The Launch of SENIOR GUY STYLE & My Favorite Guy Pose
Can we get real, for just a moment?The photography industry has never been better at offering top-notch education and inspiration for Senior photographers.But is it just me, or does it seem like unless you’re photographing a girl…in a field…wearing a giant headband of flowers…at sunset…then the options somewhat dwindle for tips and ideas?You can probably get where I’m going with this…where’s the love for the guys? 
That’s why I’m here. I’m on a mission to Inspire, Educate, Motivate and Elevate Senior photographers that photograph Senior Guys. No biggie.SENIOR GUY STLE is officially your new home for all things Senior Guy. Let the stalking begin.
The Senior Guy market is one that is drastically overlooked; not only by educational sites but by photographers themselves too. But this is a market that has huge potential for revenue. And talk about a hard-core fan base! When you take great portraits of those “baby boys”, their moms will make it their very own mission to tell all their friends about you. It’s really quite a wonderful thing.The problem lies here: most photographers are intimidated to photograph the guys. They don’t really know how to pose them, and when they do pose them, there’s a fine line between handsome and cheesy.Proper Posing and direction to your model is important, even if you promote yourself as a lifestyle photographer. You know who you are. Another issue is the marketing. Reaching the guy market effectively, in my opinion, requires a different approach than reaching the girls. A very specific marketing routine needs to be set in place to begin getting the attention of the guys…and the moms.I’ve found within my own business that the moms (or guardians/aunts/grandmas/sometimes dads) are the primary target to get the guys in the door. Even if the guys are really excited about their session, it’s usually the moms that get the ball rolling. But your portfolio needs to showcase the fact that you can make her guy look great while capturing his personality.
So in order to achieve my above stated mission, I’ve got lots of great posts coming up that will address these big stumbling blocks and how to conquer them. Here’s just a few topics of what we’ll be discussing over the next several months:~ Posing~ Marketing~ Awesome Products to showcase Guy portraits~ Ideas for where to start to find the Guys~ How to recommend clothing/styling/location optionsAnd if those weren’t enough reasons to stick around, I’ve got some super sweet discounts that are going to be offered from some of my very favorite vendors. Exclusively for Senior Guy Style. It’s all good.To get things started, I’d like to share my favorite “go-to” pose for the guys.You may have noticed it a few times in this post.
THE ELBOW LEANYou’ll need steps/staircase/chair for this one
- Have the guy sit on the very edge of whatever it is he’s sitting on
- Feet shoulder length apart
- Rest elbows on their knees
- Hands clasped together
- Back straight! No slouching
- Shoulders wide
- Eyes straight to the camera
- Smile or serious, it works both ways
The Elbow Lean is awesome for that manly pose the guys want and there’s nothing cheesy about it. It works with any type of clothing and in any location.The guy will need some direction from you to make sure that back stays straight and keep that neck/chin up. Practice the pose yourself a few times so you can feel the difference when you straighten your back and keep your shoulders wide.I recommend shooting this pose straight on, at eye level. Then you can switch it up a bit by shooting from either side for a different look.
Here’s your homework:First - practice this pose then shoot it a few times, deciding what your favorite angle is.Next - come visit me in the Senior Style Guide forum and say Hello! Let me know what you struggle with for Senior Guys and what topics you’d love to see addressed. Please don’t make me sad by making me hang out in the forum all by myself! And be sure to leave your comments here too with any tips or questions you have about photographing Senior Guys.Stay Tuned, I’ll be posting 2x a month. Lots of great stuff coming your way!