photography poses – The Motif Blog https://blog.motifphotos.com iPhone Photography Tips & Ideas Wed, 28 Jul 2021 17:42:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.3.1 /wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cropped-icon-32x32.png photography poses – The Motif Blog https://blog.motifphotos.com 32 32 12 Funny Poses for Pictures That Make You LOL https://blog.motifphotos.com/12-funny-poses-for-pictures-that-make-you-lol/ Fri, 21 Aug 2020 14:19:34 +0000 https://www.blog.motifphotos.com/?p=6875

Photos that crack a laugh are just as special as those that tug at heartstrings. It does, however, require more creativity to conceive these funny poses than traditional family portraits. Using props can certainly help – and is strongly encouraged. But attitude is really the best accessory for these shots. Keep an open mind and […]

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Photos that crack a laugh are just as special as those that tug at heartstrings. It does, however, require more creativity to conceive these funny poses than traditional family portraits. Using props can certainly help – and is strongly encouraged. But attitude is really the best accessory for these shots. Keep an open mind and a handful of these funny picture ideas in your back pocket. Whether photographing a group or shooting selfies, you’ll always be ready for a good time.

Funny Poses for Pictures of One Person

Man presses right cheek against clear glass to squish face and practice funny poses for pictures.

Squished face

For most people, yelling “make a face” is their go-to for getting funny picture poses. But here’s a better idea: try squishing faces. The easiest way to pull this off is to press your face up against a pane of glass (a window, door, etc.). For a more dramatic effect, apply tape in varying directions across the nose, lips, and cheeks. Clear tape works best with the camera. Avoid super-strong, super-sticky tape or your next funny photo may be of someone without eyebrows. So be careful when removing the sticky stuff.

A woman has her cheeks blown by the wind in a funny photo

Windblown

Think of a dog with its head out the car window. Those flapping jowls are just as funny on a human as they are on a dog. So grab a leaf blower, fan, or hairdryer and get to work. The air should be blowing directly on your face from the front or side. Also, make sure the mouth muscles are relaxed. Cheeks and lips should be moving with the wind.

A man in the ocean demonstrates funny poses for pictures by flipping water with long hair.

Water-flipping hair

Women do it all the time. They emerge from the water with their long, beautiful hair flipping a wave mid-air. A man doing the same is a lot less common. Any guy with long locks or a long beard can do this. They simply dunk themselves underwater, and then force their head back while standing up. They don’t need to stand up completely. Just be sure the shoulders come out of the water. Practice enough times, and you’ll catch the perfect wave.

Funny picture idea: 2 girls hold iPhones with male eyes on screen, making it look like their eyes.

Magnified facial features

Magnifying or changing facial features offers endless funny poses for pictures. Make one eyebrow raise, turn up a nose so the nostrils are flaring, or enlarge someone’s teeth and lips. The easiest way to do this is with a magnifying glass. But in the age of technology, a cell phone works just as well. Adjust your iPhone camera settings, and then take a photo of the facial feature you want to change. Fill the phone’s screen with the photo and hold the phone over that body part, while someone else snaps the funny photo.

Funny Poses for Group Pictures

Stepping on a friend

Using forced perspective photography, this funny picture idea is easy to pull off. Have one person stand in the foreground of the picture frame. Their leg hovering off the ground as if taking a big stomp. Everyone else stands several feet behind the “stepper.” Ask them to squat down or pose with their hands up. The shot should look like they’re trying to block the giant foot. Facial expressions and body positions are key to nailing this shot.

Back-to-school celebration

Earn an A+ for your back-to-school photos. Several funny poses include the whole family. First, gather the kids in their new school outfits, backpacks and all. While the kids look sad and mourn the loss of another summer, Mom and Dad are literally jumping with excitement. If that’s not enough, make it an all-out party with streamers, balloons, and popped Champagne.

A person’s shadow has eyes and mouth drawn in the sand to make a funny pose for pictures.

Faces in the sand

Right before the sun sets on a brilliant beach day, gather a squad of friends in a circle. Now look down and take note of everyone’s shadow. Working within those outlines, draw faces in the sand. Make each face a little different – sad, happy, surprised. With all heads centered over the sand art, snap some funny group pictures. Avoid capturing any feet in the frame, or it’ll lose effect.

Funny Poses for Couples’ Pictures

Reverse Titanic

Among all the cute, funny relationship photos out there, the Reverse Titanic should be top of the to-do list. Everyone remembers the classic Titanic pose: Rose stands on the bow of the boat, her arms outstretched and Jack’s hands around her waist. It’s beautiful and romantic. To make it funny, simply switch positions. The taller person goes in front and stretches their arms. The shorter partner stands behind struggling to get their head in the shot.

Funny pose depicting a woman faking holding a head in her hands

The headless body

This is not a magic trick, but it sure does look like one. The pose involves one person sitting on the edge of a pool, counter, or tabletop with their head dropped down as low as possible. The second person crouches down in the pool or under the table, resting their chin on the surface. With a strategically angled camera, the person sitting appears to be detached from their head. It’s even funnier when the headless body holds the head by its hair.

