When you're taking engagement or wedding photos, the love and connection is the most obvious thing that you are trying to capture but a cute couple photo won't always communicate that "WE JUST GOT ENGAGED" or "WE JUST GOT MARRIED" message that your clients will want when sharing the photos with their friends and family so here a few of my favorite ways to take photos of engagement/wedding rings!
Play with the Hands
I love to add these photos in my gallery because 1) I'm obsessed with detail shots, 2) they can show off the location that you're in, and 3) it gives my clients a break from having to pose their whole bodies and faces. Usually they are cracking up because it feels so funny to be posing their hands but once they see the photos, they'll understand. Trust me!
The key to this type of shot is giving the hands and ring their own moment. It's your chance to create some art! Don't just rely on where the hand is already laying on their partner, get in there and try a bunch of different things. Literally pose their hands or give them prompts to get the positions that you'll want. Just like any other type of shots, it takes a lot of trial and error until you get *the* shot you want. Any way to make their hands connect or create shapes together is ideal. Here are some of my go to poses:
- Palm to palm - you can do this horizontally or vertically. This a quick and simple one that will turn out great almost every single time. If doing the vertical shot, make sure their fingers are half intertwined. You don't want a full *hand hold* moment but just a slight overlap.
- Adam and God hands - The classic reaching for each other shot is what got me started on loving these kinds of photos! These will take a lot of experimenting! Encouraging your clients to have soft hands will really help them look less stiff, make sure they keep their fingers separated, and always keep the ring tilted towards the camera.
- Reach for the sky - This one gives more of the control over to the clients. You'll want your camera on high speed because each movement will change the shot. Have your clients extend their arms horizontally or vertically (you'll really just need one arm each) and play with each others hands and fingers. This might take a couple minutes but have them repeat different movements that you like until you get the shot! Having the hand without the ring staying more open and keeping the hand with the ring doing most of the movement will help keep them from just holding hands.
Use my photos below as some inspiration!
Front and Center
This is a very classic but great staple in getting a shot of that bling. You can change it up by making people face different directions, standing up, sitting down, or your most valuable weapon: composition! Make sure to get various angles, orientations, and zooms. This is the easiest way to expand your gallery without doing a lot of work. Working smarter, not harder baby!
This pose will take some adjusting on your part because when you tell your client to hug their partners arm or wrap their arm around, they will move their hand way too far 100% of the time. Remind them that we want to show off that new hand candy so readjust that hand so they are holding on in a way that puts the ring front and center. This will feel a bit funky for them but remind them that it looks amazing in the photo!
Since the ring hand will always be in the same place no matter what, the fun part is playing with the different things in the photo like...
- The other hand! Is it also wrapping around the arm? Is it holding their partners hand? Is it brushing their hair back?
- Their head! Are they looking at you? Looking away? Resting their head on their partners shoulder? Looking at their partner?
- What direction their partner is facing! Straight, backwards, sideways?
Use my photos below as inspiration!
The Wrap Around
Somewhat similar to the Front and Center pose but with a little twist. This is a great way to show off both rings if they are married or both partners have engagement rings.
- Have one partner wrap their arm around from the back. Try different placements with that partners arm whether it's going all the way to the shoulder or stopping at the neck or cheek. Once that hand is in place, bring the other partners hand up to meet their hand so we can see both rings. Boom!
- The third photo below was taken using the prompt of having the groom wrap his jacket around his brides shoulders. Even though she would never wrap her arm around herself if she was actually putting on the jacket but I needed a way to show off the ring, and I think it works beautifully! Don't be afraid if it's not the most realistic prompt, you're just trying to take their attention off of being stiff by giving them something to do.
Use my photos below for inspiration!
Some Things to Remember
- Photos are all about trial and error. Don't get stumped if you don't get it on the first try. It's okay to take some time to adjust during the photoshoot. Your clients will appreciate it when they receive their gallery from you!
- Soft hands! Soft hands! Soft hands!
- If your clients are in a pose that you like but you just need to find a way to get the ring in there, you don't need to reinvent the wheel. It might just mean that they have to wrap their arm around to the other shoulder or simply rotate the whole pose itself.
- Each couple is different and they will add their own twist and personality to each pose so allow them to go with their own flow and learn when to take a step back and just photograph what is happening or make slight adjustments.
- Have so much fun capturing that bling!
