Go to a cafe and take pictures of your couple having a nice hot chocolate with marshmallows by the crackling fire to keep warm. If it’s winter use the whiteness of the snow or the bleak bare branches of the trees to create a romantic story for your couple. For example, what season of the year is it? If it’s autumn, take advantage of the changing colors of the leaves, use the outfits of the season that make your couple feel warm and cozy – long boots, scarfs, hats. Sunsets, although in danger of being cliche, especially sunset silhouettes, produce strong and striking images.ĭon’t forget that you can leverage location and all the elements within the setting and not completely rely on light alone. The location or setting has a lot to do with how romantic a picture turns out. #2 – Consider the location, background, or scenery Instead, position them at an angle or sideways where there is some light on one side of their face and the other side has shadows. However, don’t make your couple face the window as that becomes flat light on their faces. Window light is one of the best natural directional light sources available. The important thing is to avoid flatness and create an atmosphere of light and shadow. Remember to bounce it so that there is directional light coming from the flash. If there is no such light, especially if the location is quite dark or the lights are all overhead, I tend to use my flash. To achieve this, position your couple in relation to the light, or move around yourself so that you are in the best place to capture the directional light. Look for directional light, usually coming from the side or at an angle. I try and avoid flat light or harsh overhead light which tends to kill any romantic ambience.īy flat light, I mean a light source which is directly in front of them so that it eliminates gradations of shadows and tones of light fall-off on the sides of their faces. Early morning and late afternoon light is soft and dream,y so if possible schedule your shoot during those windows. Romantic light is a poetic light that evokes that cocooning feeling. Here are my five tips for creating romantic portraits of couples. I thank them for being very amenable having me pretty much in their face during the entire photo session. Reminding them that on the wedding day they will hardly see me at all so for the engagement shoot I ask them to indulge the camera. I also talk to them a lot and give them directions as clearly as I possibly can. It’s that moment when they start to relax into each other’s arms after the first few seconds of feeling rather tense or self-conscious. It’s the in-between moments that are crucial to capture. I take plenty of shots during the warm-up for them to get used to me but I’m always intentional in what I’m looking for – that fleeting glance at each other, the split-second expression, a warm squeeze and cuddle they allow themselves to have. After all, they will never see those people again. I tell them to just laugh it all off, not to mind passers-by, and to ignore any stares. I encourage them to be themselves and help them throw off any self-conscious feelings. They are given permission to feel awkward and laugh at themselves. Instead, we will have a warm-up to get used to the camera, to feeling really silly about it all and that they can laugh as much as they like at themselves and how silly they may feel. I then tell the couple I’m just going to start taking photos and that there is no pressure for anything to be perfect. I do give them some suggestions which you can find here Tips for Taking More Natural Engagement Portraits. The first 15-20 minutes of the shoot is always a warm-up. As part of my job, I aim to make the whole experience pain-free for them, hopefully, fun too, and still end up with some super romantic shots without being too corny, cliche or cheesy. I would feel very awkward if I were in their places. For many of my couples, it’s their first time being photographed together in an intimate way where they are expected to be super affectionate and loving towards each other in public. I photograph weddings and often do an engagement shoot with the couple beforehand. I think I would want something a little bit more artistic but definitely leaning more on the natural side. However, when it comes to romantic portraits of couples, I don’t want romantic to translate as cheesy or cliche. When I hear the word romantic, what comes to mind is a dreamy, poetic, passionate image, full of unspoken affection and sometimes, a touch of mystery.
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