The problem of hands without clear origins is so common in photography that we must be constantly diligent to avoid it. It is human nature to wrap one’s arms around loved ones.
So let it happen—but make the necessary adjustments to ensure that it looks natural. And just keep in mind that when a couple is hugging that there will be cases where, depending on the photographer’s angle, there will inevitably be one hand without a clear origin. This will be discussed in Chapter 9. For now, let’s take a look at two images. One image has the
“no origin” problem, and the other illustrates how to solve the issue.
First the problem image (Figure 8.3). The embrace between the bride and her niece is candid and real. But this does not mean that you should ignore the issue with the hands.
Both the bride’s hand and the niece’s hand have no visible origin, because their own
bodies are blocking their arms from view. We need to see at least a portion of both arms to make sense of the hands. In a situation like this, the solution is to simply move the hands just enough so that they are completely blocked from the camera’s view.
8.3
The other solution (Figure 8.4) to this problem is to create a gap between their bodies just wide enough to show a portion of the arm of the hand in question. In this example, I made a small adjustment to their pose to obtain a clear view of the bridesmaid’s arm. I know this sounds strange, but now the hand wrapped around the bride has an arm attached to it. It makes sense, so our brains do not see it as a red flag, and we can focus on the relationship of these two women portrayed in the photograph.
8.4
Flash Card
There are two solutions for the issue of disembodied hands on the side away from the camera:
• To hide: Say you’re taking a photo of a person hugging another person. One individual’s hand wrapped around the other person is visible to the camera. Ask that individual to move the hand just enough behind the other person to hide it from the camera’s view.
• To give the hand an origin: If a person’s hand wrapped around another person is visible to the camera, create a small gap between the two people so that the camera can see the arm that goes with the hand.
When done properly, the results can be very pleasing to the eye. Keep this in mind when photographing anyone, from two people to a family portrait. Notice in Figure 8.5 how only the hands on the side facing the camera are visible to the viewer. All the other hands are neatly tucked away. Imagine that the woman on the right had put her right hand over her dad’s shoulder farthest from the camera (his right shoulder). That would have
introduced a hand where there should be only faces. It would, in my opinion, ruin the portrait.
8.5
Figure 8.6 further illustrates how distracting the hand over the shoulder can be. There is not enough separation between the couple or enough contrast between her left arm and the wall to make sense of her left hand randomly appearing over his shoulder. In fact, even the groom’s right-hand fingers should have been completely tucked behind her arm.
8.6
Figure 8.7 has the same issue as Figure 8.3. I am showing you this photo to emphasize how frequently this issue occurs. Whether your subjects are children or adults, expect them to put their hands over people’s shoulders or across waistlines with the fingers seeming to appear from nowhere.
8.7
Okay, so now you are probably wondering how you’re supposed to capture a great photograph without getting bogged down in the details of the pose. My approach has always been the same: a good moment or expression always trumps posing perfection.
However, the more we are aware of these little mishaps, the better chance we have of doing something about them. The issue of the creepy hands should not be ignored. If you are on vacation and you ask a stranger to take a photo of you and your spouse, you
probably will appreciate and use this chapter’s techniques to improve the photo. After all, the stranger’s not going to tell you to hide your hands behind your spouse. And at your next shoot, be aware of creepy fingers and do something about it. Your photos will look better!
On Your Own
8.8
8.9
8.10
8.11
8.12
Analysis
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9. Avoid Mirroring
The photos that appear the most natural and believable are ones in which one of the subject’s hands or feet is posed higher than the other. In other words, the arms or feet are not “mirroring” each other. Chapter 6 discusses how a hand has the power to attract the viewer’s attention more than most other parts of the body. If this happens with just one hand, imagine both hands working together.
The purpose of this chapter is to fine-tune the position of hands when they are posed near the same part of the body. For example, if your subject has his/her hands near the face, consider placing one hand higher than the other. In most cases, if you place your subject’s hands around his/her face and the hands are at the same height, the viewer will focus on the hands rather than the face. You can use the same technique when posing a man and woman hugging, since they’ll tend to rest their hands on their torsos. By being aware of these issues, you can make more informed decisions when posing hands.