3 Ways to Pose for Engagement Photos (2024)

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Co-authored byDavid Zhang

Last Updated: February 15, 2021References

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   Drop your shoulders. When you're posing in a still photograph, consciously drop your shoulders down slightly. When nervous, people often hunch their shoulders. Lowering your shoulders will both make you look more relaxed and elongate your body, creating a leaner look.^[1]

   • Try to be aware of your shoulders throughout the shoot. You may find yourself unconsciously hunching them again if you get nervous during the shoot.
   • Try taking a few deep breaths from time to time. This may help you relax and lower your shoulders.
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   Position your head in a flattering way. Try to position your head in a way that accents your best features. Turn your head slightly towards the camera. Do not look directly at the camera, as this may look awkward, but you have your head turned just a little towards the lens.^[2]

   • Tilt your head down slightly as well. This will make you look upward with your eyes, making them look bigger.
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   Arch your back. You do not want to be slouching in your engagement photos. This can make you look nervous and contribute to the hunched shoulder look. Be aware of your back throughout the shoot and try to arch it slightly the entire time. This will make you look tall and confident throughout the photos.^[3]

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   Position your arms in a flattering manner. Arms can be tricky, as people are often self conscious of their arms. If you do not want your arms to look too big during the photo shoot, hold them away from your body. If you're nervous about your arms, you may hold them closer to your body. This can actually spread out your skin, causing your arms to look bigger. Try to hold your arms at least six inches away from your body at all times. While this may feel awkward, it will look better on camera.^[4]

   • Place your weight on your feet in leaning photos. If you're, say, leaning against a wall, do not place your weight against your arms. This may flatten out your arms, which can look awkward.^[5]
   • You can also try posing with your arms if you don't want them just held out at your sides. You can hold your partner's hand or place your hands on your hips, curving your arms. Ask the photographer for suggestions on how to position your arms.

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   Kiss slowly. Kissing photos are a classic pose for engagement pictures. However, kissing too quickly may cause your faces to look awkward or smushed together. You want to give the photographer time to capture the best angles during kissing shots, so kiss slowly.^[6]

   • Kissing slowly may feel awkward. However, it will produce better photos. Try for slow, precise kissing throughout the photo shoot.
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   Try walking. A great pose can be a walking pose. You and your partner can walk somewhere together arm-in-arm or holding hands. You can walk in an area that's special to you. For example, try taking a walk through the neighborhood where you first met.^[7]

   • You should try to walk slowly to give the photograph a chance to capture your movements.
   • You can try doing romantic poses when walking. For example, walk hand in hand or link your arms when you walk.^[8]
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   Interact with each other throughout the session. Try to give the photographer a chance to capture some candid photos. You do not want to look stiff and posed for all your photos. Try interacting as you normally would. Talk, laugh, and snuggle while the camera is on. This way, you will have a few candid photos to choose from when you're done taking engagement photos.^[9]

   • Look into each other's eyes while the photos are being taken. This helps the photos look natural.
   • For instance, you might slowly walk toward the camera while holding hands and talking to each other. That will give you a more natural photo than a stiff, forced pose.^[10]
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   Take some action photos at home. You don't always have to pose on a beach or somewhere out in nature. It may be nice to have a few engagement photos of you and your partner simply interacting at home.^[11]

   • For example, have the photographer come over and take some photos of the two of you cooking dinner. You can still do romantic things, like kissing, and showcase engagement rings, but you'll be able to choose a few photos that capture aspects of your real life.
   • You can also try a photo of the two of you curled up on the couch watching television or snuggling.

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   Choose a setting where you're comfortable. You want to make sure you look natural in your engagement photos. You don't want a photo that feels too posed. Therefore, opt for settings where you personally feel comfortable.^[12]

   • If you and your partner aren't the outdoor types, do not opt to take a picture of the two of you enjoying a picnic in the woods. This is unlikely to look natural.
   • Instead, go for a setting where the two of you feel genuinely comfortable. For example, if you both love seeing movies together, take some engagement photos standing outside a movie theater.
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   Highlight emotion with your eyes. Your eyes can convey a lot of emotion. Even in pictures where you're not flashing a big smiles, your eyes can reveal happiness. Be aware of your eyes and try to use them to convey emotion while being photographed.^[13]

   • Try to relax your facial muscles during the photo shoot. You should also look upward with your eyes, as this can make them bigger and brighter.
   • Try to think happy, relaxing thoughts. These can shine through in your expression.
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   Make use of the natural environment. Try to make use of any props around you that would naturally fit into a scene. These can make photos look less posed. For example, if you're shooting in a field, have the photographer take a photo of you through the grass. If you're taking pictures while walking through a busy city street, try sitting together and snuggling on a bench near a bus stop.^[14]

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   Relax your hands and limbs. Remember to have fun. Taking your engagement photos should be a fun experience. Try to relax and let your hands and limbs lie loose. This will make for a more natural feel.^[15]

   • Try to get your partner to help with feeling relaxed. Make jokes with them to encourage both of you to laugh and have fun.
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   Use your natural smile. Many people are self-conscious about their smiles. However, you probably have a smile your friends, family members, and loved ones want to see. Allow yourself to showcase your natural smile while taking engagement photos.^[16]

   • If you're struggling to smile, think of something that makes you happy or something that makes you laugh.

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