Portrait photograph to show hair off best: How?

[K_Angel]

I'd like to take some nice pictures around the house, for family, and I never know exactly how to get my hair in the picture. Which I know sounds funny, but I'm trying for a more "natural" pose look rather than a hair salon photo shoot. If that makes sense? :shrug:


Do any of you have some tips an tricks on how make your long hair show up nicely in a picture. I"m thinking of over one shoulder or hand on face or something?

I'm such a visual learner that I'd really like to see some samples of how it could be posed, if you have any that you really like.

It just seems like every time I take a photo my hair is pulled up in pony tail/braid or in an updo and I'd like some "across the face" shots or something fun.

Is this too goofy of an idea? :o

[naereid]

I think a picture from the front with hair over the shoulder would be nice and natural.
A picture from the back could be something like this:
http://i46.tinypic.com/1zgstqs.jpg I really like this picture, but I can't remember who the woman is. :hmm:

[Purdy Bear]

A lot of pictures in the magazines have the model with their hair over one shoulder, with the opposite shoulder slightly lower and back a little. The profession photographers use a triangle theory (ie if there is a triangle or converging lines in a picture it makes a beter shot!).

An old school photo this style
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q15/PurdyAngelicBear/lhcphotoofteenagehair.jpg





Iv cut out lots of pictures of beautiful hair (to be put on my journals with glue), and you soon work out the set photographs for them.

You could try doing some back lighting (place a light on the floor behind the model), it may show up the individual strands of hair..

One thing Iv done successfully, is to use a distant setting for the flash on a close shot, thus turning the background dark. I think it was that way round anyhow - Iv not done any photography for a while.

Another trick is to take some bakeing foil, and place it on the lap of the person being photographed shiny side up (you'll need about A3 size). The flash will then bounce up into the persons face.

The best photographs are those that are taken without the persons knowledge. I used to just follow my friends around camera in hand, and just snap away. This helps greatly when someone tenses their face and thus doesnt take a good photograph.

Hope that helps!

[Stelmaria]

http://i46.tinypic.com/1zgstqs.jpg I really like this picture, but I can't remember who the woman is. :hmm:[/quote]

She is an actress named Madeleine Stowe. I love her hair too.

[Merlin]

One thing you might want to bear in mind is what is behind you - if you've got pictures, or bookcases, or the cat, or whatever in the background the viewer is going to be distracted from your hair. Look for somewhere with a plain wall, or where you can get the background out of focus. The exception might be a big mirror, so you can get the back of your hair in the photo too - BUT make sure the angle is such that the camera isn't in the mirror.

[GRU]

If you're looking for a "casual, fun" type of picture, how about one where you're twirling (or turning around quickly) and laughing? This would make your hair swirl out around you like a skirt on a dancer.

Another idea is a complete profile shot from the side. This would show your complete length going down your back. Or a profile shot from the side, where you turn your head slightly to look at the camera.

Do you have kids (or pets)? How about having them "hide" under your length, or peeking out of it?

How about lying down on the floor (or grass in your yard) with your hair spread all around you like a huge glowing aura, with the picture taken from above?

Or hanging upside-down from the monkey bars at a playground, so your hair trails down toward the ground?

[naereid]

She is an actress named Madeleine Stowe. I love her hair too.
Thank you! :grnbiggri

[GoddesJourney]

My avatar pic was kind of fun. I put my hair in a braid all day (at the nape) and then took it down and let it fall over my shoulder and down over my face right before I took this picture. I always love the way my hair looks when I take it down.

[K_Angel]

I think a picture from the front with hair over the shoulder would be nice and natural.
A picture from the back could be something like this:
http://i46.tinypic.com/1zgstqs.jpg I really like this picture, but I can't remember who the woman is. :hmm:
I like that one, it would help make my face look less chubby too! :)

[K_Angel]

Thank you all for the great ideas! Please keep them coming! :)

I couldn't get on the last couple of days, some database error message kept coming up.... or I would have responded sooner!

[K_Angel]

A lot of pictures in the magazines have the model with their hair over one shoulder, with the opposite shoulder slightly lower and back a little. The profession photographers use a triangle theory (ie if there is a triangle or converging lines in a picture it makes a beter shot!).

An old school photo this style



Thank you! :blossom:

Interesting about the triangle theory.... could you elaborate on that? What in the photo is the triangle? The top of the head being the point?

[K_Angel]

She is an actress named Madeleine Stowe. I love her hair too.

I think she was in the movie, "The Last of the Mohicans." Which I really like. She does have great hair! :)

[K_Angel]

One thing you might want to bear in mind is what is behind you - if you've got pictures, or bookcases, or the cat, or whatever in the background the viewer is going to be distracted from your hair. Look for somewhere with a plain wall, or where you can get the background out of focus. The exception might be a big mirror, so you can get the back of your hair in the photo too - BUT make sure the angle is such that the camera isn't in the mirror.
Have you ever seen the A&E moive, "Pride and Prejudice?" I think it was made in like 1995 or something. They did a lot of cool scenes with mirrors, like what you're talking about. I wish I could pull that off! :)

[K_Angel]

If you're looking for a "casual, fun" type of picture, how about one where you're twirling (or turning around quickly) and laughing? This would make your hair swirl out around you like a skirt on a dancer.

Another idea is a complete profile shot from the side. This would show your complete length going down your back. Or a profile shot from the side, where you turn your head slightly to look at the camera.

Do you have kids (or pets)? How about having them "hide" under your length, or peeking out of it?

How about lying down on the floor (or grass in your yard) with your hair spread all around you like a huge glowing aura, with the picture taken from above?

Or hanging upside-down from the monkey bars at a playground, so your hair trails down toward the ground?
I'm loving all these ideas!!!!! This is so great!!!! I can't wait to try them! :)

[K_Angel]

My avatar pic was kind of fun. I put my hair in a braid all day (at the nape) and then took it down and let it fall over my shoulder and down over my face right before I took this picture. I always love the way my hair looks when I take it down.
Oh I like that too! And it would help with my problem of being just a bit on the "fluffy" side of not skinny! :rollin:

I wonder if my hair is thick enough to do that, although it does look like on the one side it wouldn't have to take much hair and I could put the rest on the side closest to the camera. Fun!

I had tried taking some photos before in a more candid fashion, but I am so NOT photogenic that only a couple even came out passable. But these ideas my just do the trick! Cool! :)