Band Photo Tips
By: Victoria J. Polsoni

Posing for band photos can be a little tricky. Especially the first few times you’re getting them done or if you’re adding a new member who’s not quite familiar with the rest of the band’s style and/or sound. It’s important to discuss beforehand what kind of image the band is looking to have in order to choose a location and coordinate clothing and props. I decided to give out some of the tips I have learned to help bands get a general idea of what could make them look best in a photo.

Here are some basic rules that can help your band pose for the ultimate band photo:

1. Subject: The lead singer must always be standing in the front. The rest of the band doesn’t have to be far back but the photo must focus mainly on the guy who would take the stage during a show. A band without focus on a lead singer will not get as much attention from fans as they are not sure who does what. Let’s AT LEAST not keep people guessing who the lead singer is... the guitarist/bassist should be more of a surprise.

2. Faces: If you’re playing ‘darker’ music, faces should give out the ‘reflecting’ look or simply have no expression at all. No need to tighten your lips, it just looks like you’re trying too hard. If you are playing ‘happier’ music (you will be in a more colourful environment) you will obviously want to consider looking at your band mates and smiling to give more of a friendly approach to your look. Another good idea is to have everyone doing their own thing by figuring out a specific pose for each, holding different props. Sometimes it's necessary to take a deep breath and lean your head back a bit to make it look like you are more ‘dominant’ than the photographer but natural expressions are always key.

3. Arms: Arms can throw off a photo; we’ve all seen it before. Also, it’s easy to cross your arms... but if everyone is doing it, your photo will look pretty lame. Give your band a limit of two people who can cross their arms in each photo and make sure they are not one beside each other, taking the show. They’re better off on the sides, where the middle guys get a chance to get some attention too. Grabbing one arm and letting the other one fall is always good, leaning against a wall on one side and putting one hand on top of your other also works great.

Another good pose is to put your arms behind you and to lock your hands behind your back. Finding ‘non-cheesy’ ways of putting a band photo together can take some time but once the shoot is done, it’s obvious which photo will be used by the band as their main promotion shot.

4. Body: More like posture, but whatever. Always stand up tall to look like you’re confident. Even if you’re new to the scene, you can fool everyone by keeping your back straight, chest out and chin up.

5. Legs: Legs can be tricky because they can also throw off a photo if they aren’t placed properly. Always make sure your legs are not closed together while posing unless your arms are behind your back, or you will look like you’re not taking up much importance in the band. Also, speaking of legs... cool shoes are a must.

6. Setting: Knowing who you are in the band is very important as it will help you choose your place and your pose.

Here are some tips for who does what:

Vocalist: You should be in the center or the main focus in any band shot. The spotlight is on you. It’s your job to take your band and make what you want of it. Crossing your arms or spreading them wide is always a good idea. Keeping your chin up and your legs far apart is crucial to show that you are a confident lead singer since your job is to steal the show. The band photo should look like: YOU and YOUR BAND.

Guitarist: When you’re on stage, everyone is looking at you and admiring your skills. Your job in the photo is to show them that you are just as important as the guy who’s yelling in the mic. If not, more! You need to sneak behind the main guy and stand your ground. Once again; chin up, back straight. A creative pose is always good for the guitarist... try making a fist and putting it in the palm of one of your other hand and standing straight. Show confidence.
Bassist: The bassist is the rhythm keeper and should be standing somewhere between the drummer and the guitarist. Crossing arms could work, but make sure they’re not stealing someone else’s pose.

Drummer: Drummers who look tough should take advantage of that fact in photos. Crossing arms is a good idea for most drummers and standing in the back right or left of the image is a good tip as it will balance out the band photo. Holding drumsticks is a good way for fans to identify them in photos but it’s not necessary. They normally must pose a little closed-in because they are usually in the back but need to show the power and importance they have in the band.

Here are some examples of band photos in which you can find some of the tips explained:

In the band photo posted above, there happens to be two lead signers (on the left) a bassist (in white) and a guitarist (far right). The 'main' lead singer is on the far right, smoking a cigarette. That might have taken a little more time for an audience to guess if they're checking out this band for the first time because of their original lineup. The photo still looks well-balanced because everyone's in character.

This band is the same lineup as the first photo on the top, just in a different setting. This band shot brings out everyone's unique personalities. The lead singer is obviously the guy at the front and the musical 'talent' is found behind him. The way his arms are spread out also add balance to the photo. If his arms were closed in, he wouldn't look as important.



This band photo shows how 'important' it is to look confident in a band. Perfect example to demonstrate what 'ME and MY BAND' looks like.

The photo above is of an 'easy-going' metal band. They love to have fun, make jokes on stage and hang out with their boys to make music. This photo represents all of that and basically shows that smiling has never killed anyone. The way they are leaning against the bridge really pulls you into the photo. Once again, lead singer is on the left in the front with the red hair (he's also quite an interesting guy)!


And last but not least, the famous 'dark' photos. It's easy to tell who the lead singer is in a photo such as the one shown above (crouching, with arms spread) who is also the tallest guy in the band. I find this photo represents exactly who these people are and what they do. The setting is perfect, the season is perfect and the props (flag) shows where they are from. They even have makeup on with the perfect expressions to make you ask even more questions about them. What a well-balanced photo!

Now that you've learned how to pose for a band photo, call up a local photographer and show them that you know exactly what you're doing. Your photos will be phenominal if all the artists on the set work together as a team.

-Victoria J. Polsoni