Whether you're a brand new wedding photographer that needs some guidance on wedding poses or you've been at it awhile and just need a little inspiration, this wedding photography posing guide is for you!
Given that weddings are such an important subject, you certainly want to go into it as prepared as possible, with plenty of ideas for wedding poses for photography.
In the video above, Jessica Kobeissi gives an overview of some crucial tips and tricks that will result in improved results.
Her tips specifically address natural light wedding photography, though if you use artificial lighting, many of her tips still apply.
Have a look at the video above, and for a refresher of some of her best tips, check out the recap below.
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Pay Attention to the Details
Wedding poses should be all about enhancing the quality of the photos you take.
Not only does that mean putting the couple in the best photo position to highlight their love for one another, but it also means utilizing the lighting that's available to show off some of the finer details in the image.
That often means putting the sun behind the couple, that way its light can act as a rim light, highlighting the bride's hair, for example, or catching reflections off of items like decorative hair clips or brooches.
In the screenshot above, notice the warm glow of the light on the bride's hair and how it illuminates her dress for a little more drama in the shot.
Pose the Couple for Close-Ups
When thinking about wedding poses, you need to mix it up a bit and have a variety of images that show different points of view.
That means full-body, half-body, and close-up photos as well.
When getting in close, it's often a good idea to have the couple get physically closer to one another as well.
In the image above, you can see how the couple has moved from having their cheeks near one another in the previous shot to having their foreheads touching in this shot.
The act of bringing the couple closer together for a close-up shot makes for a much more intimate image, particularly if you have them engage in eye contact.
Find Different Types of Light
When working with natural light, it's important to add variety to your wedding photo poses by shooting in various types of lighting.
In the previous two images, the lighting was very bright and harsh, which created some beautiful overexposed backgrounds that gave the photos a light and airy feel.
In the image above, though, you can see how moving the couple to the shade offers much more even, flat lighting that gives the image a much different mood.
The mood of this shot is also different because of the posing. Notice how this photo is a little more casual, with the bride holding her bouquet loosely at arm's length.
To give your portfolio of images the most impact, try mixing and matching formal and informal poses like this one.
Wedding Photography Posing Guide: Get the Best Shots by Moving Around
One of the challenges of posing couples for wedding photos is that they aren't exactly dressed to move around a lot.
That means that to get the most variety, you need to be the one that moves around to get pictures from different perspectives.
Once you pose the couple, as was done in the image above, move to the right and left. Kneel down and shoot up towards them. If possible, get a higher vantage point, too.
The point is that if you move around, you can get four, five or more different looking photos, all without having to repose the couple.
It's a time-saving trick that will positively impact the quality and quantity of the photos you take.
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Show Off Wedding Poses With a Gorgeous Print
I had some friends get married a couple of years ago, and their photographer was extremely talented.
The problem wasn't with the quality of the photos - it was with the quality of the products she provided to them. Learn more about photography poses for boys on our website PhotographyTalk.com.
There's nothing worse than a beautiful wedding portrait that's ruined by being printed poorly. After all, what's the point of spending all that time posing the couple and perfecting the image if it's then presented in a low-quality print?
Instead, make a statement with your work by presenting your clients with a large-format canvas print.
As you can see in the image above, canvas can be a beautiful vessel for showing off the love the couple has for one another (and all the effort you put into highlighting that love!).
Our large canvas print far exceeds our expectations! Spectacular! - Kamal M., Atascadero, CA
Prints from companies like CanvasHQ give you the best results because they're dedicated to perfecting the image from getting the colors just right to selecting the best finish for the image to constructing a frame that will hold straight and true for generations to come.
On top of that, these guys are committed to getting your prints to you and your clients fast. But don't think that fast equals poor quality, because that couldn't be further from the truth.
LOVELY work & incredibly quick. LOVE CanvasHQ! - Meredith I., Westbrook, ME
I have quite a few canvases from CanvasHQ, and I can tell you first-hand that they are the best canvas prints I've ever gotten.
If only I'd known about these guys when I got married, I'd have a huge canvas of my wife and I on the mantel!
With a variety of finish options, different frame depths, and a commitment to customer satisfaction, there's really no better experience in getting fine art prints than CanvasHQ.
So, don't put in all your time and effort to posing couples for your photos. Instead, save a little time and energy to get them the best quality print possible as well!