Posering

Posering is a Dutch noun referring to the act or result of posing, typically for a photograph, film, or work of art. In practice, posering describes the deliberate arrangement of a person’s body, face, and gesture to convey a specific mood, theme, or brand. The term is widely used in photography, modeling, and performance contexts, and it contrasts with candid or natural posing by emphasizing intention and control over the pose. In English-language contexts, the closest equivalent is posing.

The word derives from the Dutch verb poseren “to pose,” which in turn comes from the noun pose and ultimately from the French poser “to place, to pose.” In short, posering as a noun refers to the act or technique of posing rather than the depicted image itself. The term thus signals both method and outcome in the depiction of a subject.

In practice, pose direction is often provided by a photographer or director who guides the subject through gestures, angles, and expressions to achieve a desired aesthetic. Posering can influence composition, lighting, and narrative sense in portraiture, fashion shoots, theatrical photography, and video production. The term may also describe a figure adopting a characteristic or stylized pose as part of a performance or art piece. Debates around posering sometimes touch on authenticity and performance, particularly when poses are overly staged or commodified versus more candid or natural representations.