5 Essentials for Amazing Couples Shoots

Everyone loves, love! I sure do! 

During the summer, I was fortunate to book three couples’ sessions with amazing couples; one of which had been married for 25 years! These sessions had their share of amazing moments, as well as challenges. Here are a few tips to enhance your next couple’s photography session.

Get to know your clients

Its important to not only understand a couple’s vision for their photos, but to have a grasp of their personalities, as this will shine through in your images. As the photographer, I always take the time to get to know my clients by asking about their likes and dislikes, their vision for the photos, and their personalities. This goes a long way to determine an appropriate location, such as a quiet hideaway,  a dynamic environment or somewhere that is meaningful to the couple. Getting to know your clients also gives you the opportunity to break the ice, and to build trust with your couple. Once trust is established, its easier to warm up and take some heartfelt photos.

Understand the colour theme and attire

Do your research; is this a casual shoot or a more formal affair?  Be sure to enquire the colour palette of the shoot, your client’s style, and possible location preferences. It’s important to not only place your clients in the appropriate setting, but to use colours artistically to provide contrast and artistic flare. Couples are encouraged to complement each other, and should not feel forced to match their spouse. This will provide some edge and contrast that will make your portraits stand out!

Come with ideas and poses

Preparation is the key to success! Before every shoot, I ensure that the time of the shoot matches the time of day when the lighting is ideal. I also look for the best spots on location to pose my clients. This ensures that the time on location is maximized, and that issues are reduced to the minimum.

Check the weather and location for events

However, not everything is always within your control. While you can go through great lengths to ensure that you are prepared and that the couple knows their motivation; life happens!  I was unpleasantly surprised to arrive at my photo shoot location and find that a festival was scheduled for that day. As a result, there was no available parking, the crowd was dense and the festival music made it impossible to hear anything else. I had to think quickly, and with the permission of my clients, I moved the shoot to a nearby location. I would encourage you to always have alternative locations when shooting outdoors.

In the Bahamas there are only two seasons; raining season and dry season. Therefore, it’s important to check the weather to ensure that the shoot doesn’t need to be rescheduled. In the event of inclement weather, be flexible with your clients and provide solutions.

Let it flow naturally

Barring acts of God, let your couple take the lead in love, as you happily guide them! Allow them to express themselves in ways that are authentic, while suggesting to them the next idea or pose. Giving helpful suggestions and encouragement goes a long way when capturing love. Some poses could incorporate movement, dance, games and conversation. I have tried these and had stunning results and more authentic expressions!

I hope these tips were helpful and that your next couple’s session captures the unique love story of your couple.