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Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started with Photographing Couples

12 Dec

The post Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started with Photographing Couples appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Guest Contributor.

This is a guest post by Kaspars Grinvalds from Posing App.

In this posing guide series, we’ve looked at posing female subjects, posing male subjects, and posing children. In those individual portraits, the main subject is a single person with a single personality. But couple photography is more about connection, interaction, and above all, feelings between two people. Generally, you’re working with very deep and passionate feelings, which is what makes couple photography so delightful and positive.

Couples are pretty easy to engage in a photoshoot. If they are initially a bit shy or feeling uncomfortable, just ask them to show you how they felt and looked when they met for the first time. You will touch them on an emotional level, providing you with natural and loving expressions in their portraits.

However, creating strong couple poses presents its own difficulties. That’s why we’re offering 21 simple, easy poses for photographing couples – so you can get started taking stunning couple photos, today.

1. Standing face to face (but looking at the camera); one partner should hold an arm on the other partner’s chest

Make sure you take both close-up and vertical shots.

Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses for Photographing Couples

2. Standing close together and looking toward one another

Ask the couple to stand very close to one another to create intimate close-up portraits. Don’t be afraid to zoom in and crop real tight!

3. Hugging from behind

This is a very easy and cordial pose, with one partner holding the other from behind. The couple may look straight into the camera or at each other. They can even kiss for a more emotive shot.
Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses for Photographing Couples

4. Holding from behind

This is a fun and loving pose, with one partner holding onto the other partner’s back and shoulders.

Pay attention to hand positioning; it should be simple and natural.

5. Holding from behind (alternative)

This is just a variation on the previous pose, with one partner holding the other from behind.

Remember that the couple doesn’t necessarily have to look into the camera. For better results, make them interact with each other by talking, offering flirtatious looks, laughing, etc.
Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses for Photographing Couples

6. Holding and looking out

This pose creates a very romantic mood, and it works best when outdoors with some open space in the background.

Shoot only slightly from behind the couple.

And remember that you have to be far enough to the couple’s side to capture each person’s closest eye. Otherwise, you will create an impersonal, empty shot.

7. Looking up

Find some elevation and shoot your subjects from above.

A common pose shot from an unusual angle is always creative and will often reward you with surprisingly good results.

8. Intimately holding hands

This is another romantic pose. It works best outdoors with some open space in the background.

It also works very well as a silhouette against a bright background (in front of a sunset, for example).

9. The gentle, staggered pose

This is an easy-to-create pose for a full-height shot. It’ll give your photos a calm and affectionate mood.

10. The piggyback pose

This one’s a fun pose, but don’t assume that it only works with younger people. If an older couple feels fine with it, this pose will work superbly with them, as well.

Try different framings, take full-height shots, half-height shots, and close-ups.

11. Standing face to face and kissing

This is a very nice way to show the affection a couple felt when they first met each other.

It works very well in crowded places, such as a famous meeting point in a city, at a train or metro station, etc.

12. Jumping and hugging

This pose offers a little bit of fun!

The crucial part is the leg positioning of your jumping subject; each leg should be bent at different angles.

Oh, and take a close-up portrait shot, as well.

13. Walking and holding hands

Take shots of the partners walking hand in hand as they approach from a distance.

Shoot in Burst mode only, because the majority of your shots will look awkward thanks to the leg movement. Therefore, the second part of your job is to select the photos with the best leg movement and positioning afterward.

14. Walking and holding each other

This is another pose with a walking couple. This time, the couple should walk close together and hold onto each other.

As with the previous pose, take several shots and choose the ones with the most elegant leg positioning.

15. Walking away from the camera

Never forget that there are often good opportunities when shooting from behind! This is a simple pose, but one that looks amazing when done right.

16. Lying on the ground

For this one, the couple should lie close together on the ground.

Ask them to lift their upper bodies a bit and use their arms for support. One partner might embrace the other partner gently. Shoot from a very low angle.

17. Lying on the ground and looking at each other

Here’s another variant with the couple lying on the ground, but this time with a little space between the partners.

18. Cuddling on the ground

This is a nice example of an asymmetrical pose, with one person positioned slightly above the other.

19. Lying together, looking up

This is an informal and fun way to pose – with the couple lying on their backs.

