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Shoot: Mature Couple Poses

Lesson 21 from: Posing 101

Lindsay Adler

Shoot: Mature Couple Poses

Lesson 21 from: Posing 101

Lindsay Adler

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Lesson Info

21. Shoot: Mature Couple Poses

Photographing older couples depends on reading their dynamic and choosing the most flattering poses for both subjects.

Lesson Info

Shoot: Mature Couple Poses

Everything is couples. Couples everything. Before it was all about women. Now, it's all about couples. So what we're going to do is we're going to start and talk about mature couples, so an older couple. And actually, our lovely couple, you already know them. So, let's go over the basics. What I want you guys to know is for mature couples, you definitely still wanna refer back to couples posing guides. We talked about that yesterday. We got into the essentials of posing couples. The do's and don'ts. The things the watch out for. But here are the nuances, or the things that are a little bit different when you have a mature couple. All right, so, one thing that I will advise you is to read the couple's dynamic. Not everybody is kissy, you know, and touchy. And they don't wanna nuzzle necessarily. It's not necessary for a portrait. Especially if someone's older. It's not like you need to have like, I'm gonna do a couple poses later maybe kissing the neck and, okay, you can. But I probably...

wouldn't advise it. So here what I recommend is just read their dynamic. If there's a lot of affection and touching already when they're just standing there holding hands, arms around, then you know that you're fine. If not, then you don't need to go as in depth with the multiple points of interaction, which is what we talked about in the essentials for couples. What I do, is I start more traditional. Which I mean honestly I read as boring. But you know what, I start traditional. The poses that we know work. The poses that have been traditional couple poses forever. I get those done and then I go a little bit more unusual. Because, I don't want somebody who's maybe older who has a certain expectation to be thrown off right away and think, like, okay, what. I don't wanna, you know, kiss her neck. This is, you know, have it be weird. I start off with basic poses. Always remember though, it's body language. Heads titled together at all times. And I know that is an essential of a couple's posing guideline, but that's a really important one. And then, last but not least, just like with mature men, just like with mature women, poses can be more subtle. You don't need to go over the top. It's the whole quiet confidence thing. You don't need to reinvent the wheel. Just flatter them. I don't know of any mature couples, usually, that want sitting on the ground. Or laying out. Or anything, you know, a huge dip in kiss. It can just be dignified and beautiful. And so that's what we are going to do. So I am going to photograph these lovely people. Hi guys. And can I have that light out here. And I'm gonna grab my camera. So would you guys stand right here. Perfect. Let me grab my camera. All right. So I'm gonna tell you a couple do's and don'ts right away. So a big do and don't, do you guys know each other? Ah, no. Okay. So. (audience laughing) So what you're saying is you do want me to have you kiss. (audience laughing) I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. I just had to check. Like. We both know now. Oh okay. Okay. Good. I like that. Good answer. Will you come forward just a little bit. Perfect. Okay. So a big don't. Will you face each other and put both of your hands on each other's hips. And you have to be close like you know each other. Okay. I see this a lot is that people just hold on. Or they just wrap their arms around each other's shoulders. Or something like that. So what you always want to do is you always want to have asymmetry. You don't want them to be doing the same pose. And if you also look, it's not that they need to be pressed up really tight to each other. But right now they have, they're naturally leaning back a little bit. So you want to make sure body, and well I know they don't know each other. But, people do that anyway. You know they lean back a little bit. So here's what we're gonna do. Really, really basic poses. I'm gonna have you hold hands in the front. And I'm gonna have you put your shoulders together in the back. Perfect. And I'm gonna turn your bodies in a little bit more and bring your hips together. Okay. So you are going to hold hands like you're dancing. Okay. Just kind of like that. Perfect. And lean your heads together. All right. And hands down just a little bit more. This is totally fine for a more traditional couple's pose. So I'm gonna grab that as pose number one. Okay. And soft hands. Don't look like you're trying to cause pain to each other. (instructor laughing) Perfect. Let me make sure. It did not flash. Let me just check this. Maybe it's not on. It's quite possible it's not. Yeah. That's a good place to start. Okay, let's try this again. Perfect. Oh. Blink. One more. And I will tell you a slight flaw that I see. Okay. When we bring this image up. Not that one. When we bring this image up, and not that one, what don't I like. (audience members speaking faintly) Okay. So I don't like the fingers poking out. There are, there's really one other big thing. Yes. You got it. Okay. Because she's leaning into him she's actually leaning back, and it's not flattering. So what you wanna do is you wanna lean forward. So you can still tilt your head towards him but don't lean back and you don't have to tilt that much. A little less. And lean towards me just a little. So what you can do is, right now, the reason she's having this problem, her feet are tight together. She's flat foot. Feel free, even though you're trying to be as tall as him, put your weight on your back hip. It makes a big difference. Now she's not, 'cause right now, your adjustments for height is all up here. You can do so much more with height if you can move your feet and your hips. So I'm watching that. Perfect. And now you actually look like you're dancing. Okay cool. And now I'm gonna have you hide these fingers. Just so I can't see them. Put 'em back a little bit more. So you could do one of two things for those hands. One, you could just hide. And lean out and chin and down to me. Chin down just a little. Good. You could do that. Or, could you bring your hand even more around her. Like wrap it even more. So if you're gonna see the hands, see the hands. Okay. So let me take a shot for that. And there you're good. And one more. Perfect. And it's really funny because they're a really good example of the different height couple. But we're gonna actually talk about that later. So I'm not gonna talk about it too much now. So that is pose number one. Basic. Traditional. They look cute. All right, the next thing is could you put your hand just real soft right here. And put your hand on her hip. Okay. Good. And now, I see a little big of grip. So you can put your feet back together. And get a little bit taller. And I want soft hand right here. So, what I notice too, we'll talk about this later, is when people are different size heights to compensate they reach with their hands. So that's why I'm gonna have her lower your hand even more. 'Cause right now that high hand raises her shoulder. If I lower her hand, now she has a lower shoulder and a longer neck. Okay cool. Just like that's great. And I'm gonna hide that hand. So just hide your right hand. Keep going a little bit further back. Good. You guys are good for not knowing each other. I like this. Good. All right. Perfect. Next one, for more traditional pose, I'm gonna have you stand with your hand in your pocket. Perfect. And I'm gonna have you come around to the other side. And I'm gonna have you hook right in that arm. Perfect. And I'm gonna have you step this way just a little bit more. And you are gonna wrap both arms around and tuck your head in and you're gonna lean back towards her. Now, this is getting into what we're gonna talk about before so I don't, or later, about height so pretend you watched that part first. Can you, can you step your legs like this? Okay. Good. Yep. And lean forward just a little bit more. And then you're gonna step forward. Perfect. Great. Great. So pretend you see that part first. Okay. Good. Perfect. And I don't want you to slouch so much. But a little bit higher. Perfect. Great. And I'm gonna have you turn your shoulders towards me just a little bit. And your weight. Where's her weight right now? Did you see that? The weight's actually forward. I can see her 'cause she's holding on. Weight back. Perfect. Just like that. And you're gonna elan towards her just a little more. And how I would actually shoot this is not from this straight angle, because from straight on, we talked about proportions for couples, if I shoot straight on, he's much larger in the frame than she is. So what I would actually do is rotate them, or come around from this angle, and I would have, can you turn towards me just a little bit more. Good. Perfect. Lower your shoulder a little bit. And so I would shoot kind of from this angle. So I'm gonna actually have you guys just rotate, rotate, rotate this, towards your right. Right. Keep going. Keep going. Keep going. Good. Good. Perfect. And instead of death grip on him, soft and then turn your shoulders towards me just a little bit more. And your head. And then remember, no leaning back. Lean towards me. Good and chin out and down. Perfect. Great. And tilt your head neutral. Like. Straight up and down. Good. Tilt your head this way just a little more. Good. Perfect. Okay and let me get one more thing. Can I have, um, can I have two, one chair. Yeah, one chair is perfect. Perfect. So just one more. And notice everything is just like, subtle. Would you take a seat in this chair for me. Perfect. Turn a little bit more to the side. And what you are going to do is you are going to wrap your arms around him just like this, okay? And what, the big thing I'm watching out for is this. Making sure she doesn't, hunch. Instead what you wanna do, spread your legs. And lean. Okay. And you can just wrap your arms. Whatever's comfortable. Okay. So what I would do normally is I would either stick her in another chair, or have a bench over here. Iris, can I have that bench so that she's not struggling as much. These are little chairs. My chairs aren't that, I actually having posing stools. This is why posing stools are great. 'Cause I can make it higher. So I don't have to even things out. So can you put that right here? I'm gonna actually have you kneel on that. And you can just put your knee on it. Perfect. Much better. Okay. And no hunching. Okay. Good. Right there. And so I want soft hands. Soft hands. And you sit up real straight. Okay good. Just like that. Perfect. And then my light's gonna be a little bit, great. And bring your chin a little forward. Good. And wiggle your fingers really soft. Good. And last one, drop that hand. Hide it. Perfect. Perfect. And you're gonna lean back. So right now her head's further back compared to his. So I'm gonna lean you back and lean you forward. Just like that. Perfect. Good. Perfect. Okay. Cool. So you guys are all set. Those would be my basics. Just nothing dramatic. Move around in a circle. So that's great. You guys are all done.

