When it comes to headshots as a flutist, it can feel really limiting when it comes to poses, but with a little guidance, you can break free from the standard stances and end up with something new and original! Check out these 7 poses for some inspo before your next photoshoot!
1. THE PLAYER
While this does fall under the classic style, this pose can be leveled up through the background + your positioning! Rather than facing straight on, try posing at an angle to give the pose some depth!
2. CROSS MY HEART AND LOOK AWAY
Crossing our flutes over our hearts is easy the most comfortable position as a flutist (it just feels right, doesn't it??) so to shake up this pose, angle the flute one way and turn your head the other. This gives the illusion that there's more to the image than what we can see which gives you a bigger presence and elongates the neck!
3. TACET AND SMILE
If you're ever feeling stuck and running out of pose ideas during a photoshoot, a bench is going to be your best friend! Don't feel like you need to sit stiffly here; I like to have my clients play around with resting a hand on their leg and either crossing their ankles or bringing one leg forward to add some angles to the pose! Don't forget to double check the flute alignment and direction -- you always want the flute keys facing either to the side or to the front, never to the back or out of alignment.
4. HA HA!
We love a good laughing pose! Classical musicians are always thought of as being so serious and stuck up but we know that's not the case! Rather than having only stern, serious looks, try a laughing pose! If I'm your photographer, I promise to tell you a terrible dad joke to help this pose happen naturally ;)
5. LINES FOR DAYS
We've all seen headshots that feature the flute, but what about headshots that really show off the flutist? The key to this pose is to angle the flute out slightly away from you vs holding the flute straight down. By angling it away it gives the flute some pop without getting lost against your clothing.
6. OVER THE SHOULDER
Similar to the cross your heart and look away pose, start by angling your body perpendicular to the camera, lay your flute on your shoulder and turn your head straight on. If you want something even more dramatic, you can turn your body further away from the camera and rotate from your upper torso to keep your head facing toward the camera.
7. THE BACK BEND
While I love all of my clients equally, I'd be lying if I said this wasn't one of my all time favorite photos. If you're in the world of design, you know how important equal lines and angles are! What you'll notice here that really takes this photo to the next level is how her flute is in line from the angle of her head while her outer leg is reached out to form a human right angle!
Really, the key is to be willing to try something new. Dance it out with your instrument in hand, try new angles, search in your memory bank for poses from America's Next Top Model and know that it's okay if it doesn't look the way you wanted it to. They may not all be winners but you'll never know if you never try! And, I promise as your photographer that not only will I always be down to try new poses with you, but help guide you to making them as amazing as you are!
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