It’s February and the month of Love is here! We thought we’d spice the blog up with a couples shoot of the lovely Liana and Anthony. Couples portraits and engagements are typically done out doors. Walking in the park, the beach, somewhere beautiful. It’s rare that I’ll get a request to have a couples shoot in the studio, and thought, “Heck, why not try this look in the studio?” For me as an artist, the use of a clean background and negative space is just as beautiful as being out on the beach. The subject is the center of focus and a beach, or negative space can enhance that subject powerfully to create an iconic moment.
Liana and Anthony are both 30 something’s and in love. They have great chemistry together and I was only too eager to capture that essence. While testing different lighting styles and shades of our white background, we also got to play with different poses. I’m a big fan of letting the moment happen and just waiting for it. The pose usually comes natural when working with a specific vision. However, for these two we experimented with who’s on what side and hand and body position. Pure, simple and authentic.
There’s a different kind of listening involved when working with couples. Different energy. One person may love the camera, while the other may be more shy. That was definitely not the case with these two love birds. By picking out a darker outfit for the two, we’re able to focus more on expression and the moment. Most people believe they have a “good side” that photographs better, but at proofing sessions, people often prefer photos of (what they consider) their weaker side. It’s more important to find a comfortable, organic pose than to perfectly sculpt a pose featuring your “good side.” That was definitely the case with this session.
Hand position is always a big thing to consider when shooting couples. Hands communicate so much in any kind of image. Hands wrapped around your partners waist can show possessiveness and affection. It can also look like your partner is pregnant or needs to be burped. Do not burp your partner!
Introducing Anthony on a stool with guitar allowed a few subtile moments that show style and also demonstrate different sides of their relationship.
And no shoot is complete without a few solo shots to boot.
No matter how much preparation, one is not really sure of what to expect in a shoot and we’re beyond excited for these and the other classics we couldn’t include here. With an open canvas, and this cute couple, we were able to sculpt something just as elegant as being outdoors.
***We love couples so much here in the studio, for the month of February we’re offering discounts for couples portraits, engagement sessions and dare I even say it, weddings! Drop us a line to take advantage of this offer!***
Happy Coupling!
Aleks
