10 Poses for Perfect Photos of Couples

Are you photographing an engagement session or wedding and out of ideas?

Here are 10 cute ideas for couples that work (almost) every time. Keep this list in your pocket as a reference guide for photography poses for couples.

Head on shoulder

If you are working with a couple where the woman is the same height as her man or a few inches shorter, you can ask her to rest her head on his shoulder. This looks good when they are standing side by side, and even better when she is standing almost behind him. Have the man look down and back at the woman and the woman look right into the camera or up toward her man.

Cheek to cheek

A classic pose, many people will do this naturally. With faces toward the camera, have your couple press their cheeks and temples close together. This isn’t super creative, but allows you to see two faces very clearly and to potentially fill the frame.

Foreheads together

Have your couple simply put their foreheads together. Make sure their eyes are closed because it looks weird when their faces are so close together. They should hug each other around the waist or neck and look affectionate. They can be smiling or serious, depending on the mood you are trying to capture.

Hug from behind

Typically one person is taller than the other. Have the taller person stand behind the other, but at a slight angle (so the aren’t hiding behind) and hug them around the shoulders. You can have the couple look at the camera or focus their attention on each other by turning their faces in.

Holding hands

Have couple stand side by side and hold hands. This should be very easy for them to do. Vary the distance between them so they are standing close for a few shots and standing a step apart for a few shots. It may feel strange to hold hands with some distance between, but it does look natural. You can also take this shot from behind if you have a nice open background to work with. Don’t have the couple face a wall.

Kissing

If they are comfortable with some PDA on camera you can ask your couple to kiss. The best kissing photographs capture that moment right before the lips touch, so ask the couple to move in slow and not to pucker their lips as they approach. You are looking for that moment of anticipation before the smooch and you may have to ask the couple to kiss a few times to get it just right. They probably won’t mind!

The dip

This is a controversial pose. Some people think it is super cheesy. Others really like it. I think it all depends on the execution. Have the man stand behind the woman and place himself in her center of gravity. This will ensure that everyone stays safe and the look is just right.

Walking together

If your couple can walk and chew gum at the same time, they can walk while being photographed. Ask them to hold hands and smile at each other while they are walking. It looks best if they keep they hips pretty close together while walking. You can also ask them to stop for a kiss as they are walking.

Whisper in the ear

A cute pose for a couple is for one to whisper in the other’s ear. Ask them to say something sweet or funny to the other person. It’s great to see the reactions on faces when they say these things and you get a great shot of both faces looking natural and relatively unposed.

Hands (rings) together

Take one hand and place it on top of the other. This is a great close up shot to showcase the rings. Typically, you will put the engagement ring on top and front and center. If it’s a wedding, you can get both (or all three) rings in the shot.