When shooting couples, as photographers we try and create an intimate atmosphere and a magical space where two people can express their love for one another; but when a camera is around it can be a little hard to relax!

This guide will help you learn how to create a beautiful atmosphere with your couple that look natural and feel effortless!

1.     Create a Storyboard

Knowing what you want before starting a shoot will not only help you, but will help your couple with some posing tips with seeing your vision on paper. Pinterest is a great resource for some pre-shoot inspiration. Get together a range of styles; full body, mid-shots and close-ups so you have a range of different options to explore on the day. Showing your couple some of your ideas will help them see what you have in mind and give them an opportunity to share with you some of their ideas if they have any. Be open to all since you’re creating a shared space of your talent and their love and intimacy on camera - happy space for all.

2.     Create a Cosy Atmosphere

Put on some music, create a comfy spot to sit, the more comfortable everyone is the better the photos will turn out. Its all about creating trust between you and the couple to create these natural and effortless photos. The couple you work with has to be comfortable and trust you to guide them and make them feel safe.

I think the best way to initially break the barrier is by talking and creating conversation. This way it isn’t only shooting thats important, its the experience!

Creating a light-hearted atmosphere will ensure better photos and a more comfortable couple.

3.     Use Props

Props are a great way to add a new dynamic to a scene to create natural photos - and if you’re having some trouble chatting, getting your couple to focus on a subject can help ease you and them into the process. These photos can be quite playful and seeing the way a couple interacts with these props further enhances the scene and atmosphere you’re trying to create!

In my example I got my couple to open a bottle of Champagne together and drink some from some flute glasses. It was fun to have them shake up the bottle and have it spray everywhere. This further enhanced the celebration of the two together and you can see by the expressions on both of their faces the fun the two were having together in this moment - after-all photography at the end of the day is about capturing moments!

This helped get the couple focused on doing a shared activity together and in turn - they forgot I was even there. Using props and doing shared activities creates a bond between the couple and shows their emotions towards each other - creating a light hearted and fun experience - which is definitely shown in the photos!

4. Get Them Moving!

Walks, twists, twirls, and jumps; get them moving! When you get your couple moving about - it adds another dynamic to your photos and really shows the ‘moment captured in time’ feel - which is what we’re going for to create natural and effortless photos!

Ask your couple to run away into the distance together (or towards the camera), give each other piggy back rides, or to twirl when they’re dancing together! All this creates movement in your images and will have the couple again focusing on something besides the camera - which is each other!

Getting your couple to move around together will get them laughing, being more playful with each other and will create its own kind if intimacy. In turn you’ll be able to capture those more intimate moments with them where they’re reactions are more natural and less ‘posed’. Even though we’re not using props this time, the same effect is happening, which is creating an atmosphere where the couples can focus on a shared activity together. Always makes for a relaxed couple and beautiful moments!

5.     Get Them Talking

Get them talking about anything and everything about them!

I love to get to know a couples story, so I’ll ask the questions of how they met, what they’re favourite thing about their partner is, where they’re first date was, etc. These types of questions will get the couple reflecting and remembering all they’re favourite moments with their person. This will create an intimate atmosphere between your couple as they focus on their love for each other.

More often than not, the couple will make each other laugh once you get them talking, which will make for some more natural photos.

If you want some great shots of them laughing, you can ask silly questions like what is the funniest thing the other one does, or ask what is a memory of theirs where they couldn’t stop laughing or a little quirk of the others they love. These will create those beautiful laughing photos you see below.

Once you guide them a bit, they’ll likely start conversing and bouncing off of each other with their beautiful stories and memories. Getting a couple talking about the amazing times they’ve shared, the emotions will be highlighted all over their body language and emotions towards each other, and the photos captured with reflect their love for one another well and truly.

Summary

Simply put, the easiest and best way to create natural and effortless photos is to find ways to get your couple relaxed and comfortable - to help them forget the camera is even there.

Talking with them, getting them to run around and be free with each other, free to be silly with each other, and getting them talking about each others relationship - all of these things help create this relaxed environment. It creates a deep sense of trust between you and your couple by creating an atmosphere where they are free to talk with you and be themselves around you. When it feels fun and lighthearted, its going to reflect in the photos you take.

That being said, I know it can be nerve-racking taking photos of couples for the first time, but if you focus less on how the photos are going to turn out and more on creating this fun and cosy atmosphere, your photos are almost guaranteed to reflect the love and fun your couple has with one another.

Just relax and take it slow! Get to know your couple a bit and the rest will come with ease!

Happy Shooting my fellow creatives!

If you enjoyed this blog let me know below! and if you have more ideas for future blogs I’d love to hear them!