 Attention: The gap between the arm and body is crucial.

It is much more difficult to present men convincingly in photos than it is to photograph women. Light plays an important role in portraying men. We show how to succeed in a photo shoot with a man.

Of course, you can photograph men in the same way as women - same light, similar pose, same background. However, you lose sight of the fact that portrait photography usually exaggerates gender identity. Just as women are often portrayed with heavy make-up and smooth skin, photographers like to highlight the attributes that are considered typically masculine in men. We will give you many helpful tips regarding lighting and choice of motif.

1. Men on photos: Hard shadows, direction of light & flashes

The light used has a great influence on the "male pictorial effect". The tendency can be said: hard light works out contours. These include not only facial features, but also wrinkles, skin impurities, unevenness, as well as cheekbones, beards or the depth of the eye sockets.

In men's photography a certain degree of "roughness" is desired, so the light may be harder and is considered an important stylistic device in photo shootings with men. But usually you will not overdo it and instead of a reflector you will rather work with a striplight or a small softbox as main light.

PAY ATTENTION TO THE SIDE LIGHT
 The classic portrait light with a main
light from the side facing away from
the camera is often very advantageous for men.
 However, it emphasizes bags
under the eyes or other skin
 problems - even in this rather young man the wrinkles on
 the forehead become visible. Therefore the side facing away
 from the camera should be additionally brightened for
older men. The best way is with
 soft light, e.g. a large reflector.

2. How does the direction of light affect the male portrait?

The direction of the main light has perhaps an even greater influence on the effect of the picture: side light emphasizes the contours, while back light provides real drama. The latter can provide the kick, especially in actually "banal" settings. Outdoor shots are therefore particularly good in backlighting (setting sun, but also vehicle lights and the like). Important for male portraits taken outdoors: Please make sure you have a brightener with you! Professional photographers like to use portys for flash photography, but a system flash can also be sufficient when positioned close enough.

THE BUSINESS-PORTRAIT
 The business staging can be "pushed" with a few accessories:
 Suit, watch, hotel room or office building.
 In most cases this is sufficient
. Tip: For drama, place the light specifically on the face
(here with honeycomb in front of the softbox).
Including another light source (e.g. a floor lamp)
 in the picture transports the special interior atmosphere.

3. Men's photos: Men Posing

While women often focus on legs and abdomen, men tend to focus on the upper body. Wide shoulders are perceived as "male", the belly must not dominate. A little tip: The arms should be applied in a half or full body portrait at most in athletic men. A gap between the arms and belly tends to make them somewhat flatter - at least visually. In general, poses in which the man does something with his arms look more masculine. That's why tools, sports equipment or musical instruments are important accessories in male photography.

If it is more of a business photo of the man, the man can still take an "explanatory" pose with his arms. Otherwise, classic clothing such as a suit or shirt with vest can help to make the waist look thinner and the shoulders wider. With stronger men, the jacket should tend to be closed to make the middle of the body a little narrower for the photo. If the photographer can't think of anything else, it is best to limit yourself to a breast portrait.