Three Tips for Posing Couples
Tip One: Focus on Movement
If you ever watch videos of models, they are constantly moving their bodies. Nothing is ever still. Have your couples follow this same idea! This could be anything from a game of tag to having a dance party. Often, these result in laughs, hugs, and a perfect kiss. They will feed off each other. Don’t worry- it will not sound awkward for you to all of the sudden press plans on the hottest jam and tell the couple to break out in dance. (Pro tip: ask them their favorite music to listen to together before the shoot.) Incorporating movement means you will get a lot less staged looking photos. The natural relationship dynamic will flourish and make pictures that much more special to your clients. Now, this does not mean you can’t have use specific focused poses though the shoot. Sometimes you need to tell the couple to hold the pose for a minute to get the right shoot.
This also required you to move a lot as well. Focus on getting different angles and working around the couple's movements as well.
Posing your clients should not be something you are scared of! Bringing to light their personality thought photos is now one of my favorite parts!
Bonus tip: get to know your couples on a personal level. Talk to them during the shoot. This helps them ease up and makes posing much easier. Besides, you also gained two new friends! If you are shooting their wedding as well, this is a great time to build that bond so they are extra comfortable having you around on their special day!
When I first started shooting, I was intimidated by having to pose people during photoshoots.
Before my clients would get to the shoot location, I would sit in my car and scroll through Pinterest, trying to find poses I could tell my clients to do. I was so nervous I would run out of ideas, or my clients would feel uncomfortable. Now, five years later and lots of practice, I have three things I always keep in mind when posing couples during a shoot.
This is one of my all time favorite images of Chrissy and Aidan. Their sweet embrace was the result of a game of chase with Aidan capturing his future bride.
Tip Two: Have Your Couple Talk to Each Other
Hot take: your couple is probably best friends. I know, crazy, right? The inside jokes and memories they have together are endless. So, bring those to light. Sometimes you may have to give them a little prompt. Going for fun and laughter tell them to whisper their favorite inside joke to each other. Going for sweet? Have them hold hands and tell the other their favorite thing about them or why they are excited to marry the other.
Tip Three: Get to Know Your Couples Style Before Hand
While I know this seems obvious, but this is so key! When you start talking with your couple, ask them questions that illuminate their style like what type of location they want, how comfortable they are in front of the camera, or even have them send photos over that they had seen before and liked! This gives you great insight into how to pose them. Why does this help? Well, if you are aware of the look they are going for, fun and playful, serious and romantic, etc then you can pose accordingly. If they like the more serious look, then maybe don't have them play tag. Instead, keep them close together and work around that. Don't be afraid to get variety though. If you shoot a lot, then they can have more to chose from. Maybe a different style will surprise them!