20. Sitting together on a sofa

Here’s a very cordial pose; ask the couple to sit comfortably on their favorite sofa.

21. The classic maternity pose

Shooting a couple may mean maternity photography.

Some poses from this couples series work pretty well for such an occasion. Simply adjust the pose accordingly to show the couple’s feelings about the baby!

This one here is a classic, and looks nice for pretty much any couple:

Grab our printable posing guide for photographing couples

Here’s 16 of our favorite couple poses for you to print and take with you on your next couple shoot:

Also, make sure you look at these couple poses as a starting point only.

That’s the reason why they are rough sketches instead of real photos. You cannot, and should not, repeat the poses exactly; instead, adjust the poses creatively according to your shooting environment and scenario.

Check out the other posing guides in this series

Posing Guide: Sample Poses for Photographing Women (Part 1)
Posing Guide: Sample Poses for Photographing Women (Part 2)
Posing Guide: Sample Poses for Photographing Men
Posing Guide: Sample Poses for Photographing Children
Posing Guide: Sample Poses for Photographing Groups of People
Posing Guide: Sample Poses for Photographing Weddings

Grab our guide to portrait posing

The post Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started with Photographing Couples appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Guest Contributor.

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Video: 20 couples poses in under 10 minutes

28 Jan

Adorama has published a new video featuring photographer Pye Jirsa as he teaches photographers more than 20 couples poses in less than 10 minutes. This is the second part of Jirsa’s Couples Crash Course; the first part introduced five foundational couples poses that ‘every photographer should know.’

This is part of the ‘Master Your Craft’ photography tutorial video series published on the Adorama YouTube channel.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward

03 Sep

One of the problems, when you photograph couples, is that they can be really awkward and uncomfortable in front of the camera. But photographing these couples can be especially fun for them and for you!

In this article, I’ll show you how to understand awkward couples and find out what makes them tick so that you can make the lighthearted, romantic photos you’re both hoping for. As you overcome the challenges, you may find yourself taking some of the most cherished photos of your life or career.

Candid couples photography - Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward

Sometimes having an audience staring at a couple makes them severely uncomfortable. And sometimes being so uncomfortable leads to playful behavior. Be ready for any real expressions that come out.

1. Camera Settings

First, just a quick word about camera settings. If you’re already perfectly comfortable with camera settings, please skip this part.

You want to use your camera in such a way that allows you to put all your focus on the couple – not your settings. So manual mode may not be the best option for you.

Many photographers, both pro and amateur, prefer aperture priority (A or Av). Setting your ISO and then choosing your aperture based on creative preferences is perfect for photographing couples. You can then use exposure compensation to make quick adjustments as you move through the session.

Don’t let fumbling over settings get in the way of interacting with the couple.

Silhouette photo of a couple. Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward

Exposure compensation was used here to get just the right look for this silhouette. It took a little warming up to get this couple to dance and kiss.

2. Ugly Locations

We’re going to dive into the minds of awkward couples, but first, let’s consider ugly locations.

Couples seem to have a knack for choosing ugly locations. Yes, the place is meaningful and beautiful to them, but they’re looking at it through the eyes of love, not the eyes of a photographer!

However, I have come to realize that the entire location you’re photographing does not need to be majestic – you only need to find pockets of beauty. Just little pockets of nice light, and tiny patches of background that look nice.

Candid couples photography - Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward

Normally, this is a majestic location but it was a tough time of day for light. The exact scenery was irrelevant to this photos since I got in close to capture the expression of the moment. At this point, I wasn’t even telling the couple what to do, there was just a lot of fun at the moment. Often people find it difficult to “smile naturally” for the camera. But not when they forget that the camera is even there.

3. Awkward Couples

Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new. – Brian Tracy

Some people are simply as “cool as a cucumber” and perfectly comfortable in new situations or in front of the camera. But when it comes to the awkward couples, one or both of them tend to be a little neurotic or disagreeable.

You’ll know the signs when they tell you they’re nervous, begin saying self-critical things, or simply refuse to adopt a pose you’re asking them to do. Now, you have no idea what they’ve been through in life and what has led them to be uncomfortable like this. Even though they’re nervous and maybe a little difficult to work with, it’s still your job to take some great photos of them.

I always consider the first couple of scenes to be throw away photos. Everyone needs time to warm up. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself or the couple. Who cares if the first few photos turn out or not?

