A wedding photographer’s job is to capture you looking your best in your engagement photos. After all, you want to make sure you look as good as you feel: you have your best outfit on, your makeup is on point and your soon-to-be husband looks as charming and handsome as ever. Any good photographer knows that you may not feel the most comfortable or natural in front of the camera, so below are a few engagement photo ideas and tips to help you look great during your big photo shoot:
- Move, Don’t Pose
One of the best tips any photographer can give you is to keep moving. Posing can feel awkward for anyone who isn’t a professional Instagram model, and it can often be intimidating to have a camera pointed at you for an hour or two non-stop. Moving will ensure you’re in sync with your body and reveal your most flattering angles. Move with every shutter click and change your pose to find the most comfortable one. You can adjust your earring or play with your hair. You can lean toward your fiance or pull back, doing it ever so playfully. After all, engagement shoots are supposed to be fun! I also love to photograph my couples while they are moving or walking because it adds some spontaneity and renders some pretty awesome candid photos that would not be possible otherwise.
- Know Your Angles
A photo becomes more interesting when you give your body some curves. This can be achieved by simply putting your right foot forward and bending your elbows while you put your hands in your jean pockets. You can also lift one of your shoulders and tilt your head toward it – and BAM! You look just like a model. Study some celebrity red carpet photos and you’ll notice they do the same. This will showcase all the beautiful shapes of your body and will flatter all body types.
- Hands On!
One of the most frequent questions a bride will ask their photographer is “what should I do with my hands?” You may have a relaxed face during your engagement photo shoot, but awkward hands can give you away. One of the great engagement photo tips is to play with your engagement ring – show it off! You can also throw your arms around your fiance if you’re completely out of ideas. Oftentimes the simplest things like this are my absolute favourites.
- Location Matters
Choosing a photo shoot location where you feel at ease is so key. Whether it’s your favourite local coffee shop or a beach’s boardwalk, I love it when my couples feel familiar with the location. There are so many things that depend on it. The location’s character may set the mood and tone for how you pose, what you do and how you feel. While sunset photos on a beach may result in very relaxed, candid poses, downtown’s core will yield completely different results. So a great engagement photo idea for those who are camera shy is to pick a place that prompts you to do something active whether it’s walking, running, or even climbing! Having some sort of activity will bring you back to your comfort zone and result in natural, candid photographs.
- Don’t Fight The Weather
Sometimes we have to shoot in a complete thunderstorm or deal with enormously strong winds. I’d like to ensure you that it’s OK. I once shot an engagement photo shoot under pouring rain that started out of nowhere and it was bonkers! Thing like this happen and there’s no use to fight the weather. Instead of trying to tame the wind in your hair, let it go. Once you let the wind into your photos, it may work wonders. A much needed touch of movement into your dress or a little wind play in your hair makes you look like a star from a music video. Embrace nature and let all the positive emotions of the day come through in photos. Let your photographer shadow you at all times to capture the candid moments that you will want to look back on. Some of the most beautiful photography showcases true emotions so don’t be afraid to laugh, smile, or even cry if you want to.
Did you love this post? Check out some other engagement photography and photo poses ideas articles here:
Top 10 Toronto Photography Locations
Groom Photos: Mango’s Guide
Bridal Poses Ideas
