How to photograph overweight people

How can one photograph over weight people and make them look their best? Are there certain angles or lighting that need to be used?

A friend of mine is overweight and I would love for her to like these pictures and not be the typical "I hate myself in those pictures"

photograph them like you normally would, then become best friends with Photoshops "Liquify" tool

On a lark I did the following for a friend of mine...





It gives you an idea of the possibilities.

Portrait Professional has a free trial version that can make a huge difference in a persons portrait.

Frank The Tank wrote: photograph them like you normally would, then become best friends with Photoshops "Liquify" tool

lol More work then I think I want to put into it.

chasrich wrote: On a lark I did the following for a friend of mine...

It gives you an idea of the possibilities.

Portrait Professional has a free trial version that can make a huge difference in a persons portrait.

Wow What a difference.

I would guess angles have a lot to do with it, but not sure which angle. Take a lot of different angle shots and pick the best one.

When they say "the camera adds 10 lbs" what they really mean is front lighting adds 10 lbs. Make sure the main lighting comes from some where other than the camera. You can use a window or get the flash off camera.

I often have the nose pointing to one side or the other rather than right at the camera. Eyes can be a mix of into the lens and elsewhere. If outside on a bright day you need to position him so he's looking into something dim or dark so he's not squinting. You want the eyes and pupils open and looking big. The nose (pointing to one side or the other) divides the face into a narrow side (1/3rd) and a broad side (2/3rds). You want the main light hitting the narrow side. Maybe a little fill in the broad side, but most of the brightness is on the thin side. Going the other way, lighting the broad side, can make a narrow face look fuller.

Skip the full body shots, and go for half body or closer. Use a longer than normal focal length. Have him sit so he can lean forward a bit. This makes him raise his head, and can help with neck and chin. Maybe he can bring up his hands to block some of his torso. I'm thinking a head, shoulders, and hands (clasped below face, but the chin isn't resting on them, tilt hands towards the camera so you aren't shooting the sides) composition.

Shooting from an angle with the camera above the subject can be thinning.

He may have a popular misconception that black or dark clothes will make him look thinner. It doesn't. Not a bit. People are still fat, and now they look depressed too. The only people who should show up to a photo shoot wearing all black are people who wear all black regularly, and are absolutely positive it looks okay on them. These are mostly professional models and celebrities. Really vibrant colors and patterns can be distraction, but some color, even some patterns, will help break up the large shapes of his torso. If it's all one, solid color then it's all one, big shape in the photos.

He should practice smiling. It seems silly, but like anything a little practice results in fast improvement. He should look in a mirror and see what looks good, and think about how it feels, because he won't have a mirror in front of the camera. I often tell people a little bit goes a long way. Just a little upwards curve at the edges of the mouth looks great. Also not smiling does not mean frowning. People also look great with their mouth in a neutral expression. If done right it's the eyes people are going to concentrate on.

Henry Peach wrote: When they say "the camera adds 10 lbs" what they really mean is front lighting adds 10 lbs. Make sure the main lighting comes from some where other than the camera. You can use a window or get the flash off camera.

I often have the nose pointing to one side or the other rather than right at the camera. Eyes can be a mix of into the lens and elsewhere. If outside on a bright day you need to position him so he's looking into something dim or dark so he's not squinting. You want the eyes and pupils open and looking big. The nose (pointing to one side or the other) divides the face into a narrow side (1/3rd) and a broad side (2/3rds). You want the main light hitting the narrow side. Maybe a little fill in the broad side, but most of the brightness is on the thin side. Going the other way, lighting the broad side, can make a narrow face look fuller.

Skip the full body shots, and go for half body or closer. Use a longer than normal focal length. Have him sit so he can lean forward a bit. This makes him raise his head, and can help with neck and chin. Maybe he can bring up his hands to block some of his torso. I'm thinking a head, shoulders, and hands (clasped below face, but the chin isn't resting on them, tilt hands towards the camera so you aren't shooting the sides) composition.

Shooting from an angle with the camera above the subject can be thinning.

He may have a popular misconception that black or dark clothes will make him look thinner. It doesn't. Not a bit. People are still fat, and now they look depressed too. The only people who should show up to a photo shoot wearing all black are people who wear all black regularly, and are absolutely positive it looks okay on them. These are mostly professional models and celebrities. Really vibrant colors and patterns can be distraction, but some color, even some patterns, will help break up the large shapes of his torso. If it's all one, solid color then it's all one, big shape in the photos.

He should practice smiling. It seems silly, but like anything a little practice results in fast improvement. He should look in a mirror and see what looks good, and think about how it feels, because he won't have a mirror in front of the camera. I often tell people a little bit goes a long way. Just a little upwards curve at the edges of the mouth looks great. Also not smiling does not mean frowning. People also look great with their mouth in a neutral expression. If done right it's the eyes people are going to concentrate on.

Foxy Girl wrote:

Henry Peach wrote: When they say "the camera adds 10 lbs" what they really mean is front lighting adds 10 lbs. Make sure the main lighting comes from some where other than the camera. You can use a window or get the flash off camera.

I often have the nose pointing to one side or the other rather than right at the camera. Eyes can be a mix of into the lens and elsewhere. If outside on a bright day you need to position him so he's looking into something dim or dark so he's not squinting. You want the eyes and pupils open and looking big. The nose (pointing to one side or the other) divides the face into a narrow side (1/3rd) and a broad side (2/3rds). You want the main light hitting the narrow side. Maybe a little fill in the broad side, but most of the brightness is on the thin side. Going the other way, lighting the broad side, can make a narrow face look fuller.

Skip the full body shots, and go for half body or closer. Use a longer than normal focal length. Have him sit so he can lean forward a bit. This makes him raise his head, and can help with neck and chin. Maybe he can bring up his hands to block some of his torso. I'm thinking a head, shoulders, and hands (clasped below face, but the chin isn't resting on them, tilt hands towards the camera so you aren't shooting the sides) composition.

Shooting from an angle with the camera above the subject can be thinning.

He may have a popular misconception that black or dark clothes will make him look thinner. It doesn't. Not a bit. People are still fat, and now they look depressed too. The only people who should show up to a photo shoot wearing all black are people who wear all black regularly, and are absolutely positive it looks okay on them. These are mostly professional models and celebrities. Really vibrant colors and patterns can be distraction, but some color, even some patterns, will help break up the large shapes of his torso. If it's all one, solid color then it's all one, big shape in the photos.

He should practice smiling. It seems silly, but like anything a little practice results in fast improvement. He should look in a mirror and see what looks good, and think about how it feels, because he won't have a mirror in front of the camera. I often tell people a little bit goes a long way. Just a little upwards curve at the edges of the mouth looks great. Also not smiling does not mean frowning. People also look great with their mouth in a neutral expression. If done right it's the eyes people are going to concentrate on.