Pregnant woman touches bare belly to husband’s bare belly to make a funny picture idea.

Expecting a beer baby

If women get a pregnancy memory book, it’s only fair to give their partners a sympathy photoshoot. An actual “beer belly” is not required. Make one by stuffing pillows or a watermelon in their shirt. While that alone might get a laugh, the real fun comes from posing. The “expecting” partner should cup the faux belly with their hands. Or, have the mom-to-be stand so bellies are touching. The more realistic the pose, the funnier the photo.

No dumping allowed

How many sunset kisses is too many? Traditional engagement photos have become all too predictable. It’s time to spice up those social media feeds with a little boost from the street. Locate a “No Dumping Allowed” or No U-Turn sign. Then, have the newly engaged couple strike funny poses in front of the sign. Sure, they could share a kiss. But the focus should be on the sign’s message: there’s no turning back now!

Funny poses for wedding pictures: bride pulls groom by the leg as he tries to crawl down stairs.

The ole ball and chain

Turn this infamous expression into a funny photo idea. It’s okay to think outside the literal ball and chain. Any pose that illustrates one person dragging down the other qualifies. For instance, picture a woman on the beach, dragging her husband through the sand. His fingers making streaks as he gets pulled. Have the word “HELP” written in the sand in front of him. Dress them in wedding attire, and the photo-op is even funnier.

Collect Your Funny Picture Ideas

Showcase all your comedic pictures in a beautiful photo book. Motif offers soft and hardcover books in various sizes. Plus, every project is printed on premium paper that offers true color tones and zero image bleed. Those funny pictures will jump off the pages. Leave a copy on your coffee table, and everyone will be laughing out loud.


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9 Forced Perspective Photography Poses That Anyone Can Do https://blog.motifphotos.com/9-forced-perspective-photography-poses-that-anyone-can-do/ Fri, 10 Jul 2020 13:56:47 +0000 https://www.blog.motifphotos.com/?p=6446

Flat Image Bokeh Effect Family Portrait Balancing Act King Kong Sizes Giant Feet Gravity Bend Merged Subjects Cloud Art Looking to expand your photography skills? Are you always trying to surprise and entertain people? Is your Instagram feed looking a little drab? If you nodded “yes” to any of these questions, consider trying forced perspective […]

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  1. Flat Image
  2. Bokeh Effect
  3. Family Portrait
  4. Balancing Act
  5. King Kong Sizes
  6. Giant Feet
  7. Gravity Bend
  8. Merged Subjects
  9. Cloud Art

Looking to expand your photography skills? Are you always trying to surprise and entertain people? Is your Instagram feed looking a little drab? If you nodded “yes” to any of these questions, consider trying forced perspective photography. It’s a fun, creative photography technique that will test your imagination. From bending gravity to suspending buildings, forced perspective photos offer a stunning uniqueness.

Below, we reveal the secrets behind forced perspective photography. You’ll also find a few mind-blowing poses to help you get started.

What is Forced Perspective Photography?

You’ve probably seen the photos of tourists “holding up” the Leaning Tower of Pisa or “touching” the top of the Eiffel Tower. These are classic examples of forced perspective photography. The photography technique creates an optical illusion. There are four main types of forced perspective photography:

1. Making a subject appear larger

2. Making a subject appear smaller

3. Merging two or more subjects

4. Bending gravity

The idea is to literally force a new perspective onto the viewer. This is achieved by manipulating distance, depth of field, and/or the line of sight.

The Setup for Forced Perspective Photography

Use the following professional picture tips to get your camera – and your mind – in the right setting.

Set a small aperture – In forced perspective photography, there’s a subject in the forefront and a subject in the background. Both points of interest need to be crystal clear. By choosing a small aperture, you maintain the proper depth of field. Shoot for something between f/8 and f/16. For optimal results, set your camera to Aperture Priority. This way you don’t have to worry about shutter speed.

Add a zoom lens – A zoom lens gives you a lot of room to play with perspective. Use it to move toward and away from your subject while staying in one place. That said, don’t go too wide with the angle. A wide-angle can break down the optical illusion.

This neighborhood aerial was taken with tilt-shift lens to make homes appear miniature.

Use a tilt-shift lens – This lens serves a more specific purpose. It shifts the optics of your camera’s image sensor. As a result, everything appears miniature in size.  

Consider the composition – Of the many types of photography, composition is the one thing they all have in common. Composition is critical, especially in forced perspective photography. How you place your subjects directly impacts the perspective. To achieve the best composition, use the rule of thirds. Imagine there are three horizontal lines and three vertical lines. Place your subject at the intersecting points. If available on your camera, turn on gridlines to make this easier.

Enlist help – People and props are crucial to achieving forced perspective photos. Props include the main subject (Eiffel Tower) as well as any objects you add to achieve the illusion. People can also be the subject of your illusion. Or, you might need people to physically hold your props in frame. Don’t be afraid to ask for an extra hand.  

Plan accordingly – You know what they say: fail to plan, plan to fail. Forced perspective photography takes time and testing to nail the technique. Do your homework. A thorough plan involves gathering props, laying out the scene, and playing with angles. When you think you’re ready, take a few test shots. If something’s not quite right, make the necessary adjustments and try again.  