Romantic black and white photo of a couple - Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward

This was exactly the photo I had in mind for this couple. It should have been easy too. It normally is. But there was drama leading up to it.

The Director

You need to think of yourself as a director with a couple of stubborn or uncomfortable movies stars. The audience wants to see drama and romance and you’re going to have to get this couple to play along.

So set the scene in a nice pocket of light with a good background and don’t be distracted by camera settings.

Sunburst during golden hour - Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward

This was the scene I wanted. I got my camera settings dialed in before I told the couple what I wanted them to do. I told them that this was a silhouette photo so that there would be no pressure to have the right expression on their faces.

Set up your couple the best you can and start clicking. Don’t worry that it’s not perfect off the bat. Give them some direction, be kind and playful in the way you speak (keep your humor appropriate). Most importantly, watch for the outtake moments. The magic is always in the laughter and the expressions.

A couple dancing during golden hour. Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward

When I told them to dance, they looked at me like I was crazy. She even had some choice words for me. I finally convinced them to twirl and we all loved the photo.

Improvise

If both of them are uncomfortable in front of the camera and disagreeable toward each other, you may witness an awkward dispute or fight between the couple. They may be distracted, unhappy, and even unwilling to follow your directions.

At this point, it will be a little less like directing and more like being in an improv sketch. They’re going to throw surprising lines your way and you’ve got to respond creatively. The scene will change quickly and be full of surprises. But this may lead to the photos you love the most.

You can see why you need to keep your mind off of camera settings and on the couple. Don’t stress about anything, just roll with the scene.

Candid couples photo - Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward

This was a fun moment as they were trying to understand how I wanted them to pose.

Couples photo - Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward

But it didn’t take long for the fun to wear off. There may be a lot of moments like this leading up to all those perfect Pinterest photos you see.

The Magic Ingredient

Neurotic and disagreeable behavior leads to drama – and drama is the magic ingredient in your photos.

No matter what happens, your job is to turn this ordinary couple, who feels uncomfortable in front of the camera and disagreeable with each other into a Pinterest dude and a beautiful belle. He may be stiff and expressionless, she may be less than encouraging, but you’ve got to work the scene to bring out the best in them.

As we pushed through the scene trying to get the pose correct, I decided to keep taking pictures. I saw something here. Certainly not the moment I was after, but it was the moment I was given. Something deep and human was coming out.

Couples photo smack - Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward

This is one of the truest and most human photos of a couple I’ve taken. It was the perfect combination of directing and improvisation. He wasn’t living up to the Pinterest standard of a romantic photo, so he got a whack. It was a playful whack but added a level of drama to the photo that I had never achieved before. This is the way it works for couples in real life. Trying something new, struggling through the frustration of trying to get it right, and finally – hopefully – overcoming.

Couples photo walking between blossoming trees - Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward

After the tension is released and the challenge overcome, they will have their “happily ever after.”

The Awkward Photographer

Of course, the awkwardness of the photographer plays a role in this too. Perhaps you know exactly how uncomfortable it is to be in front of the camera. This is good because it means you can empathize with the people you photograph.

Unless they’re trained models (and perhaps even if they are), they don’t know how to be in front of the camera. They feel or look awkward because it is a truly awkward experience. But you can embrace the drama of the moment and lead your couple through both the fun and the difficulty in order to achieve the photos you’re all hoping to make.

Awkward is Real

Remember to use your camera in such a way that it does not distract you from the couple.
Don’t stress over the location. Simply look for little patches of beauty and put the spotlight on your couple.
Be the director that is willing to join the scene, embrace the drama, and capture it for them.
Don’t think of awkward as a bad thing, but a fun thing.

I’d love to hear your awkward stories below.

The post Fun Ways to Photograph Couples That are a Bit Awkward appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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Why Couples Aren’t Booking You for Their Wedding Photography

03 Jul

Nobody wants to hire you for their wedding photography. It’s not fair, is it?

Your photographs are gorgeous, you’ve created a shiny new website, and you’re more loveable than a bucket of kittens. So why isn’t your phone ringing off the hook with people wanting to hire you for their wedding?

