Pinup Photography

Photographs of ‘pinup girls’ in magazines, calendars and on posters are nothing less than an American photography tradition; they’ve been around since the 1910s. The ‘pinup’ part comes from the fact that the pictures are meant to be put up where people can see them – inside lockers, on notice boards, and in lunchrooms across the land. They were a particular favorite with American GIs stationed overseas during WWII, and they continue to be popular in mechanics’ workshops across the land.

So what distinguishes pinup photography from other types of photography, and how can you replicate it with your camera? Here’s a list of the unique elements of pinup photography:

#1: Good pinup photography always incorporates a sense of flirty fun. This is often done with the use of props, costumes, and settings. You could have your model pose on the hood of a sexy car in her underwear, wearing a pair of mechanic’s overalls (open suggestively at the top, of course) and holding a wrench, pretending to throw a beach ball, or mowing the lawn in a pair of shorts. Use your imagination! Everyday-type settings are what you’re looking for.

#2: The other element to the ‘fun’ aspect of pinup photography is that the model should always smiling or laughing. In other types of photography where the end product is designed to titillate, the model may be instructed to look ‘sultry’ or ‘sexy’, but pinup photography is about making the model look friendly and accessible – a sort of ‘girl next door’ effect.

#3: Bright colors are another big feature of pinup photography. Use colorful props, costumes and locations to achieve this. If you judge that your shots aren’t colorful enough straight out of the camera, you can increase the color afterwards in photo editing software. If your program has the option to, increasing Vibrance rather than Saturation is a good idea, as this will make bright colors ‘pop’ without making skin tones look unnatural.

Taking pinup-worthy photos is more or less as simple as adhering to the above three principles (oh, and finding an appropriate model…but that’s all up to you!). However, one final piece of advice: get a strong creative vision straight in your head before you start shooting, so that you’re able to give your model clear directions. Look through examples of pinup photography in print and online to get ideas if you need to.