Class Materials

bonus material with purchase

Keynote 1
Keynote 2
Keynote 3
Beauty
Boudoir
Bridal Couples
Bridal Parties
Bridal
Children-Multiples
Children
Couples - Different Height.
Couples
Families
Fashion
Female Seniors
Folding - HowTo
Groups
Male Seniors
Maternity
Maternity-Dad
Mature Couples
Mature Men
Mature Women
Men
Parents Children
Plus Size
Same Sex-Female
Same Sex-Male
Women Posing

Ratings and Reviews

user-305e84
 

I would highly recommend this class! I have been shooting for some time now and I've been pretty satisfied with my pictures from each session. A few weeks ago, I happened upon this class and thought it would be nice to get some new ideas. I then took the ideas from this class and applied them to a maternity shoot. I must say it took my pictures from good to amazing!!!! My clients bought them all😊 Thank you Creative Live for offering such amazing classes to help any level of photographer learn and grow!

Ruth Ganev
 

Lindsay is such a great teacher. She doesn't overcomplicate things - so that you can really learn. She also reviews things again and again - only in different contexts - that make total sense. I have learned so much from watching this course of lessons. I went to a natural lighting portrait workshop a couple of weekends ago - and was able to put into action what I have learned. The models loved my photos, too. She keeps things moving, is clear and to the point. I highly recommend this class to anyone wanting to become better at posing. It is so rewarding to look back at my previous photos and understand what doesn't work and why, and also to see things improving. She is a natural teacher - the course is not boring - you will learn tons!

Maya Tleubergen
 

I really love it! Thank you, thank you, Lindsay! Beautiful girl with a huge talent to teach! I absolutely love it! Worth every penny!

Student Work

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