Be different - Why Aren't Any Couples Booking You for Their Wedding Photography

It’s easy to start doubting yourself and going a little crazy. Maybe your photographs aren’t as good you thought. Are your prices too high, or too low? Perhaps all your competitors are secretly dating wedding planners?

The reality is that these days it requires a little more savvy to be a successful wedding photographer. It’s because there may actually be more wedding photographers on the planet than there are stars in the solar system. So, let’s help you shine brighter than everyone else in your area with some simple, practical ideas for getting more wedding photography bookings.

Your photography style

There are so many different styles of wedding photography. Photojournalistic, posed, quirky and fun, romantic, fashion, traditional, highly retouched, and so on.

Pick a style that you love to photograph and then specialize in it. Only show that style of photography in all your marketing. Ideally, it’s a style that most of your competitors aren’t using. The more defined you can make it, the better because people who love that style will be drawn to you.

Your photography style - Why Aren't Any Couples Booking You for Their Wedding Photography

Yes, you will repel some people, but it’s better to have 20% of people love your work than having 100% of people just say that it’s “nice”.

People buy from people they like and trust

Hiring a wedding photographer is a huge decision for a bride and groom. They have to pay a large sum of money to have a stranger stand by their side all day on one of the most important days of their life. They’ve got so many concerns spinning around their head. For example:

Is this photographer going to be rude, or just plain dull?
What happens if we don’t like the photographs? After all, most photographers can cobble together a decent portfolio. But can they do a good job in tough conditions?
What happens if it rains?
Will the photographer be able to cope with my crazy family?
Will they actually turn up?!
Is it even possible for me to look good in a photograph?
Will they be able to keep us on schedule?
Will the group photographs be as painfully boring and time-consuming as I fear?

The list goes on.

People buy from people they like and trust - wedding photography

One way to get more wedding inquiries is to handle these concerns within your marketing. When you show a couple that you understand their fears and you can help them, then they’ll start to trust you. If you can do this in an engaging, kind, and entertaining way then they’ll start to like you, too.

So how might you deal with their concerns? The single best way I’ve found is to have a money-back guarantee. However, you shouldn’t simply have a bullet point saying “Money-back guarantee” on your website. Inject some feeling into it.

Explain that you’ve heard all the horror stories about wedding photographers letting down couples and that your signed guarantee is there to put their mind at ease. It also demonstrates that you’re confident in your abilities and that you truly care about your clients. This one thing will instantly make you stand out and build trust.

People buy from people they like and trust -wedding photography

Be different

If you’re the same as every other photographer then the only reason to hire you is the price. We’ve already talked about differentiating yourself through your photographic style and through having a guarantee, but there are many other ways to do it.

For example, I choose 70-page A3 sized (29.7 x 42.0cm, or 11.69 x 16.53 inches) wedding albums that can fit 250 photographs in them comfortably. That number of photographs can comfortably tell the whole story of the wedding day, so the bride and groom don’t have to leave out any images. This avoids awkward conversations with Auntie Betty where the couple has to explain why she didn’t make the cut because they put their friends in instead.

There are lots of great slideshow services (like Animoto) available for you to create beautiful, animated, audio-visual presentations within a few minutes. Couples love them and you can even create presentations made up of their childhood photographs which can be played for the entertainment of guests during the reception. I use a projector and screen to present the show and it’s guaranteed to get the parents a little tearful.

Be different - Why Aren't Any Couples Booking You for Their Wedding Photography

Photograph different, offer different products and stand out from the crowd.

Or, how about creating a framed portrait of the bride from the engagement session to give to the bride’s parents as a surprise gift on the wedding day?

Sometimes you don’t have to be different to stand out. You simply have to explain something that other photographers don’t make clear. For example, many photographers scout venues before the wedding. It helps then find the best places for the romantic and group photographs. They get to see where the best light will be and the best compositions can be made. Most photographers never mention this in their marketing, so if you do then it cements your position in the market as a helpful and dedicated professional.

Reveal your personality

Again, people hire people they like and trust. So, give prospects a hint at what it would be like to work with you by injecting your personality in your marketing. The About Page on your website is really important. If a couple doesn’t connect with you after reading it, they’re far less likely to get in touch.

Rocking the client meeting - wedding photography

Just like with your photography it’s okay if your personality doesn’t gel with everyone. If you’re a bit quirky that’s fine. If you’re obsessed with dogs then talk about that. People will connect with you over the weirdest stuff. But if you give them nothing to connect with then you won’t attract anyone.

