This article was originally written in 2014 and updated in 2023 by the editorial staff.

Valentine’s Day Photoshoot Ideas for Couples

Working through any one of the following projects will score more points than that box of chocolates you were thinking of picking up. Still, go ahead and grab the chocolates for extra points. Nothing wrong with that.

1. Recreate Your First Date

Maybe you just started dating, or maybe you get asked at every family function why you’re not married yet. Perhaps you are married and you’re looking to rekindle the flame. Whatever the case, the odds are that your first date holds a special place in the hearts of you and your significant other. Why not capitalize on that and recreate your first date? It’s a solid go-to for engagement photography sessions and will work well to get your Valentine’s Day going in the right direction. You can either capture it with mobile selfies or instant cameras, or drop a little cash to take along a single photographer (likely the only one who can take the gig).

2. Take a Candid Selfie Doing What You Love to Do

Taking a selfie without looking like you’re taking a selfie is easier than ever today, and doing so will allow you to capture candid portraits that look like they were taken by a pro (because they were, by you)! You’ll need to plan this one in advance, and it can go a couple different ways. You can go into the shoot secretly, planning your activity of choice in advance and setting up your camera gear in advance, which is really only do-able in private spaces, or you can plan the shoot with your “other” and make it happen on the spot. To snap the selfie, you’re going to need a tripod and a camera with either a timer function or a remote shutter that you can trigger once you’re in position. Whatever you choose to do, have fun! The great times will reveal themselves in your expressions. This portrait will look great as wall art or a social post that sure to get plenty of hearts.

3. Put the Boudoir into Your Valentine’s Day Photoshoot

Let down your guard and take your Valentine’s Day photoshoot into the bedroom (or bathtub, as illustrated above) with a romantic boudoir session. If both of you can get on board with this, you can make it a couples portrait session with tasteful yet risqué poses, or let the winner of a heated paper, rock, scissors match choose who poses for the occasion. You can also take Valentine’s boudoir photos of yourself (like a boudoir selfie session) and surprise your significant other with the photos, perhaps in a small album that you can tuck away in a dresser drawer. While boudoir sessions usually involve capturing intimate photos, you can also add a twist and make them fun (or funny), depending on your mood or sense of humor.

4. Capture Product Photography Shots to Immortalize Your Valentine’s Day Gifts

If you do go the traditional gift-giving route, you can still throw in a Valentine’s Day photography. Break out your macro lens or take some time to compose a few product photography shots. We recommend doing this for sure if you’ve purchased or received jewelry (such as a new ring) or any other items of monetary or sentimental value.

5. Print Your Photos as Gifts

Sometimes, you can use photographs you’ve already capture as a Valentine’s Day photography gift. Printers like Bay Photo offer a ton of photo gift options that you can use to create unique gifts with photos you already cherish.

Valentine’s Day Photoshoot Ideas for the Family & Kids

1. Bring in Valentine’s Day Props for Heart-Happy Vibes

With a quick trip to Michael’s or any local craft store, you can pick up some affordable signs, balloons, and other props to use in your kid-friendly Valentine’s Day photoshoot. Some are great for wearing while others can be used to quickly makeover the background.

Balloons (Works Well for Couples Portraits, Too)

Of all the prop options for Valentine’s Day photoshoots, balloons rank near the top. Use your knowledge of color theory and fill the scene with a monochromatic array of balloons, which you can then contrast with complementary colors using your subject’s clothes.

Flowers

Like balloons, flowers also make great props for Valentine’s Day photography. Let your kids choose their favorites and build a color scheme around them, or set it up yourself. A popular option for Valentine’s, of course, involves picking out a plethora of lovely red roses. They can get pricey, so look for creative ways to use them in your scene without having to purchase a hundred flowers. One option could be to take the petals off of a flower (or two) and arrange them in a heart shape around your adorable little subject(s). Otherwise, you could capture close-up shots of your subjects holding just a few flowers.

2. Create Your Own Valentine’s Day Cards

We all loved those Valentine’s Day cards growing up (right?), so we don’t have to ditch them completely. Instead, we can make our own! It’s a great way to sneak in some quality portraits of the kids as well.

