My Top 10
Fun and Easy Poses
My couples come in all makes and models... short, tall, thick, thin, shy, or a combination of these traits, your photo shoot is about you being YOU and that is what I want to capture.
My belief is that your experience should be about “connection”. Your engagement shoot is often the first time you, as a couple, have been professionally photographed with one another. It’s a wonderful opportunity to capture your love and what it looks like from the outside: the way you laugh together, hold one another and interact with each other.
The goal is to be relaxed and with this guide, you will see how fun, enjoyable, and easy your engagement session experience will be. Your only job is to be as absorbed in one another as possible. Remember, it’s all about you as a couple.
So let's have a look at an actual engagement session of Lina & Josh where we shot in the beautiful coastline of Malibu at the picturesque El Matador Beach. Enjoy!
Pose 1
"The Farmer" or "Hipster Pose"
This is a quick and easy, "just stand there" moment. I almost always start with this pose as I want you to see how easy and fun this experience can be. Why do I call this pose the "Farmer" you ask? Have a look at this painting, a 1930 American Gothic, by Grant Wood (click here). Cracks me up as, I guess, no one back-in-the-day posed for portraits and this husband and wife look a bit stiff and petrified, to say the least. And while the name of the pose is sarcastically based on this painting, I know it is an easy pose for today's couples.
Then I ask you to stay standing where you are at and lean towards each other and kiss.... Now because I have set you a bit far away from each other I know this will be a silly "How in the heck are we going to do this?" moment which results in one or both of you breaking your stance and laughing. And this is what I want... I want you to be you.
"The Farmer" or "Hipster Pose"
Pose 2
"The Spin Move"
Ok, so by now, you can see that these poses are age-old and nothing more than me getting you to have some fun. And the spin move is, well, just that. Spin your partner "round and 'round. Remember, I keep shooting through the process as sometimes the little moments before or after the requested "pose" take place.
The Spin Move
Pose 3
"I'm Walking Here"
So now that you have fully accomplished "The Farmer" and "The Twirl" you graduate to the "I'm Walking Here" pose in your career of being a model!! I simply ask you to walk towards me. In the case of this couple, I knew that there were plenty of bushes that would have to be navigated to which I said, "just do your best"... Of course I also knew they would push, pull and shove each other a tad wSohich would result in... you guessed it, them being them with laughs and smiles. Then, for a last audible, when they get close to me I ask them to stop and give a small kiss.
"I'm Walking Here"
Pose 4
"The Look Back"
Upon completion of the walk towards me pose, I simply ask you both to walk away from me and then have you, my bride, give me a sneaky-fun look back. I let the moment be what it wants to be... I let you take it where you want it. In this photo, my bride cuddles into her fiance for a quiet embrace.
"The Look Back"
Pose 5
"The Intimate Pose"
While you are embraced, I take the opportunity to walk in for a closer, even more intimate, couple of images....
"The Intimate Pose"
Pose 6
"The Bear Hug"
Simple, needs very little input and is comforting... and is a great photo every time.
"The Bear Hug"
Pose 7
"The Lift"
We've all seen it. Sometimes goes great and sometimes, well, not so good... LOL. Like all moments and poses, I need to be aware of who can and wants to do what. Josh, being an avid bodybuilder, I knew he was more than capable and would also be more than happy to show his abilities to not only lift Lina into the air but toss her into the air. Up, up and away!!!
"The Lift"
Pose 8
"The Carry"
Like that of "The Toss" pose, not everyone wants to do this so I am very cognizant of who my couples are. If I am not sure, I ask... if you are game, we do it. If not, we move on and just keep having fun. I find though that this pose ends up being very fun and every now and then some slow-motion falls to the ground with everyone laughing.
"The Carry"
Pose 9
"The Dip"
The ultimate in all-time classic poses. We have all seen it but there is a bit of positioning that really helps to get this pose done right (I walk you through it at the shoot) and when positioned well, almost everyone can do it. And it's fun and a classic!
"The Dip"
Pose 10
"Freestyle"
So we have "broken the ice" with the above silly, but fun poses, and now that you are assured that it really is about you being you and that it really is okay to be yourselves, it's time to just go for it. So in this session, we decided it was time to go down the cliff to the beach. I let my couples lead the way so I can see what they are doing (holding hands, kissing, whatever). If I see a scene or if the light is right in a particular moment I ask to stay in that space and give a small request such as to embrace. I find this works well as you will have felt comfortable doing such just moments before and it then becomes very natural and organic. So enjoy Lina and Josh's ending image from their day!
Call or email to set up a session, it really is easy and fun and you will be left with fantastic memories that will last a lifetime.
"Freestyle"