The Difference Between "Posing" and "Posey" in Modeling

Newbies and those still gaining experience may or may not have heard the term "posey" used before but it's a very important one to know. "Posing" is exactly as we know this term to be: you're posing your body in a certain way. However, "posey" means something else entirely. In a nutshell, it means you're posing too much.

Yes--believe it or not--there is such a thing as posing too much. Unless a specific shoot calls for this, models need to be mindful that they're not going over the top. Not every shoot you do in your career is going to be of a high fashion nature so it helps to diversify your poses and learn when to take it up a notch and when to scale it back.

When used in the context of photoshoots and modeling, "posey" has a negative connotation to it but instead of receiving it as an insult, it should be taken as constructive criticism. So if you're on a shoot and the photographer and/or client says, "You're too posey," translate this to mean that you need to appear more natural. This doesn't mean you suck as a model. Constructive criticism is a part of any shoot and is meant to provide feedback in a way that is supposed to encourage improvement. All models receive constructive criticism, which differs greatly from someone downright "criticizing."

So what do you do when you get the, "Don't be so posey" feedback? Take a deep breath and relax. If you need to, shrug your shoulders and arms so that you can shake the tension away. You'll notice a difference in how your body feels after doing this. Now resume posing. The photographer/client will let you know right away if you're giving them what they want.

Still struggling with being too posey? This could be because you're over analyzing things. Being too analytical of what you're doing and how you're doing it is a quick way to become frustrated and check out of the shoot mentally. Despite wanting to plan everything out in your head so that you'll have poses ready to execute, more often than not the best shoots come about as a result of the model being able to go with the flow. Not every single pose needs to be strategically planned out. With time, newer models will learn how to know when to strategize and when to experiment with their posing.

Commercial/print and lifestyle needs to be especially careful of being too posey during shoots. These niches of the modeling industry are all about appearing natural and "posing without looking like you're posing." If needed, do an online image search for "lifestyle modeling" or "commercial/print modeling" and you'll see examples of models that are doing it right. Take note of these reference images so you can apply them to your own shoots in the future.

Fashion models can also benefit from learning how to pose without being posey. While a majority of your shoots will involve a lot of super posing, you'll prove to be more valuable and versatile as a model overall if you also know how to pose naturally with little to no effort. Sometimes a standing, full body shot of a model with his/her legs slightly apart and arms resting comfortably at his/her sides is all the posing required.