3 Poses For Men (Creative Arms)

Posing men presents challenges that do not exist when directing poses for women. Obviously, there are differences in anatomy. These physical distinctions couples with social roles that we assign to each gender that makes poses different for men and women. I thought I’d share how I work out 3 poses for men while using their arms as an important compositional element for each picture. These examples are a closeup, sitting and 3/4-standing poses. I’ll share about standing poses in an upcoming article.

Because men lack the hour glass shape distinctively prominent in the female figure, I use their arms to create interesting shapes. They also serve to convey their masculinity, confidence and even introspection. Indeed, there is a plethora of emotions and moods that arms can help convey.

3 Poses For Men (Creative Arms)

1. Close Up

Arms crossed can make a person look stoic. But what if you turn the subject slightly at an angle from the camera and not fully cross his arms? Well, I had this exact pose in mind for Scott a while before our shoot and it turns out as I had envisioned it! While his right arm closes over his torso, his left arm remains open a bit. I directed him to leave other index fingers a bit loose (not into a fist like the others). This softens the pose, complimenting that natural inquisitive look of his. To create that look, I had him tilt his head a little while his eyes remained focused on the camera.

In this fashion, I think of the arms as creating a yin and yang effect. Arms crossed suggests a bit of closing but their angles helps create a sort of inquisitive feeling, supporting his facial expression and tilt of his head. Overall, I quite pleased with the result based on what I had imagined before our shoot.

2. The Diamond

In contrast to Scott’s portrait, we have Vannarith in a pose that I call, the diamond. Facing head-on to the camera, he presence conveys a dash of confidence. Scott also comes across confident, but for Scott’s picture, my intent was to evoke the feeling of an invitation into a sort of insight. Vannarith’s pose is more “coming toward you,” especially with his gaze, whereas Scott’s gaze is more of an invitation.

This pose can also appear stoic. Yet, the tilt of Vannarith’s shoulders and slight sway of the hips softens the otherwise stolid posture. What’s left is arms supporting his gaze and together coming through with a marked sense of confidence and intensity.

3. Upside Down V

The upside-down V feels like the right name for this pose. The apex formed by his hands help guide the eye to the focal point of the portrait: Kyle’s face. Again, his eyes are right at the camera. His flowing hair helps break up the angular feel of the composition.

Conclusion

Two notes to take away from these 3 poses for men: 1) eyes directed at the camera help connect you with the viewer, and 2) arms can do a lot for creating a mood and overall body language. In photography, it’s commonly said that men need something to do with heir hands. These three poses can certainly help you in your next shoot. Do you already have a favorite pose or did you learn something new here? Share below.