-1

Cosmopolitan

Creative Director: Stuart Selner
Art Director: Victoria Horn
Temporary Art Director: Angela Lamb
Picture Editor: Joan McCrea
Assistant Picture Editor: Gemma Roberts
Photographer: Peter Pedonomou

 

-2

V Magazine

No Masthead available
Photographer: Mario Testino

 

-3Allure

Creative Director: Paul Cavaco
Design Director: Deanna Filippo
Photography: Nadine McCarthy
Photography Editor: Holly Watson
Photographer: Mario Testino

 

I thought I’d take a look at what the body language may be saying in these three covers.  It’s sorta looks like evaluation, interest and a little bit of flirt.

According to Psychology Today the parts of your face that reflect how you feel are called “display rules.”  The tiniest movements around your eyes, face and mouth are referred to as “micro expressions.” Along with expressions and rules, body language or kinesics reveal one’s emotional state.

Kinesics is the study and interpretation of non-verbal behavior related to the movement of the body and face. These movements convey many specific meanings that can be linked to personal, situational and or cultural norms.

So, what do all these hands near the face mean? and what messages do they send to potential viewers?
Here’s what I turned up:

1. Miley Cryus wants you to know she’s sexy.
When a woman caresses her lips, neck, or collarbones, she’s sending  a signal of interest.  This is commonly a subconscious way of drawing your attention to these areas, reminding the onlooker she’s sexy.

2. Is Winona Ryder evaluating her success?
Chin resting on thumb, index finger pointing up against face translates into evaluation. This is a more reliable signal of evaluation than the full hand support, the middle finger commonly rests horizontally between the chin and lower lip.

3. Is Penelope is genuinely interested?
Interested gesture is shown by a closed hand resting on the cheek, often with the index finger pointing upwards. Should the person begin to lose interest but wish to appear interested, for courtesy’s sake, the position will alter slightly so that the heel of the palm supports the head.

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2 Comments

  1. Heidi, if this is body language, who is speaking–the subject or the photographer? I wonder if the photographer directed the body language you picked up on, or if the subject(s) made the gestures themselves. Also, whoever is responsible for the body language, do you think anyone involved in these shoots was considering the implications of the body language?

  2. Wouldn’t it be more accurate to say each of these models are responding to instructions from the photographer and thus what we really are seeing is the photorapher’s fantasy at work?

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