The less you reveal about yourself the more unfriendly or distant you may seem. These days even large businesses are starting to understand that people don’t like dull “corporate speak”.

Use social proof

People want to get a feel for what it would be like to work with you. That’s why people love to read reviews and testimonials before going on holiday or watching a movie. The same applies to photographers.

Testimonials are one of the most powerful marketing tools you can use. Never stop asking for them. Don’t just put them on one page of your website, use them on every page and in your other marketing. Make them impossible to miss. Ask clients to put them on your Google business page too, as this will quickly help your search engine ranking.

Another great way of showing clients how great you are to work with is to create a behind the scenes video. Ask a second shooter to film you in action at a wedding. The best moment is when you’re charming the guests during the group photographs, or perhaps the romantic ones. It’s the perfect way of providing absolute proof that you would be a joy to work with on the big day for their wedding photography.

Rocking the client meeting

Most wedding photographers meet their couples in person, or over Skype before they’re booked. Sadly, all the fantastic marketing in the world can unravel quickly if you screw this bit up.

One of the most common mistakes photographers make is they start talking about their packages 30 seconds after meeting.
A better approach is to make the whole meeting about the client and what they want. You do that by asking lots of strategic questions. For example:

What are you looking for in your wedding photographer?
What’s the most important thing to you about your wedding?
Describe your wedding in three words
Is there anything you’re worried about?

This shows that you care about them and what they want. It also gives you a nice segue into explaining some of the things that separate you from the competition.

For example, when couples tell me, “we hate weddings with formal group photographs with everyone looking bored”, that gives me the perfect excuse to bring up something unique I do. I bring a bottle or two of bubbly to spice up the formal photographs. One of the bottles is given as a prize to whoever performs the best during the group photographs. This always leads to a bit of banter and of course you get great photographs of the bubbly being popped open.

Rocking the client meeting wedding photography

You should only start talking about your wedding packages once you’ve been chatting about their wedding for about 30 minutes. That is enough time for you to build rapport with them, find out what they’re looking for, and to explain how your unique services can help them.

When presenting your packages, start with your finest (biggest and best). After you’ve explained each package, ask them how they feel about it. Some clients never even bother looking at the smaller packages if they love the top one.

When you work down the packages like this it’s hard for people to then take the smallest package because they’ve just heard you talk about all these fantastic things you can do for them.

Get the booking

Rocking the client meeting - wedding photography

Don’t forget to ask for the sale! It’s so easy to have a nice long chat, only to realize that the couple has left and you never asked them to hire you. It’s your job to gently nudge them into a decision. As you go through the packages and find out which is their favorite, just come right out and say, “Fantastic, I’d really love to work with you because you’re such an amazing couple and your wedding sounds fantastic. A deposit is just $ XXX amount and I can take a credit card if you’d like to reserve the date now. How does that sound?”

Simply asking for the booking in a positive and enthusiastic way will dramatically increase your conversion rate. But, you’ll still get some couples say they want to think about it and get back to you. There are many ways to handle that situation. The underlying strategy is to keep them talking because the longer they’re with you the more likely it is that they’ll book. One response is to say, “I completely understand, but do you mind if I ask how you feel about everything we’ve talked about today?”

Another response would be, “Absolutely, but can I ask what it is you’re looking for, maybe I can help if there’s something on your mind?”

Rocking the client meeting - wedding photography

The trick is to keep digging until you find out what’s keeping them from hiring you right then and there. This is a great time to stress your money-back guarantee because it helps people overcome the fear of choosing the wrong photographer.

Conclusion

This article only scratches the surface on how to book more weddings, but hopefully, you can see that the issue is rarely just price. Sadly, too many wedding photographers respond to a lack of bookings by lowering their price rather than improving their service and the way they connect with couples.

