During the wedding day shoot, it is necessary for you as a photographer to know how to pose your couples in positions that will showcase them in the best possible way. In our Posing Critique Webinar with Roberto Valenzuela, he shared how to analyze the intricate details of every pose.
Here at ShootDotEdit, we love to provide you with relevant content that can help you improve your business and attract more of the clients you love. Today, we’re continuing our educational Posing Deep Dive series with Roberto. If you have missed the first 4 installments of the series, you can access them here:
#2: Contrasting Colors can Make or Break Images
#3: Can Lighting Dictate the Pose you use?
#4: The Key to Successful Posing
This week, Roberto shares how paying attention to the small details can make big differences in the overall look and feel of your images.
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Today’s image was submitted by Ana Encinas, a Wedding and Lifestyle Photographer.
Highlights
The photographer did a great job with the bride and groom’s posture – they are positioned with their backs straight. After the bride and groom have been standing for the majority of the day, it is easy for them to begin to slouch. By paying attention to this detail, the bride and groom look engaged as they lean into one another.
Additional Insights
Create Angles with the Shoulders
One crucial aspect of posing the bride and groom is paying attention to the positions of each body part. The shoulders are an important part of the body, and they need to be positioned in a way that positively contributes to the image.
By examining the bride’s right shoulder in this image, you can see it blends into the groom’s face. To make the shoulders less of a distraction, slightly change the angle they are facing. In this case, the bride’s right shoulder is lifted too high – have her drop it down and turn her body clockwise. When you make this change, it will reveal the wall as the background for the groom’s face.
Pay attention to the Hands and Fingers
When posing the bride and groom during the wedding shoot, it is important for you to pay attention to what the hands and fingers are doing in each image. There are many ways in which the hands and fingers can become the main focus in an image. If they are not meant to be the focal point, reposition the direction or placement of them.
In this image, the bride’s right hand does not have a point of origin. Rather, it looks like it is coming out from the wall in the background. To adjust this, have her wrist visible to give an origin to where her hand is coming from. Bring the bride closer to the groom, and have her place her hand delicately on the back of his head with her fingers pointing upwards to the sky. Making this subtle change also gives the couple more of a connection, because they will be even closer to one another.
Related: How can you pose the bride so she looks her best in every image?
Additionally, the groom’s left hand is gently on the bride’s waist, and you can only see his fingers. There is a very simple fix for this! In this situation, have the groom move his hand back slightly so her body blocks his hand. By doing this, the viewer will not even see the groom’s left hand.
Position the Legs
During the process of posing the bride, let her know it is important to relax and feel comfortable in front of the camera. In this photo, the bride is in a stunning dress that allows you to see the outlines of how her legs are positioned. Take advantage of this! Have her place more weight on her right leg rather than her left. This way, the bride’s left leg can bend toward the groom.
As you reposition her, encourage her to bend her left leg to create a diagonal line that allows you to see the shape of the dress. As you do that, place the groom’s hand on her leg to place more emphasis on the bride.
Tip: Since the bride most likely spent a lot of time (and money) selecting her perfect wedding dress, be sure to feature its unique details. Continuously look for ways to pose the bride that will showcase her dress.
Eliminate Distractions
As you are shooting the bride and the groom during the wedding day, it is crucial that you eliminate distractions from the images. Distractions will cause the eye to focus on other elements in the scene rather than the bride and groom.
Related: Why are the detail shots so important to add to your clients’ wedding album?
In this image, it is important to ask yourself: “Are the flowers contributing to the story of this image?” In a situation like this, the bride and groom are sharing an intimate moment, and the bouquet acts as a barrier between the couple. When you are trying to create a specific scene or mood where the bouquet does not contribute to the overall image, encourage the bride to remove it for a few photos. This way, the focal point can be on the bride and groom.
“At least 90% of images with the bride and groom should not have the bouquet.”
Tip: If the bride asks to feature the bouquet in some of her images, use it in a traditional pose where she can also show off her dress.
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When you understand the fundamentals of properly posing, you will speed up your wedding shoots and provide your clients with images they love. Continuously practice posing couples and look at the intricate details that can change the overall outcome of the image. For more information on posing, download our Posing for the Wedding Photographer Guide!
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