A forced perspective shot of a girl pushing a tower of boxes over.

Forced Perspective Photography: 9 Poses Anyone Can Do

The Leaning Tower of Pisa bit is old hat already. The good news is there are plenty of other forced perspective photo ideas that are just as easy to pull off. These nine clever poses still feel original and they will astonish anyone who sees them.

Overhead shot of woman in skirt on bicycle appears flat, a force perspective photography idea.

1.   Flat image

In a flat image, your subject appears two-dimensional. A common example is the bike lane photo. A person lies on the ground as if they’re riding that white bike lane stencil.

How to do it: The key is shooting directly over your subject. If you go at an angle, the true depth will be revealed. You also want to be sure everything is lined up, especially if you’re attempting the bike lane photo. One leg needs to be hidden.

2.   Bokeh effect

Bokeh is a term from your photography dictionary. It refers to the spots of light created from a fast lens at a wide aperture. Use these light bubbles in your forced perspective photography when you want to make magic happen. Maybe you have someone blow bokeh-bubbles or appear as though they’re pouring a cup of bokeh-effect from a pitcher.    

How to do it: Hang string lights from a tree, banister, or wherever you can. Position your model or prop a few feet in front of the lights. With the aperture set to f/1.4 to f/2.8, focus your camera on the model or prop. Once the lights appear as blurry bubbles (bokeh), arrange your composition and shoot. You may need to adjust the distance between the lights and model. Or, try a wider aperture until you get the right bokeh effect.

Mom and dad holding a picture frame with baby in background create forced perspective photography.

3.   Family portrait

Portraits can be so boring. Spice it up by placing the family in an empty picture frame. You’ll have to manipulate the distance and enlist a prop holder or two. But the payoff is priceless.

How to do it: Position the family several yards away from the camera. Have some family members hold the empty picture frame, or use fishing wire to suspend it. Your camera should sit level with the picture frame, so the shot is straight ahead.  

4.   Balancing act

Balance is a tricky thing. That’s why it’s the perfect theme for forced perspective photography. The idea is to make it seem as if someone is balancing on an inanimate object. The object should be something no one could possibly balance on in reality.

How to do it: Oftentimes, photographers use bottles. When a person in the background jumps up, it looks like their feet are balancing on top of the bottles. Timing has to be perfect for that to work. A simpler method is to have the person stand in the background. Adjust the angle so their foot is directly on top of the object in the foreground. To emphasize the balancing act, have the person stand on one leg.

With forced perspective photography, make your hand hold a hot air balloon above ground.

5.   King Kong sizes

With this pose, large objects appear tiny and the person (King Kong) appears larger than life. Examples include someone eating a car, stomping a skyscraper, or pinching an air balloon. The options are endless.

How to do it: Set the object being manipulated in the background. The person playing King Kong should be positioned in the foreground. They may even stand behind the camera with just their foot or hand in the frame. Make sure everything is lined up properly. For the greatest impact, keep the background uncluttered. A clear blue sky or grassy landscape works well.

A forced perspective shot of a man "stomping" on his friends like a giant.

6.   Giant feet

Create shock and awe with this deceptively realistic pose. It will look like your feet are larger than life, while your body appears average size in the background.

How to do it: Place a pair of empty shoes on the ground. Sit or stand a foot or two behind them. The camera should be level with your shoes and the lens angled up. In the frame, your feet are hidden behind your shoes. This creates a seamless transition between your legs/ankles and the shoes.

Man wearing shots and headphones looks like he’s sitting halfway up a brick wall, defying gravity.

7.   Gravity bend

These forced perspective photos turn logic on its head. The subject is usually positioned upside down or appears to be upside down.

How to do it: Locate a safe place to shoot outside, where there’s a building or wall. Ask your model to lie on the ground with their legs sitting flush against the wall. Turn your camera so the wall becomes the ground. Pay special attention to how your model’s hair and clothing are positioned. If they’re hanging in the wrong direction, the illusion is lost.   

8.   Merged subjects

You can merge two people or two objects. This requires the right positioning or a strategically placed mirror. Another popular idea is to merge a live scene with a sketch image. The sketch seamlessly integrates with the current subject in frame. There are many ideas for merging on Pinterest and Instagram.

How to do it: No matter what you’re merging, the technique is basically the same. Your goal is to match the size of the two subjects and align them to touch. You may need a small aperture and a wide-angle lens to get both subjects in focus.

With forced perspective photography, a hand holding aerosol can looks like it’s spraying clouds.

9.   Cloud art

Imagine an aerosol can “spraying” clouds in the sky. That’s cloud art.

How to do it: In the world of forced perspective photography, cloud art is one of the easiest ideas to execute. Grab a can of spray paint or any bottle with a spray nozzle. Kneel on the ground and point your camera up at the sky. The only thing in view should be clouds and sky. Find the end of a trailing cloud. Hold the spray bottle, so the nozzle is right next to that cloud. With a finger on the nozzle and everything lined up, snap the photo!


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