The Set Up

Set up a little seamless white backdrop in your living room. You don’t need an expensive backdrop stand for this (although they are nice to have!) For the shoot below, we used a little masking tape to secure a small roll of paper to the mantle of the fireplace and, voilà! Instant backdrop.

We had a large window on camera left and used a small LED Video Light inside a Westcott 43 inch Apollo Orb light modifier as a fill light. A reflector or off-camera flash would also work. These were shot using a Canon 85mm f/1.8 lens on a Canon 5D Mark III. We spent no more than 10 minutes with each kid and we had a fun time goofing around with all the little props and toys.

Post-Processing for Valentine’s Day Photoshoot Cards

After our mini photo shoot, we imported the photos into Adobe Lightroom and applied the Standard Color preset from the SLR Lounge Lightroom Presets System, similar in style to the Modern Pack from Visual Flow. Then, we opened our favorite shots in Photoshop and added text. We had to extend the background on a few, which is easy to do with the plain white background. You can set these up as 4×6 prints and let the kids stuff these DYI Valentine’s Day photoshoot cards into colored A6 Envelopes after signing the back. Maybe include a bit of candy for old times sake. Maybe not…

Valentine, You’re a Doll!

You Rock My World, Valentine

I Only Have Eyes for You, Valentine!

You’re a Dino-Mite Valentine!

I Dig You, Valentine

Which of the above Valentine’s Day photoshoot ideas and tips is your favorite? Are you planning to combine any of the above ideas? What additional props and sayings would you use for making your own Valentine’s Day cards? Do your kids even exchange Valentine’s at school anymore?

1. Cyc Wall (Rent a Studio)

A Cyc Wall (short for Cyclorama) is a seamless white wall used commonly in fashion and product photography (see some amazing examples of a cyc wall in use in the Breed Fashion Photography Workshop.) While not affordable to create (learn how to make one in the below video) you can usually rent a studio with a cyc for an affordable fee. I rented a studio in Spokane for awhile that had a cyc wall and I loved it. It was the quickest, easiest way I’ve ever been able to achieve bright white backgrounds without having to do any work in post production.

The studio I rented had built in strobes in the ceiling to light the cyc wall and then strobes on stands with casters that were easy to move around to light the subject. If money was no object and I worked primarily in-studio I would definitely have one. But, alas, I work mostly on-location and not rolling in dough (yet) so I generally use one of the more portable options listed below.

2. Back-lit Sheer Fabric

Using a sheer curtain on a backdrop stand (or even hanging in a large doorway) with one strobe behind is a great way to get a nice bright white backdrop for our background. In this setup, I used one Canon Speedlite behind the curtain. I pointed the light toward the window so it would bounce back into the curtain, converting the one small light into a nice big, even light source.

It’s not pictured, but I used a giant sheet of white foam insulation as a reflector in front of my subject, which bounced the light from behind back on to her face. See V flats below for an example of the styrofoam sheets I’m using. You could also use foam core board.

3. White Fleece

For the above session, I needed a white backdrop that wouldn’t take up much space and wouldn’t wrinkle, since I was traveling out of town and didn’t have a lot of extra luggage space. I booked the session last minute so didn’t have time to order a collapsable backdrop and decided to go with an inexpensive piece of white fleece from the fabric store. I had to do some retouching to it in photoshop, but it wasn’t too bad. It worked great for a budget option.

4. V-flats

V-flats are large pieces of foam board (or gator board), often taped together, or simply placed in a V shape, and are used in various ways for photography and video production to add fill or flag. Finding large sheets of foam-core board in Spokane is virtually impossible, as the nearest legitimate camera store is located in Seattle, a 5.5 hour drive away. Thankfully, I’ve known about using sheets of styrofoam insulation from the hardware store for awhile now (thanks to Sue Bryce) but had never tried it until recently.

The styrofoam boards work amazingly well for a white background and I love them, but they were very difficult to transport from the hardware store. They’re also quite cumbersome to haul up the stairs at my office to the conference room where I use them on occasion. Unless you have a giant pick-up truck and a studio space where you can permanently use these, I’d probably recommend you go with a different option. That being said, I like the way they look and they make really great full body reflectors.

