The Best Photo Posing Tips for your Elopement Wedding
The key to any good couple’s photography is to capture a “natural” or effortless look and feel. Nothing looks worse than stiff bodies and unnatural, complex poses and gestures, especially in photos that are supposed to be special and capture important memories like your elopement. What are the best photo posting tips for your wedding?
And… how is this accomplished without going to some kind of modeling school? You’re in luck, we have put together this small guide to help couples take stunning, natural-looking photos without any hassle.
*** ALWAYS STAND TALL, SHOULDERS BACK A BIT and LADIES SHOULD DISTRIBUTE WEIGHT ON ONE LEG (Whether crossing one leg over another or shifting all weight to back leg. This will create an hourglass figure that flatters most ladies)
The Importance of Bending Joints
Think about how you move around throughout the day. You’re rarely stiff, with your joints locked. This is the number one mistake people make when they “pose” for photos. You never want to lock your joints, it’s what gives you the appearance of being stiff and uncomfortable.
Not only this, but these kinds of stiff unnatural poses tend to show on the faces of the people being photographed, which usually means the whole composition comes off as awkward. This is the last thing you want for your elopement photography session! The more you look at each other, laugh with each other and kiss.. the better the photos come out. Your photographer will let you know when he/she would like for you to look directly at camera for a more formal pose.
When getting into a specific pose, remember to relax your body and bend. Don’t lock your knees (ladies should put all weight on back leg), bend your arms, and make sure your hands are doing something. It’s very rare during the course of a day when our hands are just flat and resting stiffly at our sides. That’s unnatural and it will show in the final product!
Always try to touch, hold hands or arms around waist
One of the most important parts of capturing natural, stunning elopement or wedding photos is intimacy. No matter what pose or angle you take, there should be some kind of interaction between the couple.
There are some basic but highly effective posing tips for capturing natural intimacy that are super easy to do and will take your photos to the next level. To create as natural-looking photo as possible, you should be sure to touch each other as much as possible. For men, if your hand is not touching your partner, the other hand should be placed in your pant pocket.
Belly Button to Hip
This simple, classic pose has the typically shorter of the pair facing the hip of the taller, preferably in an embrace or at least touching. Remember to bend the elbows and knees, don’t force yourself into a stiff posture, and try gazing at one another for added effect!
Chest to Chest!
Nothing says romance quite like a chest to chest pose. Can be an especially powerful pose to highlight peak moments of the ceremony or to show off anything you want to camera (like rings!) if the couples extend an arm toward the photographer.
Touch foreheads or kiss for an extra dash of romance. You can’t go wrong with this intimate pose.
Together but Open – generally holding hands
You don’t always have to be in an embrace to create a romantic composition. This pose has become popularized in social media like Instagram in recent years.
All you really need to be doing in this pose is holding hands with your significant other at a distance, but it helps if you look as if you are in the middle of doing something, like sharing a joke or just walking along.
Modified Prom
A different take on a classic pose. Standing one in front of the other, one embraces the other from behind. Be sure to be touching each other’s arms or hands for added intimacy. This is one of those sweet poses that is easy to pull off and creates the perfect elopement feel.
Remember to keep time of day in mind if you are shooting outdoors. You want the light to be favorable and not too harsh, so early morning or evening lighting is preferable to noon or midday. Likewise, if you are indoors, try to take photos in ambient lighting, or with the right equipment so that shadows aren’t too harsh. You want soft light and a primary light source so there aren’t a bunch of messy shadows.
There are a lot of factors that go into stunning elopement photos but these are the most important. If you remember to stay flexible, pose naturally, and take your photos in good lighting, it’s easy to create beautiful shots that you will come out just the way you want and that you can cherish forever. For any additional posing questions, reach out! We are happy to assist in any way.
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