Quick and Easy Poses for any Couple During a Photoshoot

By: Jackie Lamas  

Engagement sessions can feel intimidating and you might feel like your poses or photos are starting to look all the same. Or perhaps you’re having trouble getting a start at sessions? If that is the case, these poses will help you at your next engagement session and they work for all couples!

The following poses work for all couples. Give them a try and add variety to your photo session.

T-Bone Pose

This pose works for any couple as it is in the shape of a “T.”  Place one person (the taller person) 45-degrees from the camera. Then place the other person’s shoulder into the armpit area of the taller person.

From here, the couple can hold hands, snuggle into the pose, look at each other, and even hug. Also, you can have the taller person, or the person standing at 45-degrees, kiss the person who is leaning into them on the forehead or cheek.

See the shape of the “T” as the woman leans into the man’s chest in this photo and they snuggle close.

You can use this same pose with a little distance between the two and have them hold hands. Doing the pose this way can make it feel more powerful and strong.

Standing with arms interlocked

Start by having both people stand facing the camera. Ask one person to wrap their arms around the other person’s with the hands around the tricep/bicep area. Once they are in that pose, you can have the person who is wrapped around also lean their head on the shoulder.

Here you can add variety by getting up close and photographing the rings. Have the leaning person look down at their hands and get detail photos of their face. Alternatively, get one from farther back and have the couple look at each other in this pose.

This particular pose also works if you photograph the couple from behind and ask them to touch noses, foreheads, or to kiss lightly.

One person in front and one person behind

This pose can offer many different photos since you can photograph it from different angles. Have one person standing slightly in front but off to the side of the other person.

Here they can stand holding hands, or you can even have one person facing backward and angled so that their back is to the camera but facing the other person. From here, you can ask them to look at each other. Have one person look at the camera, or have them get closer little by little while you capture their reactions.

Have them face the camera and ask them to walk a bit with one person trailing behind. Do this a couple of times with them looking down, looking at each other, laughing or talking, or strolling. All of which will bring about authentic expressions while you’re photographing the pose.

Sitting down

Sitting down is another great pose for any couple. It can offer lots of different variations all within the same spot. You get different photos and won’t have to move your couple very much.

A combination pose sitting down using the t-bone set up along with the arm wrapped around and 

the head leaning on the shoulder.

This pose works best if you have a staircase, ledge, or stool of some kind to offer different height options. However, don’t worry, it also works if they sit on a curb or the grass.
The key here is to have the couple sit comfortably as if they were sitting on their own during a date. From there, you can make adjustments to hand positions and where they are facing.
Have the couple sit next to each other at an angle. Or have one person leaning into the other in a sitting t-bone shape. You can even have one person sitting and the other standing.

Photograph them in this position from behind, side, and front. This will give you a lot of variety within the same pose. Have them snuggle, hold hands, caress or fix each other’s hair, kiss, close their eyes and go forehead to forehead, or touch noses. All of these are great variations of the same sitting down pose.
Using different focal lengths and apertures will give you a lot of different types of photos of the same moment.

Natural posing

When in doubt, natural posing may just be the best pose for all couples. It can be extremely useful at times during the session when it can seem like the poses are getting stale or repetitive.

Natural posing is when you ask the couple to simply walk and enjoy the moment, or just sit and tell each other something they love about one another. You can also tell them to enjoy their surroundings or that you’ll be photographing them hanging out together as if you weren’t there.
This can bring about a lot of natural expressions, gestures, and relaxed poses from the couple that is much more authentic than any other pose you can put them in.

Usually, this works if you give them something to do like enjoying the moment or walking and exploring the location where they are. You can also tell them that you’re getting the settings right and just catch them being natural and relaxed.
This type of posing is really helpful at the beginning of sessions since most couples are nervous about having their photos taken. Getting them to relax while not having the pressure of looking at the camera or knowing how to pose can help them look natural.

Also, use this when you feel like your poses are getting repetitive, or you feel like you’re out of ideas. Natural posing can also lead to natural cuddles that you can ask your couples to repeat and hold so that you can get the shot.
Natural posing can break up the session and make it more fun, especially if you’re at a location like a coffee shop, carnival, or doing an activity with the couple.

Using poses that work for all couples can a great solid foundation when you’re getting started in couple shoots.

Also, these poses work for all couples and therefore, can be helpful when you have run out of ideas or need something new to use at your next couples shoot.
Which pose will you try at your next couples session?

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