Getting people to hold their bodies comfortably and naturally is another aspect of portraiture that's largely in the hands of the photographer. Most people stiffen up and do funny things with their bodies when asked to pose for the camera. If you're staging a people shot rather than grabbing one on the fly, you'll have to tell your subjects what they can do to make their body alignment more pleasing.

Body Language

People seldom look their best when they're photographed straight on. This pose makes their shoulders and torsos look too wide for their heads. Sideways shots are also problematic, as they make the shoulders look too small to support the head.

If you're posing people for a shot, have them turn their upper bodies slightly away from the camera. Anywhere from 15°–50° can work.

Poor posture may or may not show up in a picture, depending on how it's taken. If you're doing a posed shot, it almost always helps to ask your subject to sit a little taller just before you take the picture. In candid shots, it's up to you to find the camera angle and lighting that works the best with the person's posture.

Other common posture problems include these, with some suggested fixes:

• Shoulder slump: A very common problem for both men and women. You can correct it by asking them to push their shoulders toward the nearest wall while sticking their stomachs out toward the camera. This straightens the back and opens the chest, which also balances the proportion between the waist and the upper body.

• Upper-body slouch: This differs from shoulder slump as it results in the entire upper body leaning too far forward. Correct it by having your subject imagine that there's a string or a rope attached to her head that's pulling her up to the ceiling.

• Chin tuck: Men often tuck their chins right into their necks, which causes double chins and makes their necks look short. Ask your subject to point the tip of his nose toward the camera — it will bring his chin forward at the same time without making it jut out unnaturally.

• Chin jut: This one's fairly easy to fix. Just tell your subject to drop his chin or point his forehead toward the camera.

Posture problems and other figure flaws can also be solved with creative lighting and by finding more flattering camera angles.

It's All About the Eyes

Most portraits clearly show both of the subject's eyes, whether the subject is looking at the camera or away from it. This is one of the classical rules of portraiture. This composition is pleasing to the viewer because you expect to see the eyes.

The general rule is to keep the whites of the eyes fairly even when the subject is looking away from the camera. Seeing a lot of white disturbs the viewer. It's also disconcerting if the subject is turned away from the camera, but is turning his or her eyes toward the lens.

In the photo of the beautiful cat in the color insert, as is quite often the case, red eye was a problem until the eyes were digitally retouched.

Those Pesky Appendages

Hands can make or break an otherwise well-posed photo. Bringing the hands to the face can be classic or cliché. Give it a try, but don't make it the main point of the picture unless the subject's hands are an important part of her profession or hobby.

Hands generally look best when photographed from the side rather than from the front or back. For the most natural look, have your subject pretend to hold a thick credit card between thumb and middle finger. Then turn the hand so the palm or the back doesn't show.

Feet and leg position can make or break pictures, too. For a formal, full-frame portrait have the subject assume the classic ballet “T” — front foot facing the camera with the heel of the foot positioned near the arch of the back foot. For more informal poses, anything goes, as long as your subject is standing comfortably and attractively. The “T” position is considered feminine; men can stand with their feet apart.