POSING GUIDE FOR BRIDES

THE BEST POSING TIPS I HAVE LEARNED FROM YEARS IN WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY

Let me start with a disclaimer. This article is not about how you can change the way you look, or tell you that you are not beautiful the way you are. I believe very strongly that the most important skill a wedding photographer should have is the ability to find something beautiful in every person and enhance it. My philosophy is that I wanna focus on your best features, and let them shine rather than focus on trying to hide the features you don’t like.

Very often I hear brides ask me, if I can photoshop varies parts of their bodies, to look more flattering in their eyes. It could be a groom that wants his belly to look smaller or a bride that wants slimmer arms. To that I always reply:

“IF I COULD TELL YOU, THAT JUST BY ADJUSTING YOUR POSE SLIGHTLY, YOU WOULD CORRECT THAT. WOULD IT NOT MAKE YOU MORE HAPPY TO KNOW THAT IT IS YOU WHO’ LOOKS STUNNING, AND NOT JUST ME THAT IS GOOD IN PHOTOSHOP?” - I AM STILL WAITING FOR THE BRIDE OR GROOM THAT WILL ANSWER ME NO TO THAT QUESTION.

I want you to keep reading on if you wanna learn a few tips and tricks to how you can show your best site on your images.

HOW TO GET HOURGLASS FIGURE

What would you say if I told you that I can teach you how to either get more figures or to have less if you think you have too much to share? It is about the pose, and how you shape your body toward the camera. Creating an S-shape enhances your features as a woman, and gives that extra feminine look. To achieve the look simply stand with your feet close together. Turn your body 45 degrees to the camera, and shift the weight to one of your hips. Slightly bend the leg closest to the camera, and push your body ever so slightly towards the camera. 
That is your foundation, and you can variate in a million ways from this pose alone.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW

Important to understand is, that if you shift the weight to your hip furthest away from the camera, your behind will appear smaller, and the opposite applies if you shift the weight towards the camera. Also important to note, is the angle of the leg closest to the camera. If you bend it too much and show the side of your legs, then it will appear heavier, than if you are showing the front. To achieve this, slightly bend the front leg, and push is a little over the other knee. Another side benefit of this pose is, that by pushing your hips back, and your chest forward, your stomach will appear smaller, and your chest more generous.

IN SHORT: STAND STRAIGHT WITH YOUR FEET CLOSE APART, TURN YOUR BODY 45 DEGREES FROM THE CAMERA, BEND THE FRONT LEG AND SHIFT THE WEIGHT TO THE HIP FURTHEST AWAY FROM THE CAMERA.

How much emphasis this shape you wanna make is a creative decision. I sometimes use this technique more aggressively, if the groom is a bit shorter than the bride. By letting her shape her body like this, she looses a bit of her height, and the groom will appear taller next to her.

PUTTING EMPHASIS ON YOUR FIGURE

By creating a bit of air between your arms and the side of your body, it is easier to see your figure. If it’s hidden behind your arms, then it can be difficult for the viewer to see, where your body stops, and it can appear as if it continues behind your arms.

The same thing applies to your legs. This is not a rule of photography but in every form of art. Basically, we are trying to separate the lines of our figure, to create more emphasis on them

A GOOD RULE OF THUMB IS: “IF IT BENDS, BEND IT!” - JUST BY BENDING YOUR ARMS SLIGHTLY, YOU MOVE THEM AWAY FROM YOUR BODY, AND YOU SHOW YOUR WAIST. I GOOD SIDE BENEFIT OF DOING THIS, IS THAT YOUR ARMS WILL ALSO APPEAR MORE ROUND AND SLIM. WHEN YOUR ARMS ARE PUSHED UP AGAINST YOUR BODY, THEY TURN FLAT AND THEREFORE ALSO WIDER.

It can feel awkward to have your arms out of the body, and it is also important not to overdo it. I normally say that we need to give you an excuse to have your arms out. That could be by holding the flowers in various ways, or by putting your arms around your husband.

HOLDING THE FLOWERS.

Firstly let’s make sure we are showing them off. By pointing them towards the camera we will see the flower heads and not the stems.

The height of the flowers should be just below belly button level, but you can also variate this, by elegantly holding them in one hand and letting them fall to one side. Or holding it over your groom’s shoulder, in a romantic embrace.

ARCHING YOUR BACK, AND PUSHING YOUR SHOULDERS BACK.

The fashion of wedding dresses is constantly changing, but for some time now, I’ve seen a lot of dresses with open shoulders and no straps. It is a beautiful look, but the biggest fear I hear from my brides is that they have lumps of skin pushed up at their armpits. Even the smallest of women can experience this, and luckily it is easy to correct. Simply push your shoulders slightly back and the skin around your armpits will automatically be stretched.

Doing this and arching your back will not only give you a better stand but also make you appear taller and your bust full.

THE DOUBLE CHIN.

When we relax, smile and laugh, it is a natural behaviour to move our heads back. There is something delightful about seeing a person in a full laugh like that. Important to remember though, is that when you move your head back, most people also expose an extra chin or two.

To straighten up your chin, you move your jaw down and out towards the camera.

My tips have been practical and general posing guiding, but the reality is that if you want the most stunning authentic images from your wedding day, then there is no recipe to true beauty. My best advice for you is, to use the emotions of the day. Don't be afraid to show the intimacy and love you are feeling at the moment. Forget about the pressure of the wedding day, and that you need to go back to entertain your guests. Stay in the moment, and you will treasure the result forever and truly look beautiful!