The Art of Pose & Movement

I've always been fascinated with dancers and the fluidity of their movements. To dance is to make art with the body. I love watching the way the music literally takes human form. I've always been a pretty decent dancer, keeping up with the latest trends on the dance floor. There was a time when I was too shy to dance in front of people. That time has long since passed. Now I find myself dancing in a way I never thought possible. Dancing in front of the lens.

There is a hidden art to modeling. That art is called Pose & Movement. One of the best posing models in the game, Coco Rocha, is who inspired me to hone this craft. Seeing the way she was able to emote and throw all insecurity to the wind whenever she hit a set was the encouragement I needed to just be myself in photos. It is her book Study of Pose that I would carry around like a bible in the early phases of my career. Before every shoot I would flip through it to find pose inspiration that best fit the mood of the shoot. I would practice the night before in front of the mirror so I would know exactly what poses I wanted to nail when it was game time.

I wasn't always so comfortable in front of the camera. As a matter of fact I used to hate taking pictures. I have so many childhood pictures where I wasn't ACTUALLY smiling. I was only showing teeth. My, how time flies. Who would have known that the same girl who shyed away from the camera then would be teaching women the opposite. We most certainly live, learn, and grow.

I'd like for more models to understand how this is not just something easy to do. If you are serious about your craft you must always study! Even those of us who are self taught have studied SOMEONE. Practice makes perfect. Don't expect to just wake up one day and be the best. Everything takes time and effort.

In The Modelpreneur Bootcamp I have named Pose & Movement as one of my pillars of modelpreneurship. This is pivotal to a models success. To know how to put away those insecurities and become one with the camera is essential. Master the art of Pose & Movement and you are more likely to see a successful career.

The following photos were shot in Paris, France by photographer Pascal Rasso. Together he and I decided to create our own rendition of Study of Pose. The Cole Woods version. I call this The Art of Pose & Movement. I hope you all enjoy my art!

Love,

Cole Woods