The more you think about how you can serve your clients the better you’ll do. So, which idea resonates the most with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

The post Why Couples Aren’t Booking You for Their Wedding Photography by Dan Waters appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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5 Tips for Creating Romantic Portraits of Couples

11 Jan

When I hear the word romantic, what comes to mind is a dreamy, poetic, passionate image, full of unspoken affection and sometimes, a touch of mystery. However, when it comes to romantic portraits of couples, I don’t want romantic to translate as cheesy or cliche. I think I would want something a little bit more artistic but definitely leaning more on the natural side.

romantic photography of couples

I photograph weddings and often do an engagement shoot with the couple beforehand. For many of my couples, it’s their first time being photographed together in an intimate way where they are expected to be super affectionate and loving towards each other in public. I would feel very awkward if I were in their places. As part of my job, I aim to make the whole experience pain-free for them, hopefully, fun too, and still end up with some super romantic shots without being too corny, cliche or cheesy.

The warm-up

The first 15-20 minutes of the shoot is always a warm-up. I do give them some suggestions which you can find here; Tips for Taking More Natural Engagement Portraits. I then tell the couple I’m just going to start taking photos and that there is no pressure for anything to be perfect. Instead, we will have a warm-up to get used to the camera, to feeling really silly about it all and that they can laugh as much as they like at themselves and how silly they may feel.

They are given permission to feel awkward and laugh at themselves. I encourage them to be themselves and help them throw off any self-conscious feelings. I tell them to just laugh it all off, not to mind passers-by, and to ignore any stares. After all, they will never see those people again.

romantic portraits of couples

I take plenty of shots during the warm-up for them to get used to me but I’m always intentional in what I’m looking for – that fleeting glance at each other, the split-second expression, a warm squeeze and cuddle they allow themselves to have. It’s the in-between moments that are crucial to capture. It’s that moment when they start to relax into each other’s arms after the first few seconds of feeling rather tense or self-conscious.

I also talk to them a lot and give them directions as clearly as I possibly can. Reminding them that on the wedding day they will hardly see me at all so for the engagement shoot I ask them to indulge the camera. I thank them for being very amenable having me pretty much in their face during the entire photo session.

Here are my five tips for creating romantic portraits of couples.

#1 – Find or make the perfect light

romantic portraits of couples

Romantic light is a poetic light that evokes that cocooning feeling. Early morning and late afternoon light is soft and dream,y so if possible schedule your shoot during those windows. I try and avoid flat light or harsh overhead light which tends to kill any romantic ambience.

By flat light, I mean a light source which is directly in front of them so that it eliminates gradations of shadows and tones of light fall-off on the sides of their faces. Look for directional light, usually coming from the side or at an angle. To achieve this, position your couple in relation to the light, or move around yourself so that you are in the best place to capture the directional light.

romantic portraits of couples

If there is no such light, especially if the location is quite dark or the lights are all overhead, I tend to use my flash. Remember to bounce it so that there is directional light coming from the flash. The important thing is to avoid flatness and create an atmosphere of light and shadow.

Window light is one of the best natural directional light sources available. However, don’t make your couple face the window as that becomes flat light on their faces. Instead, position them at an angle or sideways where there is some light on one side of their face and the other side has shadows.

#2 – Consider the location, background, or scenery

romantic portraits of couples

The location or setting has a lot to do with how romantic a picture turns out. Sunsets, although in danger of being cliche, especially sunset silhouettes, produce strong and striking images.

Don’t forget that you can leverage location and all the elements within the setting and not completely rely on light alone. For example, what season of the year is it? If it’s autumn, take advantage of the changing colors of the leaves, use the outfits of the season that make your couple feel warm and cozy – long boots, scarfs, hats.

If it’s winter use the whiteness of the snow or the bleak bare branches of the trees to create a romantic story for your couple. Go to a cafe and take pictures of your couple having a nice hot chocolate with marshmallows by the crackling fire to keep warm. If it’s summer, find the early and late light to avoid the harshness of the midday sun or use props such as parasols, flowers, balloons, kites to celebrate the warmth of the sunshine.

romantic portraits of couples

When you are shooting in the city, wait until that light hits the buildings or some iconic landmarks, or in the country, feature the soft rolling hills or vastness of the landscape. If you are shooting in the spring, look for cherry blossoms, maybe the first bud of the season, the first crack of ice or the last of the frost. The goal is to put your couples in context and leverage that to create their romantic story.

romantic portraits of couples

#3 – Hide and use layering in your shots

romantic portraits of couples

In this article on creative ways to improve your photography, I have written about layering. Layering is a great tool for romantic images. It lets you hide behind something and makes you invisible. The great thing about it is that it puts the viewer of the photo in your place as if they are just passing by and happen to catch a glimpse of the couple.