I painted one side of my V-flats grey and left the other side white so I can have a grey background (shown above) or a white one if I flip them to the other side. A third white board makes a great reflector. Watch this video to learn more about making V-flats from Sue Bryce herself.

5. Seamless Paper

Seamless paper is the go-to white backdrop for many photographers. It’s inexpensive, compact and easy to use, and a white background generally can be made to look grey and even to black it lit correctly. For our team photos at WorkStory we set up a simple roll of paper and used one naked strobe to light the paper and another in a large umbrella to light our faces. Easy peasy.

6.  Basic White Wall

If you don’t have a backdrop stand, paper, fabric or v-flats, you can always use an existing white wall in a home or office or even on the exterior of a building. I do this all the time and it works great. The above was taken in my living room before I painted the walls a nice designer seaside blue (dang, that all white room came in handy back in the day.)

7. Create a White Backdrop/Background with Your Soft Box

I’ve never actually tried this method myself, but it’s similar to the back-lit curtain concept. Using a large softbox modifier on a strobe can make a great all-white backdrop for a headshot. You just need another light source or reflectors on the front to light the face.

Learn more about using the soft box method by reading this article: USING A SOFTBOX TO CREATE AN ALL WHITE BACKDROP FOR HEADSHOTS | GAVIN HOEY

8. Foam Core Board as White Backdrop

For smaller applications, like product photography, using 30×40 white foam core board from your local craft store is one of the most economical ways you can go. I actually buy it in bulk on Amazon and use it whenever I do any table top photography. As long as you have 3 to 4 sheets you can build yourself a little backdrop box.

So, which white backdrop method do you prefer when going for the white background look? I can’t say I have a favorite. I like having all these tricks available for whichever situation I happen to be dealing with. How about you?

Photographs are copyrighted and have been used with permission for SLR Lounge. Do not copy, modify or re-post this article or images without express permission from SLR Lounge and the artists.

1. It’s Dangerous!

According to Joyce Rose, president and CEO of Operation Lifesaver, a person or vehicle is hit by a train approximately every three hours across the U.S. Modern trains are quiet, move faster than you think they do and overhang the tracks by at least three feet, all factors contributing to accidental death. Would you seriously want to put yourself and your clients in harms way?

Photo by Hanssie Ho

Follow these Pedestrian Rail Safety Tips by Operation Lifesaver when considering photographing near tracks:

The only safe place to cross is at a designated public crossing with either a crossbuck, flashing red lights or a gate. If you cross at any other place, you are trespassing and can be ticketed or fined. Cross tracks ONLY at designated pedestrian or roadway crossings.

Railroad tracks, trestles, yards and equipment are private property and trespassers are subject to arrest and fine. If you are in a rail yard uninvited by a railroad official you are trespassing and subject to criminal prosecution; you could be injured or killed in a busy rail yard.

It can take a mile or more to stop a train, so a locomotive engineer who suddenly sees someone on the tracks will likely be unable to stop in time. Railroad property is private property. For your safety, it is illegal to be there unless you are at a designated public crossing.

Trains overhang the tracks by at least three feet in both directions; loose straps hanging from rail cars may extend even further. If you are in the right-of-way next to the tracks, you can be hit by the train.

Do not cross the tracks immediately after a train passes. A second train might be blocked by the first. Trains can come from either direction. Wait until you can see clearly around the first train in both directions.

Flashing red lights indicate a train is approaching from either direction. You can be fined for failure to obey these signals. Never walk around or behind lowered gates at a crossing, and DO NOT cross the tracks until the lights have stopped flashing and it’s safe to do so.

Do not {photograph}, hunt, fish or bungee jump from railroad trestles. There is only enough clearance on the tracks for a train to pass. Trestles are not meant to be sidewalks or pedestrian bridges! Never walk, run, cycle or operate all terrain vehicles (ATVs) on railroad tracks, rights-of-way or through tunnels.

Do not attempt to hop aboard railroad equipment at any time. A slip of the foot can cost you a limb or your life.

Be aware trains do not follow set schedules. Any Time is Train Time!

