33 / Studio Poses
02Photo of this pose coming soon

Corporate

02

The Classic Contrapposto

What this pose solves

Transforms a static pose into sculpture: weight on one leg, hip misaligned from the shoulder.

Direction: what to tell the model

  1. 01Ask the model to shift 80% of their weight onto the back leg.
  2. 02The front leg relaxes and crosses slightly towards the camera.
  3. 03Hip rises on the supporting side; shoulder on the same side drops.
  4. 04Head tilts 5 degrees towards the lower shoulder.

The 3x1 Matrix

Wide Shot

Full body

S-curve visible from feet to head.

Medium Shot

Waist up

Shoulder-hip diagonal as the leading line.

Close-up

Face / hands

Head tilt and jawline in three-quarters.

Common Mistakes

  • Exaggerating the hip and becoming a fashion caricature.
  • Keeping both knees locked, killing the curve.

Variations

  • Mirror the side to discover the model's preferred profile.
  • Hand on the waist on the higher side to reinforce the triangle.