FTP PE1 Finger position

How am I suppose to place my fingers during FTP? Should it be done like "this" (second pic) or like "that"(first pic)? Or am I supposed to be able to bend my first joint backwards on my longest finger to match the lenghts? I'm not keen on that because I can't see how that would help my climbing.  Should it always be performed against a soft surface?

I pick photo 3 . Your fingers will bend the opposite way of the first picture, and on a soft surface, the weight is normally on 2 or 3 of the fingers. On a hard surface, you're gonna usually be on only one finger, so grab a towel and you're gold.

TANSTAAFL is correct. This position will in fact help your climbing much more than either of the other two options, as it hits the finger flexors harder. It also has a very good prehabilitative effect - your fingers will become much more resilient to being jammed. 

Joshua Slocum said:

TANSTAAFL is correct.

<basks in the appoval of a mod...then wonders, metaphysically, how I got to this point >

Also, splaying your fingers a wee bit will help dissipate the load.

Thanks!