2. It’s Illegal

Trespassing onto railroad property, including tracks, bridges, buildings and signal towers, is illegal. Violators are subject to a citation for trespassing. Union Pacific will seek removal from publication any photograph or video that violates this policy. For more information, see Union Pacific’s Policy for Photography and Video Recording.

If you really want to photograph on the tracks or other railroad property, contact the railroad company to request permission.

3. It Sets a Bad Example

In an article on the Union Pacific blog, Community Ties, one photography studio was criticized for simply using an artificial backdrop that depicted railroad tracks because it communicated to children and teens that it’s ok to walk and play near tracks. As photographers, we might justify the fact that photographing on tracks that are no longer be in use is safe, but people seeing our images wouldn’t know any difference. People tend to think that if everyone else is doing it, it’s ok for them to do it, too, which may be why so many photographers continue to photograph on tracks. Did you know it was illegal and dangerous? Or did you just figure it was ok to go out on the tracks because so many other photogs are doing it?

4. It has become cliché

We photographers love railroad tracks because they create great leading lines in our images. They can lend a romantic or edgy feel to our portraits. But, let’s be honest, pics of high school seniors sitting or standing on tracks are a little over done. And, now that I think about it, photos of babies or little children sitting in the middle of railroad tracks all alone are quiet disturbing… Why are they there? Alone. On tracks…?

5. If Affects More Than Just You

Julie La Combe, Kansas Operation Lifesaver Executive Director, read the article and contacted me to clear up a few of the arguments made by photographers. She gives answers, as well as a Reason #5 to stay off the tracks. Basically, if you disregard your own life, please at least consider the lives that are affected when a person is hit and killed by a train (which happens every three hours in America.)

“I would offer, after reading through the photographer comments, that a possible reason number 5 would be to consider the train crews, their families, the paramedics, and anyone else who has suffered through a preventable tragedy. Photos of people on tracks bring these tragedies into cruelly sharp focus.

Even if the line is “abandoned.” It doesn’t have to be active to be a terrible idea. The last thing a train crew sees right before impact is that innocent face, unaware of what is about to happen to them, and there is nothing they can do to stop it. A rail-themed shoot is okay if it’s clear that no one is on tracks, equipment, bridges, or tunnels—real or green-screen.

“Education is the step that we try to use before enforcement. We send a photographer safety notice to those who are in violation. If they don’t take down the photos from their websites or Facebook page, I call Railroad police, as well as local law enforcement to report the trespass violation. I don’t like to see a photographer get fined or arrested, but if it means saving his or her life, then I suppose it’s necessary.

“Railroad law enforcement can also fine the CLIENTS if a photographer shows a habit of continuing the practice…since the photographers give them all the evidence they would need on Facebook, tagging clients after posting trespassing photos in galleries available for public view. Something to consider.

“I would also offer that if a photographer knowingly uses private property for a shoot, and a client is injured or killed, that photographer could be liable.”

Operation Lifesaver in Kansas sent the above poster to all high schools in the state (public and private), urging yearbook editors to reject photos submitted that feature railroad tracks. Some have already taken action to comply.

The Right Way to Do Railroad Track Photography

We strictly advise that photographers stay clear of photographing clients on active railroad tracks. There is absolutely no reward for putting your life and others at risk. Instead, do diligent research and find train tracks that inactive and therefore allow you the creativity ability to work with your scene and provide a safe environment for everyone involved.

Conclusion

I realize we have a global audience here at SLR Lounge, and trespassing laws may vary by location, but I believe staying off the tracks is still the wisest choice for the safety and consideration of all concerned. Please stay off the tracks!

So, let’s get creative and try to find a way to incorporate trains and tracks in our images in a legal and safe way. It’s perfectly ok to photograph from the shoulder of a public road or parking lot with tracks in the background, or maybe from a hillside overlooking the train yard.

Kit Neck Strap

This is the strap that typically comes in every DSLR camera kit. It usually features the brand name of the camera and is made of a durable synthetic material. There’s nothing wrong with this strap, and it’s what I used for years as a hobbyist. If this strap is working for you, why spend money on a new one? If you like kit straps and need a replacement, you can purchase them at B&H or another major retailer.

