Ultimate Guide: How to Pose Couples Naturally

Today’s Post: Are you struggling with posing couples for an engagement session?  Are you curious how to pose couples naturally?  Using this guide to help you put your couples at ease and gain new inspiration for poses and photography ideas.

In the few years I’ve been in photography, I’ve learned a lot about posing and specifically posing couples. Whether it’s for a couples photography session, anniversary session, couples engagement session, wedding with the bride and the groom or a family session it can be pretty difficult at times depending on how awkward the couple is feeling, but I’ve learned a few things that will make the session much more enjoyable!

How to Pose Couples Naturally

Before I give you some posing ideas, here are a few pro tips:

• Make conversation – send them a couple questionnaire ahead of time to see what they’re interested in. This will help you A) know what client gifts will mean the most to them and B) give you conversation starters

• Bring a Bluetooth speaker for music! Music has a way of putting people at ease.

• Use a location that they’re comfortable in. Are they adventurous? Hike a mountain. Are they more chill? Make it more lifestyle by going to their favorite restaurant/coffee shop or doing an in-home session.

• Offer hair + makeup for the girls and give suggestions on what to wear – they’ll feel pampered and more photo ready!

Now here are a couple of my go-to poses to get things started:

How to Pose Couples for Engagement

Couples may feel a bit awkward (Jasmine Star writes on Natural Posing for Uncomfortable Clients) at the beginning of the shoot, so I usually ask them to do something simple that will help get out the jitters. One thing you can do is ask them to walk towards the camera. Demonstrate to them how you would like them to walk (otherwise they may speed-walk towards you) and tell them where to look.

Giving directions will help them see that you know what you’re doing and make them feel more at ease.

Another fun pose you can ask your couples to do is to dance. It also helps if you have some music going to set the tone. Start out asking the guy to twirl the girl and then ask them to slow dance. They’ll start giggling and often times you’ll get some great candids out of it if nothing else.

Another simple move you can do is ask the guy to cradle her, or give her a piggy back ride. Have them be forehead-to-forehead and if the guy can hold her a minute longer ask them to kiss. Swooooooon.

The forehead kiss. This is one of my favorite poses because it shows the sweet connection they share. Simple + sweet = the perfect posing recipe.

These are just a few tips you can use to make your couple sessions for enjoyable and fun for everyone involved. If you have more questions feel free to email me (joelle.arner@gmail.com) about my one-on-one mentoring sessions! I’d love to help you go farther in your photography business too.

Guest Blogger Joelle Arner has also written:

What To Wear When You are the Wedding Photographer 

10 Tips When Hiring a Second Shooter!

These are a MUST read!