Tips for Models Facial Expressions
Sadness, surprise, fear, happiness, disgust, anger are 6 human main emotions. We can sense that emotion through the eyes and facial expressions of the photo. We smile when we are happy. We frown when we are angry. But as a photographer, how to lead your model to make a more natural facial expression?
Understand what is emotion what is feeling.
Even a professional model needs some time to warm up, not to say our everyday people. That’s why help and guidance are crucial in portrait photography.If you need your model to show confidence, what would you do? Confidence and arrogance are feelings, not emotions. It is useless to tell your model to be confident. Imagine a scene and lead your model to feel the same story.
Lead your model
Smiling and laughing are different emotions. People can do that easily. But if the model is not professional, their facial expression might look stiff. Especially the close- up portrait, the facial expression will be exaggerated.You can chat with the model and guide the model slowly. Do not use abstract words like (happy, confident, etc.), not everyone can find the proper facial expression with the adjective word.
Take a selfie and practice your facial expression
Photographer himself can practice above 6 emotions with the tripod. Sometimes you think you have already made the expression, but it is not clearly shown in the picture or sometimes it is just way too much.
Try those facial expressions by yourself. You will know how to lead the model way much better.