Layering is one of my favorite tricks and can even be done without you hiding from the couple. You can shoot in a completely open space and still utilize layering. Just grab something, put it in front of your lens and pretend that the camera is peeking through a gap. Layering can be as simple as that. I often pick up a leaf and use it as a layer between the camera and the couple. A bit of fabric, cellophane wrapped around the lens, a prism dangled in front of the lens to create a sun flare all add layers…the possibilities are endless.

romantic portraits of couples

#4 – Encourage contact between the couple

romantic portraits of couples

To me, the epitome of romantic photographs is when it evokes total privacy – there is no one there other than the couple. In normal portrait situations, I would want a connection between the viewer and the subject. Eye contact with the camera is great for that. It draws the viewer in and invites them to have a conversation with the image. However, for romantic portraits, I prefer no eye contact, except between the couple alone.

There is no one there sharing the moment with them; it is their very own special private time. The goal is to capture the scene as if it were true and real. There must be a strong connection between the couple, whether that be looking directly into each other’s eyes, hands touching, or whispering in each other’s ears, but absolutely no contact with anyone else. This is my personal opinion of course and I’m sure it’s different for other photographers.

romantic portraits of couples

#5 – Write a story in pictures

A picture that tells no story has no soul. With practically a limitless number of photos you can take with a digital camera, you can write a novel. Go to a session with a story in mind – a beginning, a middle, and an end. That is the way I approach every engagement shoot and wedding that I photograph.

These don’t have to be very specific pictures, that would depend on where you are. Rather, it’s more of a mindset. What would be your opening scene in a novel? Is your couple walking hand in hand, having a coffee, whispering sweet nothings, or reading a book? What happens in the middle of the story? Are they shopping in a market, admiring some landmarks, doing an activity they both love?

romantic portraits of couples

How does the story end? Do they walk away from you into a tunnel or cinema? Or do they sit and relax, put their feet up on a bench after a long day? Do they kiss? Or do they have a dramatic ending like a silhouette or looking out into the horizon with the sun fading or the moon rising?

Each couple has their own unique story. When you meet them you will get a feel of their personalities, their likes, and dislikes. Soon, you will be able to piece that story together and it will be like no other.

romantic portraits of couples

I hope you find the above tips helpful. Do share other tips for capturing romantic portraits of couples in the comment section below.

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9 Tips that Make Couples Happy During a Portrait Session

22 Jan

Whenever a camera appears, you can bet your caboose that there are emotions swirling for 99% of the human population. From fear and disdain, to reverting to the classic Chandler Bing smile, people tend to exaggerate or warp their behaviour in front of the camera in endlessly inventive ways. But unless you’re going for a Sears portrait look, your job as a photographer is to not only deliver an end-product that thrills your clients, it’s to make the shoot an awesome experience as well.

Here are nine of my favorite, tried-and-true strategies for helping clients forget about the camera, and have a good old time on their shoot.

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1 – Model the behaviour you want

A shoot can be fraught with stress, so for the love of Annie Leibowitz, don’t add to it. When people arrive at a shoot, they are almost invariably nervous, and will be looking to you for all their cues. Take the lead in creating the atmosphere you’re hoping for, and your clients will follow suit almost subconsciously. You have a huge opportunity to model the relaxed, joyful, behaviour you want to capture, simply by setting the tone and mood of the shoot from the get-go!

This is so simple, but laugh. Crack jokes, if that’s your thing. Show them you’re willing to get weird, and it’ll liberate them to fall into a relaxed zone that brings out great images. It’s not about putting on a performance, but about being so yourself and comfortable in your own skin, that your clients can’t help but do the same.

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2 – Learn to read people

On that note, hone in your ability to read your clients so they really feel seen as individuals, and not two-dimensional subjects, and adapt to their specific personality. In many ways you have to be a chameleon, ready to provide to whatever the client might need from you to make them comfortable. We usually talk a lot throughout our shoots, and have found that most people react well to constant positive feedback, but not everyone wants a running commentary. There’s a fun balancing act to figure out what your client will respond to, and this is a good life skill as well.

