Do you need posing tips for couples you photograph?! It can definitely be hard to remember lighting, composition, client experience, AND amazing posing! Once you have a system down it will be much easier. Today we are going to give you five quick tips to make your clients look AMAZING in every photograph.
Related: How to provide exceptional photographic experiences
1. Photograph at a higher angle than your couple
EVERYONE looks better when being photographed if the camera angle is pointing down at them slightly instead of pointing up at them. We totally get that on a quick wedding day it can be hard to make the time to stop and get a step-stool, but sometimes it’s definitely needed. Even if your photo has perfect lighting, wonderful composition, and fantastic editing, if your client doesn’t have a flattering jawline they won’t love the photo! This is such a quick fix that it’s definitely a priority when we photograph taller coupes. Another trick here is to make sure we aren’t standing downhill from our clients OR putting them up higher on steps or a ledge. These small tweaks can make your clients look their absolute best in all of their images. Notice the photos below: the left image was taken facing up at our couple. The photo on the right is much more flattering of our clients.
Related: Become confident in off-camera flash
2. Minimize the space between their heads
We are constantly telling our couples to “put their cheeks together and look at us!” When you minimize the space between the heads there is a greater sense of connection between the two and tends to photograph better. You can do this in many different ways- just be sure that your couples faces are very close together. Oftentimes when you ask them to smile or laugh at each other they will do so awkwardly far apart. I will ask them to do it again but laugh with their mouths 3 inches from each other. It definitely can feel silly for them but I reassure my couples that it looks GREAT. In the photo below you can see how much better the portrait with their heads touching looks!
3. Be sure their emotions match
This one is a bit more subtle but something we noticed in some photographer’s images that actually cheapens their work. That may sound harsh but this a small tweak you can use to elevate your entire portfolio. When a bride is laughing and looks really joyful but the groom is nuzzling and looks really serious OR has a blank face, something in the images feels off and staged. When you instruct the couples to have similar emotions, the image feels more like a moment you captured organically instead of posed and instructed. It immediately makes your work feel more elevated and high-end. The image on the left feels a bit staged to me. He has a serious and romantic expression where she has a smile and is looking a bit more joyful. The image on the right has matching expressions and feels like a more authentic moment.
If you want a full guide on how to pose couples effectively, check out our couples posing system and tips!
