How To: 3 tips on posing couples

Thinking back about how I started and the problems I was facing back then I was often afraid before a couple shoot or was looking through all my inspiration boards online and offline to remember poses and get them comfortable in front of the camera. Thinking back of the stone in my stomach in those moments I would like to give myself back then a little advise for getting relaxed portraits (and maybe some of you might like this advise too).

1. Let them breathe
The moment you start your session. No matter if it is a portrait or a couple session you should let the person in front of the camera breathe. Give them a moment of rest. If they are a couple I like to start with a pose where they embrace each other and just calm down and don’t look towards the camera.

2. Give them something to do/ to talk about
After I know my couple is relaxed and waits for me to give them the next pose I give them something to do. This could be a small gesture like „Please give her a kiss on the cheek“, or „Gently put her hair back behind her ear“.

Tip: Always observe the persons in front of your camera often they do things when they relax that you can ask them to do again and which will then look perfectly natural as it is their own gesture.

3. Get them to move
We have been in the same position moving just a little for a while so now is the perfect moment to get them moving. Moving can be quick or slow, walking or running just get them to move and they will forget the camera and you get great relaxed images.

I hope you can implement some of these tips when you photograph a person or a couple next time. Be creative and think about movements and gestures you can give them to  give your images a natural and relaxed look.