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3 – Find an in

Whether it’s talking baseball, vintage cars, or Japanese flower arranging, finding some common ground can put even the stiffest of the stiff more at ease. They’ll loosen up, see you as a teammate, and get more invested in following whatever direction you have for them. We’ve established trust with clients by talking with them about everything from beers in Thailand, to Tom Brady’s throwing motion. Chat it out, listen for non-sequiturs and when you find an in, go for it.

4 – Treat your camera like a commonplace object

By treating your camera like it ain’t no thang, with no more emotion connected to it than a chair or a mailbox, you can help couples forget that it’s there (well, almost). When starting a shoot, spend as much time as possible chatting, and relaxing with the couple before you ever lift the camera. Hold it in your hand as if it’s no more consequential than a cup of coffee. This action may seem subtle, but your clients are looking to you for their behavioural cues, and treating the camera like something to not think twice about, will allow them to consider it equally as casually.

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5 – Have the subject help you design the shoot

Giving your clients plenty of say in the terms of how the shoot goes, is a huge key to making them relaxed. Doing extra legwork ahead of time, like guiding them with their outfits and locations, allows them to show up already feeling invested and in control over much of their experience. The old relationship advice that “communication is key” could not be more apt. Spending time before the shoot helping people feel like their voice is being heard, is central to great images.

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6 – Tell a better story

We’ve all been that novice photographer who, in a desperate attempt to capture a mirthful photo of unrehearsed laughter, says something panicked like “okay, now make each other laugh”. That’s not funny, y’all! You gotta be more creative than that. If you’re photographing a couple, ask one of them to tell the other about their most embarrassing childhood moment, using only interpretive dance. Tell them to reenact their first meeting, using emotive eye contact, instead of words. Get detailed and ridiculous in these requests, because then you’ll be able to fully leap into #7.

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7 – Shoot between the lines

You likely won’t keep the image of the poor guy interpretive dancing, but you’ll probably keep the one of the couple cracking up together in between moves. Here’s the real secret to natural looking photos – the in-between photos ARE the photos. The unposed, unrehearsed, laughing at fart jokes, or because your photographer told you they were “just going to test the light” but really you’re capturing them enjoying life together. Those are the images that end up being keepers. Keep that camera at the ready and shoot between the lines to get the good stuff.

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8 – Keep those hands moving

Every once in a while, we’ll leave the open-ended coaching behind and give a people a very specific pose to try. And no matter what the pose is, no matter how natural it felt when they first tried it, it’s going to get clunky-looking if you make them hold it for long enough. There are a few reasons why someone might need to keep a general pose for a bit — if you’re grabbing different angles, shooting with unique lenses, etc. — but our big piece of advice for them is to always keep their hands moving. With the free-reign to move their hands in whatever way feels natural to them, they’ll avoid the stiff prom-pose look, while still keeping the general idea of the pose you gave them. It sounds silly, but this one seriously works.

9 – Get your own photo taken – often

If you are amongst the hordes of photographers and humans who hate having their own photo taken, this piece of advice goes double for you. You MUST MUST MUST put yourself in your clients’ shoes! Be uncomfortable! Learn what strange tics you have. Know how to comfortably have your photo taken, so you know firsthand how to coach your clients. Standing in their shoes is our number one piece of advice, because as you teach yourself to be in photos comfortably, it’ll become ever-easier to coach your clients to do the same. Get thee in front of a lens. You’ll be a better photographer for it.

So while you may not be able to alleviate someone’s multiple decade love/hate relationship with having their photo taken, focusing on making each client’s shoot experience stellar is the first step on the road to the beautiful, natural, photos you and your client are aiming for. Because if you aren’t having fun, why bother?

The post 9 Tips that Make Couples Happy During a Portrait Session by Tim Sullivan appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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How to Take Photos of Super Cute Couples

13 Feb

Store shelves are lined with teddy bears, hearts, and a lot of pink stuff. Valentine’s Day is right around the corner!

And with V-Day comes many happy couples whose adorableness is just begging to be captured on camera for all to see and “squee!” over.

Photographing all those pretty pairs of people can be a tad awkward though, so we’ve put together our very best tips to help make the process fun and pain free!

Read on and you’ll be capturing memories sweeter than a heart-shaped box of chocolate.

4 Tips for Photographing Couples

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Read the rest of How to Take Photos of Super Cute Couples (547 words)

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