This past spring my husband and I got married. After nine years of being a wedding and portrait photographer in Upstate New York, I didn't know how it truly felt to be the one in front of the camera. I knew plenty of poses, but I forgot all of them since we were the ones in the spot light.
I now know that it can take a while for a couple to warm-up in front of the camera. They can feel stiff, self conscious, and awkward. Once they do warm-up and let their guard down, you will start to capture those genuine and fun photos that you want to capture for them.
Below are some poses that I like to start with to get my couples warmed-up and having fun. The photos you take at the beginning of each shoot that are usually awkward may start to be your favorites from the session!
Piggy Back Rides
If physically possible, ask your couple to do a piggy back ride! You will probably get some genuine laughter in the process.
From here you can ask the couple to spin around, walk toward you, walk away from you, etc. This is a great way to get some movement in your photos.
May I Have This Dance?
Ask your clients to take a moment and dance together. This can give you some fun photos as well as more serious and intimate ones.
This will help them loosen up and see how to enjoy each other in front of the camera. They might even forget you're there for a moment which is a plus too!
Side By Side/Look Away
A classic. Ask your clients to hold hands, step apart, and look in opposite directions. They've seen this pose in photos before on social media and will want one too...trust me!
This is an awesome warm-up pose to get them out of the stiff "look at the camera and smile" mindset.
This is also a great pose to transition into dancing/twirling as well.
Walking and Laughing
Ask your couple to hold hands and walk slowly toward the camera. In this case I will walk backwards as they move toward me. I love to have them look at each other while doing this for some sweet and natural photos.
Each couple is unique. That means their photos should be unique. Try to see what poses or movements fit your couple the most naturally. Their photos should capture their relationship and personality. It might just take some warming-up in the beginning!
Angela Mia has been trying to "savor the moment" for as long as she can remember. Through doing this, she found photography as her passion.
Angela started photographing unscripted moments in 2012 while earning a degree in Entrepreneurship and Digital Media. Angela lives in Upstate New York with her amazing husband and three cats.4