Chapter 22: Posing the Couple for Wedding Photography
By using our professional posing tips, you will be able to guide the couple into natural and emotionally charged poses during their formal photo shoot. The key to posing is to create an atmosphere of comfort and connection, allowing the couple’s love and personality to shine through.
A good balance between structured poses and candid moments will give you a range of beautiful, authentic images that truly reflect their love for each other on their wedding day.
There are quite a few posing tips noted above in previous chapters of our wedding photography guide, but the following section provides an additional and more detailed posing summary:
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Start with a Relaxed, Natural Pose
Ease the Couple into the Session: Begin with a simple, relaxed pose to help the couple feel comfortable. Have them stand side by side, hold hands, or wrap their arms around each other. This allows them to feel natural in front of the camera before moving into more directed poses.
Encourage Movement: Ask the couple to walk slowly towards or away from the camera while looking at each other, laughing, or talking. This helps loosen them up and creates natural, candid-looking images.
Focus on Connection and Emotion
Close-Up Intimacy: Guide the couple into poses that emphasize their connection. For example:
Have the groom gently place his hand on the bride’s face while she leans in for a kiss or rests her forehead against his.
Ask them to look into each other’s eyes with a soft, genuine expression to evoke emotion.
Forehead-to-Forehead Pose: One of the simplest and most intimate poses is having the couple stand close with their foreheads touching. This pose creates a sense of connection and warmth.
Whisper in the Ear: For natural smiles and candid moments, ask the groom to whisper something sweet or funny into the bride’s ear. This often brings out laughter or tender smiles.
Play with Different Angles and Levels
Tilted Angles: Slightly tilt the couple’s heads toward each other for softer, more flattering angles. Having them lean toward the camera (chin slightly down) helps avoid double chins and creates a more intimate look.
Vary Height Levels: If there is a significant height difference, consider having the bride sit or lean against something while the groom stands behind her, gently holding her shoulders or leaning in for a kiss. This balances their heights and makes for a visually appealing composition.
Use Natural Props: If the location has natural elements such as trees, walls, or stairs, have the couple lean against them or sit to create more interesting compositions. This also helps the couple relax by giving them something to interact with.
Guide Their Hands and Arms
Avoid “Dangling Arms”: Help the couple avoid awkward arms hanging by their sides. Ask them to:
Hold hands loosely.
Gently place hands on each other’s shoulders, waist, or hips.
For the bride, holding her bouquet in front can give her hands something to do while maintaining elegance.
Have the groom place his hand in his pocket or gently adjust his jacket.
Create a Natural Flow: Guide the couple to relax their arms and hands in ways that look natural. Subtle adjustments, such as having the bride softly run her fingers along the groom’s lapel or hold his hand close to her chest, create intimate and romantic poses.
Capture the Couple in Motion
Walking Together: Ask the couple to walk hand-in-hand, either toward or away from the camera. Walking creates natural body movements and relaxed facial expressions. Encourage them to talk or laugh as they walk to create a candid feel.
Twirl the Bride: For a fun and dynamic shot, ask the groom to twirl the bride. This creates movement in the bride’s dress and brings out genuine smiles and laughter.
Groom Carrying the Bride: For a playful pose, have the groom lift the bride, either carrying her in his arms or over his shoulder. This often creates spontaneous reactions and adds a sense of fun to the shoot.
Utilize the Dress and Veil
Showcase the Dress: The bride’s dress is often a focal point, so make sure to highlight it:
Have the bride slightly flare out her dress or hold the edges as she twirls or walks.
Use wide shots that capture the full length of the dress, especially if it has a long train.
Arrange the train behind her neatly for seated or standing poses.
Play with the Veil: If the bride has a long veil, incorporate it into the shot:
Have the groom lift the veil for a kiss or a forehead-to-forehead moment.
Allow the wind to catch the veil for a dreamy, romantic effect.
Use the veil to “wrap” the couple for an intimate and cosy shot.
Create Intimate Poses with Subtle Touches
Close Embrace: Have the groom stand behind the bride, wrapping his arms around her waist while she leans back into him. This creates an intimate, protective pose.
Cheek Kiss: Ask the groom to give the bride a soft kiss on the cheek or forehead while she closes her eyes and smiles. This shows tenderness and love.
Nuzzling Poses: Suggest the groom nuzzle into the bride’s neck while she softly smiles or looks at the camera. These nuzzling moments can evoke genuine emotions and intimacy.
Balance Between Posed and Candid Moments
Prompt Natural Reactions: After guiding them into a pose, ask them to say something to each other or reflect on a special memory. These prompts often bring out candid smiles and laughter, which look more natural than overly posed expressions.
Capture Their Interactions: Let the couple interact naturally between shots. Sometimes, the best photos come from in-between moments when the couple is adjusting or laughing together.
Use the Surrounding Environment
Incorporate Scenery: Whether you are shooting in a garden, urban setting, or beach, use the environment to enhance the couple’s portraits. Frame them within an archway, door, or trees. Shoot wide to show the stunning location as part of the composition.
Silhouette Shots: If the lighting is right, capture a silhouette of the couple, either during sunset or with a backlight. This adds drama and artistry to the shot.
Create Leading Lines: Use pathways, bridges, or architectural elements to create leading lines that draw the eye to the couple.
Be Mindful of Body Language
Lean Toward Each Other: Encourage the couple to lean toward one another rather than away. Leaning in signifies closeness and affection.
Posture: Remind the couple to stand tall, especially the groom. Good posture can make the couple look more confident and regal in their photos.
Mirroring Body Language: Ask the couple to mirror each other’s body language, such as both standing with their bodies slightly angled toward one another. This creates harmony in the pose.
Vary Poses with Close-Ups and Wide Shots
Close-Up Details: Get tight shots of the couple holding hands, the groom gently touching the bride’s face, or their hands intertwined. These close-ups highlight intimacy and personal connection.
Wide, Dramatic Shots: Include wide shots that show the couple in a larger environment, such as a landscape or architectural backdrop. These shots often create a sense of scale and drama.
How to Make Posing Feel Natural
Give Gentle Direction: Instead of telling the couple exactly how to pose, use soft prompts. For example, “Hold her close, and whisper something in her ear,” allows for natural reactions rather than stiff posing.
Create a Playlist: If the couple is nervous, playing soft music in the background can help them relax and enjoy the moment. Music can bring out more natural expressions and ease tension.
Praise and Encourage: Compliment the couple throughout the session to build their confidence. Saying things such as, “You two look amazing!” or “That was perfect!” helps them feel more at ease and natural.
You have been reading CHAPTER 22: Posing the Couple for Wedding Photography