Decorative or Artisan Neck Strap

From one fashionista to another, I’ll admit decorative, and artisan leather camera straps make me drool. Brands like Capturing Couture and Artisan & Artist offer well made, beautiful camera straps from materials like leather, silk, scarves, knit cloth, etc. I’ve refrained from buying them, though because I’m not 100% sure of the functionality of these straps.

If you’re a hobbyist or photographer who does short shoots every once in awhile, these are worth checking out. Or, if you use a rangefinder or micro 4/3 camera, these would be great. For hard-core, full day shooting with a heavy DSLR, I would consider other options or at least thoroughly test these straps before you buy. Make sure you check out the return policy.

Sling Strap

The Sling Strap is actually what my Chiropractor recommended for full day shooting, and he made sure I promised I would use the strap equally on both shoulders throughout the day. After asking my local wedding photographer friends, many recommended the BlackRapid Sling Strap, so I went with that. The fact that they have one designed specifically for women appealed to me. I used it for awhile, and it was, in fact, 100x better than using my plain old neck strap.

I had some issues with this particular strap, though. I didn’t like the fact that my camera was swinging around by my hip, sometimes banging into things. Plus, a few of my friends had experienced major damage to their camera or lens when the strap came undone unexpectedly. Yikes! It was still causing strain on my neck, too. After awhile I started ditching the strap and going without any strap at all. For one nicknamed “Butterfingers,” this was not a good idea.

I came across the Peak Design Slide strap at WPPI in March, and they let me take one home (yay!). I was skeptical because I just didn’t see how it would be much different from the Black Rapid Sling strap. I did like the fact that you can use this one as a neck strap, sling strap or shoulder strap (versatility is good!).

After using it for a few months now, I’m in love. It’s comfortable on my shoulder and easy to adjust. Instead of swinging by my hip, I can slide my camera around to the back and have it nestle there nicely. It’s sturdy and firmly attaches to my camera. I’ll keep it!

Hand Strap

Peak Design let me test out a hand strap, too. I honestly thought this would be the best solution for me since it takes the strain off the shoulders, so I was surprised that I didn’t really like it. I found I missed having my hands free when posing or moving lighting around. Especially when working with kids, I need to have my hands available and setting my camera down on the floor was not a great solution.

For someone who has an assistant for lighting and posing or is doing street photography, I think a hand strap would be fantastic. There are various brands available at different price points. I’ve heard great things about the Spider Pro Hand Strap (check out a full review by clicking here).

Wrist Strap

For small point and shoot or lighter weight cameras, I love a wrist strap. Peak Design Cuff is actually designed to hold up to 100 pounds! So you could technically use it with your DSLR. I like that it’s a thicker strap than most, easily adjustable and secure on the wrist (remember the Butterfingers?)

The nice thing about wrist straps is that they can be a more affordable option to keep your camera secure. The Joby DSLR wrist strap is just over $10. There are also options available for keeping your waterproof point and shoot cameras afloat, like the Ruggard Floating Wrist Strap for only $4.99!

Double Camera Strap

Hard-core wedding photographers who shoot with two camera bodies during a full day of shooting need a heavy duty solution for carrying around all that weight. A double camera strap is one option. I haven’t tried one myself, but I know several photographers who swear by them. Various brands manufacture them. I’ve heard great things about the various models made by Blackrapid, and this one called the Moneymaker by Holdfast looks super sexy on Jay, don’t you think?

Camera Holster

A holster style, like the Spyder Pro Holster, has caught my eye recently. I’ve seen Photographers like Sue Bryce and David Beckstead use them in person and they seem super handy. If you need to have your hands free but keep your camera securely tucked by your side for easy access and get the weight off your shoulders, this seems the way to go. You can even use two, one on each hip.

Check out these full reviews of the Spyder Pro Holster.

Conclusion

Deciding on a camera strap isn’t always easy.  The decision factors in comfort, overall physical health, and even personal style.  Hopefully this guide has helped you narrow down your selection.  Which camera strap type do you use? Which do you want to try out?

