The Look
This setup is a client favorite, often planned for in advance with the appropriate lingerie. The image captures a woman casually relaxing in bed, seemingly unaware of how fabulous her derrière looks. The focus is on drawing attention to the rear, and the look is usually done topless but covered, sometimes accessorized with jewelry and/or shoes.
The Setup
For the high-key version, use a white backdrop of fabric or curtains with a background light (light #2) angled to hit both the backdrop and rim the subject. The key light (light #1) illuminates the subject’s face, feathering out along the length of her body on the camera side.
Posing
- Have the subject lie stomach down, usually with her feet up and crossed at the ankles.
- On your mark, she’ll raise her butt slightly toward the ceiling and turn the cheeks a bit in the direction of the camera.
- After the shot, she can relax out of the pose.
- Vary her expression and the direction of her gaze.
- Have her raise her chest a little off the bed to include some cleavage in some shots.
- Be cautious not to shoot from an angle too far off to the front, as this can create an odd break in the body line from shoulder to rear.
My Gear & Settings
- Backlight at twice the power of the key light, both modified with shoot-through umbrellas
- 50mm lens
- f/4.0 aperture
- 1/250 shutter speed
- ISO 100
Post-Processing
The shot benefits from a bit of added contrast. For the low-key version, a little vignetting can enhance the look.
Tips for Success
- Pose Duration: Note that this is a challenging pose to hold for an extended period, so be prepared to capture the shot quickly.
- Expression: Vary the subject’s expression and gaze for different emotional tones.
- Cleavage: Consider raising the subject’s chest a bit for some shots to include cleavage.