Poses for Engagement Photos

The Scenario

You just got engaged and now it’s full steam ahead with wedding planning. After much research, you booked your dream wedding photographer. Now it’s time for your engagement photos. You’ve nailed down the location and wardrobe, now all that’s left is the shoot itself. So let’s talk about poses for engagement photos. With attention to detail and a little preparation, you and your fiance will be able be present, enjoy your session and feel completely natural and comfortable in front of the camera.

When it comes to posing, there are a few things to keep in mind: Body angles and stance. Posture and gaze. Movement and interaction.

The Tips

Body Angles: Firstly, whatever is closest to the camera will appear largest and whatever is furthest from the camera will appear smallest. Therefore, you’ll want to avoid pushing your hips toward the camera, especially since they are likely the largest part of your body and will only photograph larger. Instead, you’ll want to put your weight on your back foot and push your hips back slightly. This will instantly make your hips look smaller. Additionally, this position will place your head, neck and face at a better angle relative to the camera by forcing you to lean forward slightly.
Stance: This one primarily goes out to all the males out there. Avoid distributing your weight equally. Start by staggering your feet and placing more weight on one foot. This stance will make you appear more relaxed and natural. Whereas standing evenly on two feet will read stiff and unnatural.
Posture + Gaze: Ladies, stand tall, roll those shoulders back and pop that booty. Arching your low back will create more shape and will accentuate your figure. Now bring one foot toward the midline of your body. This is another way we use body angles and positioning to create additional shape and contour. As kids what did our parents always say when correcting our posture? “Chin up”, right? Well I’m actually gonna tell you the exact opposite, and here’s why. By extending your neck forward and bringing your chin down slightly, you will elongate and tighten your neck, thus avoiding the infamous double chin. This also creates a much more flattering angle for your face. Think about the angle of the camera in relation to your face. If your chin was up, you would almost be looking over the camera rather than at it. Then the camera would be shooting up at you rather than straight at you. Thus capturing the underside of your chin and nostrils.
Movement + Interaction: Here’s the fun part. Let loose. The above tips are guidelines … tips to keep in mind, but they are absolutely not intended to make you stiff. Your engagement photography session should be enjoyable and memorable rather than dreaded and painful. This is a moment for you and your fiance to celebrate your engagement. So don’t be afraid to move, to dance, to sweep her off her feet and spin her around … to run off into the sunset. This is a celebration of your relationship. So smile at each other, snuggle into one another, kiss her cheek, give each other a bear hug, whisper in her ear … I think you get the point. But most of all, have fun with it … I guarantee you the candid,playful, candid, interactive shots will likely be your most cherished images.

Now go put these poses for engagement photos to use. I can’t wait to see the results!