Yoga photography tips it's such a popular theme to talk about. Sharing photos of their practice became part of the modern yoga culture. Many customers want to see unusual own photos, exactly as photographers want to get something special in their own in portfolio. But is it easy to make beautiful yoga photography? Great importance in such photos has a pose of the model, lighting, equipment and editing the photo itself, where it is simply necessary high end portrait retouching.

In this article we will talk with you about different yoga photography tips which will not leave indifferent any professional photographer, we will talk about yoga photoshoot ideas , compare high end retouching before after editing. We will discuss the problems that arise while working with yoga photo shoot, tell you creative ideas and show the technique of execution of various photos.

Before we start talking directly about the photo, we need to understand that such a yoga in general. Yoga is a concept in Indian culture, in a broad sense, meaning a combination of various spiritual, psychic and physical practices aimed at controlling the mental and physiological functions of the body with the goal of achieving an individual of an elevated spiritual and mental state. 

Beautiful yoga photography has become a part of the daily life of those who practice yoga. For many, there is not a day without viewing new photos of the most flexible and powerful people from all over the world. This opens an opportunity for communication, knowledge of oneself and inspiration.

Work with the retouching on  yoga photoshoot 

Here a short video “Photoshoot With Sophie Brace (Fitness/Yoga) + Lightroom Tutorial - Canon 6D”   where you can see the excellent work of the model and photographer during the photoshoot , the details of which we will discuss below.

Retouching photos is one of the unique features that allows you to implement the graphic editor Adobe Photoshop or you can also do skin retouching online. In any case, we need a good result.

  For an interesting retouch, you can:

- Increase the natural light on the frame;

- Work with the levels;

- Adjust the color correction in the desired thermal scale;

- Do not forget about the importance of emotions on the face of the model. In case of not very successful frame with the help of a number of instruments you can create an easy smile on the lips of the model;

- Do not forget about skin color correction.

Also you can read our article “Fashion photography lightning for beauty photoshooting“ which is gonna help you and make your editing easier in future. 

And remember, do not overestimate photo retouching prices because it will always be only to your detriment.

12 secrets of yoga photoshoot

It's no secret that a good photo depends not only on the photographer, his equipment and skills, but also on the model itself. Preparation for a quality photo shoot should also go pretty seriously. And here are some tips for you: 

1.Preparation 

A few weeks before the photo session the model should pay special attention to yoga practice. The model should learn how to monitor her / his own facial expression, learn to relax the facial muscles in complex poses as much as possible. 

2.Take as the example of the famous yogic models

In each branch of modeling there are professionals who will conquer thousands of hearts. You can find them in Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc .. What is it for? The most trendy things are created by these media personalities, so you will always be aware of all news.

 Ask your model how she / he sees the photo session? Maybe she also tracks various online yogesh and wants to try some asanas from their arsenal. 

3.Learn the names of the asanas

 According to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, asana is the position of the body, which is comfortable and stable. It is generally accepted that there are 84 classic asanas. Asana can have a specially conditioned sequence of entry and exit, however it is mandatory to have a static stay in the pose for some time. 

With some names you will get acquainted in search of successful poses for photos. In their names it is necessary to orient both the model and the photographer, so as not to slow down the process.

4.Divide the asanas into categories

Yoga photoshoot ideas can be very diverse and it is quite convenient to make plans for a photo shoot. But to make them more useful, it is necessary to start to systematize information. Find the list of asanas on the Internet, various photos of yogis that you liked and divide it all. In my work I used to divide photos of yogis on such categories as photos standing, sitting, bridges, balance and so on.

5.Use all categories of asanas in a yoga photo shoot

Agree, good photosessions are always rich in pictures. And is not this the advantage of dividing the plan into categories? With this organization of work, you definitely will not miss a single quality posture and the staff will be full of activities. Your yoga models definitely will like this variety of photos.

6.Do not be afraid to be close

Yoga is one of the most beautiful and most interesting things that someone can show. Also it is the art of body and spirit. So show all the beauty of the human body, muscles, skin. Grab the camera and show us really close all the voltage of the model. Approaching the hands, pelvis, legs.

