HOW TO LOOK YOUR BEST IN YOUR WEDDING PORTRAITS

Posing is an ART. And understandably it’s an art that a lot of couples are nervous about. Every couple that contacts me about their wedding will invariably say something to effect of ‘I am really unphotogenic’ or ‘I take a terrible photo’ even though they have never done a photo shoot! The mere thought of it makes them uncomfortable. Being in front of a camera is confronting for anyone.

The good news is that a professional wedding photographer will alleviate those concerns for you as it is their job to not just “memorize” poses, but to learn how to “build” a pose for their couples. This is what they have spent years developing.

Another great way to approach your day is to understand a few basic posing tips. I call these the foundations of posing.

1. Imaginary String

First off you want to ensure that your spine is straight, but NOT stiff and unnatural. I often ask my couples to imagine there is a string attached to the back/top of their head, pulling them up. Have a straight spine and natural curve in your lumbar (lower back).

Lyndsey perfectly demonstrates just how that looks, shame about the I’m-so-hilarious brother and sis-in-law in the back ground lol

2. Pull the Ears Forward

When someone stands in their normal relaxed stand, or even uses the imaginary string trick, there is a little bit of flab right underneath their chin. No matter how skinny they are, you will see this. To avoid that, bring your ears forward.

Sometimes I call this “turtling,” because you may feel like a turtle coming out of your shell. It is a bit uncomfortable or unnatural, but the results are always worth it.

Chuan, as you can see, looks nothing like a turtle!

3. Weight Distribution

You want your weight distribution to be uneven or else your pose will look unnatural. There are two ways to do this. Either cross one leg over the other or put more weight on your back leg. 

Walking very slowly is a great natural way to achieve this as shown here by Ben & Bindi-Lee.

And Annmaree does a stunning job of demonstrating the never-fail move of bringing one knee across the other. This one move can beautifully highlight the natural curves of a woman’s body.

4. Lift the Arm

When people stand naturally, another thing they do is stand with their arms flat at their sides. This causes several problems. First, it makes them look awkward and uncomfortable in the photo. Secondly, their arm presses against their torso. This squishes the arm out and makes it look larger than it actually is. You can correct that by having them just lift their arm an inch or two so it is “floating” and not pressed against them. Alternatively, you can pose their hand so the arm is in a different position, such as putting their hand on the hip.

5. Turn the Shoulders Ladies!

This is a very simple but important tip for the Bride. If you face the camera head-on, it can make you look bigger. This can be great when shooting the groom, but having the bride turn, you are showing a slimmer profile of yourself to the camera.

This image is a classic example. Andy is facing me while Jess has her body turned to the side.

6. Holding Something

When you hold something it naturally gives your hands something to do, but also brings attention to that object. Here I have shot Elise holding a glass of champagne which compliments her elegant style and the classic car. 

And of course the bouquet is a wonderful addition to any and all Brides! They add colour, texture and the always allow the hands to be engaged.

7. Posing The Eyes

So where should you look?

Where you look can dramatically change the feel of the portrait. As you can see in the first photo I had Rhianna look away, giving a candid feel to the portrait. But no matter where you look, you want to avoid only seeing the “white” part of your eye.

In this 2nd portrait of Rhianna as with the one of Courtney, I had them pay very close attention to the movement in the camera…

Why?

When you focus on something intensely, it triggers the Parietal Lobe in the brain. This brings out a VERY captivating look in the eyes.

Of course there are many more techniques in a professional photographer’s repository, you will never have to worry about how to pose, they will take care of you. But understanding these few basics may allow for you to relax and enjoy the shoot. I promise it will be fun!

Look out for the next two emails because I am going to be sending you more gifts!

Warmly,
Sally