A great shot is made up of many tiny details, the arms being one such detail that is sometimes overlooked and often undervalued.  However, great arms can make the shot while so, so or badly posed arms can break it.  When it comes to balance, artistry and expression, the arms play a key role.

It is because of this that the arms should receive great attention in model posing.

The arms can set a shot or they can make it awkward.  With the limited scope that the frame of the shot offers, the posing model arms must be tight and precise.

While this may seem difficult, it isn’t as hard as it seems.  The challenge can be alleviated by viewing each arm as three separate segments: the upper arm, the forearm and the hand.

Imagine the arm as a flattened unit, made up of three parts (upper arm, forearm and hand), as if they are made of cardboard.  Now join each part by pins, at the wrist, shoulder and elbow.  Now consider the range of motion of each part from the joint. 

If this was the only way that arms moved, this discussion would be irrelevant because the two dimensional quality of this construct would never threaten the depth of field, composition and quality of the shot.

But the human form is not constructed that way and the camera can not flatten the image in that manner.  However, it is correct to focus posing on the concept of side frame to side frame movement of the arm while limiting the range of motion that carries the arm toward or away from the camera.

When the model’s arms are moved, the viewpoint of the camera must be considered.  An arm that is moved too much toward the camera may appear gargantuan or shortened, basically out of proportion of the model’s body.  Likewise, if the arm is moved too far from the lens, it may become indistinguishable or appear abnormally small.  It is important to pay attention to the arm’s position in relation to the lens to avoid unsightly distortions.

The camera presents its own set of rules and there is no negotiation.  While some modern shots sometimes pursue a more creative route, flirting with distortion and playing with perception, all in the name of “art,” some shots are not meant to draw the eye.  The wise photographer and model will learn the boundaries of the restrictive frame of the shot and use that limited space to the best of their abilities.

The somewhat limited area in which a model pose, while decreasing her range of motion to remain within the frame, does lend itself to many possibilities.  The arms can remain down, at the model’s sides, meet overhead so that he arms frame her face, or cross her body in a variety of ways.

However, in doing so, we can see that the so called “restrictions” are not as limiting as originally thought.  Each arm can actually move with a good deal of freedom within the boundaries of the frame.  Even the limitations of depth regarding the movement of the arm are not as confining.  It is possible to find many interesting, attractive positions that each arm can perform.

While hand positions require more indepth detail, the positions of the upper arm and forearm can be discussed quite easily.

Upper Arm

The positions of the upper arm extend from shoulder to elbow with the elbow being the positioning point for that segment.  With the body facing front, the elbow may be positioned out or away from the body, up towards the top of the frame, in toward the center of the body and down to its normal resting position.

This circuit of movement gives the upper arm four basic stops for the elbow.  However, there are many different positions that fall in between these main stops.

The normal, resting position of the arm is hanging down from the shoulder.  However, turn the model so that she is at a 90 degree angle to the lens, have her raise her arm so that the upper arm is parallel to the floor, elbow bent so that her hand is at the top of her head.  Her head should turn toward the lens.  This has many possibilities.  Use the arm that is farthest from the lens for a casual effect, or use the arm that is closest to the lens for a more sensual approach.  A wide shot of this pose is more casual while a tight shot comes across as more intimate.

Forearm

The positions of the forearm are basically hinged on the position of the wrist and its position in relation to the elbow.  The natural flow of arm posing is to set the upper arm and then the forearm will follow.

While the forearm does have the same basic four positions as the upper arm, it can bring more attitude to the shot with simple movements.  For instance, if the upper arm in down, it its resting position, bringing the forearm across the body gives the shot a completely different feel.

It is best to experiment with various arm positions and see which ones work best for your model.  Keep in mind the set you are working with, the feel you want the shot to have and, of course, the model herself.  Some arms look great in certain positions while other arms just don’t.  Keep this three prong approach in mine when posing arms and the great shots will be yours.