Imagine when glamour modeling, the model is standing on a clock face.
Her basic, or supporting leg, is encircled by this clock.
Her heel is in the exact center of the clock and her toe pivots around the heel, pointing to a different number on each clock she occupies.
The number to which her basic-foot points, dictates, to a great degree, the direction her hips will face.
FOOTNOTE: The HEEL acts as a pivot for the basic or supporting-foot.
The TOE gives the foot direction and points to the hour.
The BALL OF THE FOOT, especially the bone behind the big toe, should support the weight of the body, and can, if used correctly, keep the model from swaying.
SHOW-LEG POSITIONS The model's show-leg is her non-supporting leg.
The toe of the show-leg marks the rim of the clock.
Its movement can be clockwise or counter-clockwise.
This model's basic-leg may, for example, point to eleven and her show-leg can stop at each of the twelve numbers on the clock.
Her exact leg position can thus be identified.
In some positions the show-leg may cross either in front of, or behind the basic-leg.
The unencumbered show-leg is an asset to creative posing.
Its position can add innumerable qualities to a picture such as grace, ease, length, strength, design, composition or interest.
HOW TO DIAGRAM A STANDING LEG-POSITION for analysis and duplication.
The basic-leg and the show-leg in combination, with slight or great change, are capable of hundreds of positions.
Certain combinations, however, are more usable than others and it is important to be able to recognize and remember a good foot-position when you see it.
Many times it becomes necessary, or desirable to know how certain illustrated leg-positions were executed.
A simple way when glamour modeling to analyze a standing leg-position is to draw a rough floor-clock about the feet of the illustration so that you can quickly estimate leg placement.
(Where it is undesirable to deface a fine photograph or a borrowed magazine, use transparent paper and draw your diagram over it.
) 1) Select a sketch or a photograph containing a leg-position you would like to analyze.
2) With a heavy black pencil (or a red one) draw a long horizontal line through the heel of the basic-foot parallel to the bottom of the page.
This line should be of equal length on each side of the heel.
3) Draw a short vertical line through the heel of the same foot perpendicular to the bottom of the page.
(When the foot is on the toes, as in high heels, the line should be drawn through the point at which the heel of the shoe touches the floor or would touch the floor if it were set down.
) 4) Describe an elliptical circle to represent the edge or rim of the floor-clock.
Start the line at the tip of the show-toe and swing the circle to each end of the crossed lines.
5) Turn the picture upside down and arrange twelve numbers clock-wise around the circumference of the ellipse.
Put 12:00 o'clock at the center-top of the page.
6) The basic-foot is the hour hand and the show-foot is the minute hand; read the time indicated by the leg position you have just diagrammed.
In order to save time and space, most experienced photographers, directors and models use a direct method of indicating positions of the feet instead of saying the actual time.
For example, twenty minutes until one o'clock on the floor-clock means that the basic-foot points to 1 and that the show-foot rests on 8.
Such a position of the feet is said to be one over eight.
It pays when glamour modeling for the model and director to have a clear idea of these basic leg positions.