Hand Photography Overview: 8 Hand Photography Tips

Hand photography is the practice of photographing hands, either independently or as part of a larger image (or series of images). The best hand photography can lend point-of-view (POV) relatability to an image, reveal personality, or tell a story. Hand photography is popular in commercial advertising images and photoshoots for professional engagement photos (typically highlighting a person’s engagement ring).

Images in this photography mode typically don’t incorporate faces, unlike portrait photography. Nevertheless, hand photographers must know how to compose and light a shot to produce the desired result.

Whether you aim to become a professional photographer or simply develop a new creative skill, follow these shooting and posing tips for capturing organic images of hands.

1. 1. Consider the lighting. Always light your hand photography properly, as you would any other type of photo. Be aware of the direction from which the natural light is coming, and note that fingers cast lots of shadows, making for potentially distracting background shapes. Use studio lighting to avoid distracting shadows that can change the composition of your frame.
2. 2. Try different lenses. Different lenses will have varying effects on your hand portraiture. Try different zoom lenses to pick up details, or use a wide-angle lens to play with perspective. Change your shutter speed to capture motion. Experiment with depth of field and lighting to change the focus and silhouette of the hands in the frame.
3. 3. Switch up the angles. Photographing the back or front of a hand straight-on can make it look either wider or more wrinkly than it is. Use angles to help keep the size of the subject’s hands in perspective. Take the shot from a few different angles and switch up the hand placement every few frames so that you have options. Avoid cropping the hands at the joints during post-processing, which can result in an unnatural-looking photo.
4. 4. Capture a natural position. Position your model’s hands in the most naturalistic way possible to add authenticity to the image. Capture your subject’s hands as they perform natural activities. For example, take closeups of a tailor’s pin-pricked hands as they sew or snap photos of a mechanic’s oil-soaked fingers as they work. Try to capture organic hand placements first before posing your subject’s hands.
5. 5. Relax the hands. Relaxed hands are optimal for hand photography. As you direct your subject’s hand pose, ask them to bend their knuckles and fingers slightly, indicating relaxed body language. If you’re taking a photo of two people holding hands (or a hand holding an object), make sure they have a loose grip. Squeezing can distort the shape and appearance of a hand in an image, resulting in an unflattering photo.
6. 6. Experiment with different poses. The hands in your image should always have something to do. Use a subject’s hand pose to draw attention to an object, convey motion, or tell a story. Experiment with different hand-posing setups (especially after trying the same one repeatedly) to capture a range of images and moods.
7. 7. Incorporate color. Make the hands (or the part of the hand you’re focusing on) pop by using colors that offer a contrast between the model’s skin tone and attire. Dress your hand model in solid, unbranded clothing to avoid distracting background elements if their body appears in the shot. Use a subject’s bold-colored nail polish as a focal point for your photo if it serves the image.
8. 8. Mind the details. Pay attention to the small details in your image (such as tattoos, ring tan lines, or “missing finger” illusions—when one finger eclipses another) to ensure that they do not affect the composition or cohesiveness of your photo. If you’re shooting hands for a commercial or brand, make sure the subject’s nails are cleaned and manicured. Ask your hand model to moisturize their hands before the shoot, which will make their hands look neat and healthy.

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