Since no single pose is perfect for every model, professional or otherwise, each person before your lens should be looked at individually to decide what to highlight and what to hide. That said, there are basic positions and compositional rules that are extremely helpful to have in mind when going into a photo shoot.

When it comes to photographing a “real” person (rather than a professional model) for an environmental portrait, you may want to capture an element that highlights that person’s uniqueness—even if it isn’t necessarily the most flattering part of that person. A famous photograph of Jimmy Durante, for instance, exaggerates his large nose. Artists who draw caricatures take advantage of these elements. Alfred Hitchcock had a distinctive body type best portrayed in profile. Jay Leno’s and Kirk Douglas’ chins also come to mind. Think about the desired end result—what you want to get across—and it will help you decide on the most appropriate pose for your subject.

“The limitations of inkjet technology are of little consequence when their output is used as an intermediate step on the way to a photographic print.”

Writer of the upcoming and long-awaited second edition of Beyond Monochrome, British photographer Chris Woodhouse shares a chapter from his new book that details the process of how to get silver-gelatin prints from inkjet positives.

Chris Woodhouse ARPS, is an English electronic engineer and photographer, who designs f/stop timers and enlarger meters.

Step1: The original photo
The original color photo was taken at Wat Sam Kor Temple, Chacheongsao, Thailand during my friend’s ordination.

Step 2: Simple B/W method
Normally if you only choose Mode – Grayscale, you can only get a Black and White image like this, the resulting color is too flat.

Step 3: Alternative way to make a B/W photo.
By using the alternative way, you can make a photo like this.