7.Importance of clothes

Yoga is far from the bright outfits. Nevertheless, clothes are an important part of the photo shoot, and yoga photo shot is no exception. First of all, a variety of outfits diversify the shooting, so with this you definitely will not miss. So there is a possibility that your model will be able to advertise some brand. 

Before you shoot a photo in one or another of the clothes, it's worth making sure that she / he does not mind to be shooting in this one, the model should be interested. 

Also, in the case of changing clothes, do not forget that the time for disguise should be included in the preliminary shooting schedule. It is equally important to think about where the yogi will change. The whole answer will be where the location of the sessions will be. You can agree in advance with some shops about the use of a fitting room, or, if it gonna be far from the city, you can take an awning with you.

Do not forget to tell the model that the choice of clothes should be approached with the mind, take into account all the pros and cons of the outfit, wear suitable underwear. The model should clearly understand that it will constantly move, take uncomfortable poses. Clothes should be pretty snug enough to the body, it's good to close it.

   The photographer should give such recommendations regarding clothes if you, of course, do not want to spend hours covering up uncomfortable moments with Photoshop. After spending a few minutes preparing this moment, you can save a lot of time. 

8.Warming up

Our body is plasticine. Without sufficient preparation the risk of damage is getting higher. Yoga is quite a complicated and demanding thing. And it's pretty dangerous to start a photo session of this type without a warm-up. Make sure that the model has enough time to warm up before the photo session. It's also worth worrying that the model does not freeze during operation. Remember that yoga is a physical load and when you freeze, a person can catch a quick enough cold.

9.Determine when to do the most difficult poses

Some asanas are more difficult to perform than others. It is worth to ask the model when she wants to fulfill them. Some yogis do complex exercises in the very beginning, because at that moment they feel most powerful and fresh for work. And others prefer to warm up for a long time and only after that go to something complicated.

There is also the possibility that some people, after complex exercises, are not able to work fruitfully. You should adjust the photo session to the physical capabilities of the model.

10.No authoritarian regime

Sometimes some asanas look really easily from the side, but this is not always the case. Therefore, if this factor is not taken into account, there is a possibility that quite a lot of pictures will be disastrous. You should make sure that the model does not lose the feeling of its own body and its own limits. 

Even in the heated state, there are risks of damage to the body. So watch for the safety of the model, and if necessary, then say that they can’t do something. Models safety is more priority than photographs.

11.Visit the yoga class to get an idea of the work

No one talks about that you should become a yogi after one lesson and do it all your life. Just feel the work of the model. Now yoga studios are quite common and they can be found almost everywhere. 

You need to understand the feelings that your model wants to show with photos, you need to have an experience to understand how difficult a task is for your ward. You can even ask to attend yoga classes with your model! This will increase your empathy and strengthen the relationship with the model.

12.Yoga photography tips from a professional yoga photographer

Try shooting from a low perspective. This will allow the subject to stand out against the background of the environment. Pay attention to all the shapes behind the model and carefully choose the angles of shooting. But remember that a low perspective is not suitable for standing poses, since in this case the head will seem small in relation to the rest of the body.

 You do not necessarily need special places to withdraw your practice. It can be the streets of the city, the entrances of houses or even the metro.

Allow yourself to be real in the moment where you are. Take your time and do not try to become someone else. Just breathe in and be here and now. Let yoga happen to you and to the one you photograph. You do not need hundreds of empty photos. You need only a few, but real, sincere, filled with strength.

Wait for the sunset for the sake of a masterpiece. A few minutes before sunset - the magic time for the birth of delightful photos. Special lighting transforms the whole space, filling it with mystery and grandeur. 

At sunset just take out the camera and start shooting, asanas can be the simplest, but the setting sun turns them into masterpieces. If the sun is directly behind the photographer, try to choose an angle so that the shadow does not fall on the model.

 Photo in motion. The most lively and beautiful photos you can catch just in motion. Such photos often show the energy that the model wants to convey. More information about this type of photos you can read in our article “How to Shoot Models in Motion – Fashion Photography Editing For Motion Pictures”. 

In conclusion, it should be said that yoga photography is not the simplest thing, but insanely interesting. Anyway, do not forget that each beautiful photo always needs an editing. If you do not want to waste your time or you can't edit your photo really amazing, our professionals can always help you, and on our resource there are hundreds of tips for beautiful photo sessions.