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Couples Photography – Capturing Love Stories
Couples Photography –
How to Capture the Love
Click Love Grow grad Dana Whitley loves couples photography so much, she decided to make the genre the sole focus of her business.
I’d loved all of Dana’s work (especially her photos of her boys… I die!). But in particular, her couples photography always stopped me in my tracks.
So naturally I’ve been chasing after Dana to let us feature one of her sessions! Of course, they’re all so consistently good I could spin around blind folded and pin the tail on any one of of her sessions and it would be amazing!
So, here we go… Dana shares her tips on how to shoot in away that captures the connection of her subjects, and creates authentic and beautiful images.
Authenticity
I strive to capture authentic moments for couples, and their love for each other.
In order to do that, I need to help them to get comfortable enough with me that they will be vulnerable in front of the camera. I also need to get to know them, to understand their relationship dynamic.
Connect
Some couples are really silly whilst others are more reserved. Not all couples are going to be comfortable with really intense embraces, and other couples don’t do surprise bear hugs and piggy back rides.
So with that in mind, the first thing I do is to simply chat, and ask general questions. Once I have a good feel for them as a couple, it influences the way I direct and the prompts I use.
Posing & Prompts
I never strictly pose couples or ask them to look at the camera. I will suggest relaxed poses, and resist the urge to micro adjust them. I want them to be comfortable and familiar in the way they hold each other.
Keep Moving
I like to keep them moving as much as possible, whether that’s hugging, talking, laughing, walking, running or dancing.
However, for most people, having their portraits taken makes them feel a bit uncomfortable. For that reason I won’t push them into a really emotional moment right away. Instead, I usually start sessions with more active, silly prompts to loosen them up. After this they’re more likely to be vulnerable when you move into trying to draw out those emotive, raw moments.
Action Based Prompts
A few fun, more action based prompts I love to use are:
- Hold hands and walk/run away from me/back to me. For this one I like to have one of them lead so they are not side by side as it adds depth and interest.
- Run up and jump on his back and whisper something silly in his ear.
- Nuzzle deep into her neck, now purr like a cat! Super silly but always makes fun couples crack up and be really close at the same time.
- Dance. In this session I asked him to spin her and see if her skirt would twirl!
If you think they’re up for it, ask him to dip her!
Don’t forget the piggy back ride! This will always bring laughter.
Emotive Prompts
Once I feel they’re comfortable, I’ll try quieter poses. For example:
- Face one another and put your foreheads together
- Touch noses
- Wrap each other up in a tight embrace
- Hold hands, entwine fingers
- Kiss fingers
You can vary most of those poses in so many ways:
- Standing facing one another
- One person standing behind
- Sitting side by side
- Sitting facing one another
- Sitting with the person in front leaning back into their partner’s body
Related: 20 Poses For Natural Photos
Once I have them in position, I give them a prompt, or just chat with them. Some of the emotive prompts I use are:
- Tell him/her the first time you realized you were in love.
- Close your eyes and take five deep breaths together.
- Do a rom com movie kiss, but it has to be in super slow motion.
After asking a question or prompting the couple, I observe and snap away! A lot of times the moments following their reactions are really sweet and genuine.
Getting Variation
I vary my own position to get multiple shots from a single pose/prompt.
I’ll move around them to get the expression from each of my subjects.
I’ll also try different perspectives… if they’re sitting, I’ll shoot down on them from a standing height. It’s a great way to add depth and really convey their connection.
Also, getting a close up and wide shot for every position is a great way to get different looks without even moving them.
Gear & Settings
Lenses & Focal Length
I shoot with a Nikon d7200 and for this session I used a 24mm and 85mm.
The wide angle allows me to include large expanses of a beautiful location. If that location was chosen because it’s uniquely special to the couple, it’s particularly important to include it in some shots.
The longer focal length is great as they enable you to step back a little and that’s more conducive for some couples to relax and connect.
CLICK HERE to download our lens buying guide to help you decide what's your next best purchase!
Shutter Speed
As I tend to keep my subjects moving throughout a couples photography session, a fast shutter speed is essential. I never let it drop below 1/250… and preferably faster!
Don’t be afraid to use your ISO to balance exposure.
Related: Embracing High ISO
By the time I took this shot, the sun had gone down and I had to push my ISO to 4000.
Depth of Field
I love a shallow depth of field to help them really pop from the background. With that in mind, I typically shoot between 1.8 – 2.8. I dream of a 1.4 lens though!
Beautiful, amiright?! We hope you get a chance to try out some of Dana’s tips for couples photography!
If you’re shooting in manual mode and you’re ready to elevate your photography through more complex and creative techniques our Advanced Photography Course is for you! We’re starting again soon. Get your name on the wait list… it’s the best way to ensure you don’t miss out!
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[…] Please check some of the other portraits I have taken and also give a look at this cool blog. […]