I recently came across on article titled 4 Big Reasons You Look Fat in Photographs, by Alea at The Haute Girl. She writes,

…a photo is merely a snapshot of a moving, breathing object. Angles that most people never see because we are constantly in motion and when you freeze frame that action in the wrong moment or bad angle, it’s not a reflection of what you may actually look like to anyone’s eyes. Angles are that important. Ultimately anyone can be photogenic.

I 100% agree with Alea on this one. Posing is something I’m still learning to master so I’ve been doing some digging and found several videos that might help you, too! Whether you’re a pro learning to pose your subjects, or just someone who wants to pose themselves in a flattering way for snapshots, here are 6 videos showing how to pose so you don’t look fat in photos…

#1: It’s All About the Stance

This short clip shows you how a simple adjustment to your pose can make a big difference in how wide or slim you’ll look in a photo. Check it out!

#2: Accentuate the Jaw!

World famous head shot photographer Peter Hurley (who was a model before he was a photog), says accentuating the jawline is key to creating a flattering head shot. He’s brilliant, so listen up…

#3: On Posing “real” Women

This video is long (an hour), but if you want to learn from the master of posing real women of all different body types, you’ll take the time to watch this tutorial by Sue Bryce. Everything I know about posing women I learned from Sue.

#4: When Posing Couples

The SLR Lounge Natural Light Couples Photography Workshop is chock full of posing tips for couples. In this clip, Pye shows us how to make sure the woman is posed in a flattering way during an engagement shoot.

#5: Posing High School Senior Girls

Lindsey Adler gives her top 5 tips for posing teen girls. I’m heading right into high school senior portrait season, so this is really timely.

#6:How to Pose EVERYONE

Wow, this is a little gem and it’s totally free to watch! A full 2-hour workshop by Jerry Ghionis on how to pose everyone. Women, men, couples, groups… He shares so many helpful tips for posing people in a flattering way without making them looked “posed”. Awesome!

[Free Tutorial: Secrets for Posing Couples, Brides and More]

#7 Posing a Curvy Bride

As a wedding photographer, we photograph women of all shapes, sizes, and ethnicities. Whatever the size, some women love the camera and know how to “work it,” making your job a little easier, but more often than not, women tense up in front of a camera (myself included) and don’t know what to do, how they look or how to pose.

It is your job as a photographer to know exactly how to pose the human form – whether small, medium or large – to best enhance your subjects, make them feel comfortable and make a great image. If you need some pointers, check out some of our articles on posing here. Making someone comfortable in front of a camera, begins with you being comfortable AND confident as a photographer yourself, knowing exactly what will make your client look their best and being able to communicate that to them.

Posing women can be especially difficult because women tend to be more critical of themselves and the way they look. Invisible to everyone else, a woman can pinpoint all their problems areas in a photograph faster than you can tell them that they look beautiful. So one of the first things I always ask my brides – usually right before we begin the engagement session – is if there are areas they are self-conscious about and areas they love about themselves. That way, I can be aware on how to highlight the areas where the bride is confident (i.e. arms) and play down the areas she doesn’t like (i.e. her chin).

In the following video clip from her CreativeLive Complete Wedding Photographer Experience, Jasmine Star gives tips on posing a curvy bride, but the tips can translate into posing any bride. She begins by saying that a photographer’s job is to highlight what a bride looks like, not to hide or mask them. The clip is only 2 minutes long, but provides some valuable tips on posing, what verbiage to use (i.e. pull in the core, instead of “suck in your stomach”), and how to ask them to stand so that their weight is distributed. Personally, this is the best tip I’ve found to create angles in a photograph. I ask all of my subjects to try and distribute most of their weight on the leg away from the camera. It not only helps create a natural curve, but helps takes away the “10lbs” that the camera seems to add to everyone.

Watch How to Pose a Curvy Bride

Conclusion

Ok, now get to work in front of a mirror practicing your poses. I’m on a mission to rid the world of bad selfies, double chins and claw hands in portraits. Are you with me? Having some posing know-how in your arsenal of tricks will make you a more confident photographer (or model).

1. Capture the Candids

As the kids were arriving at our photo shoot location, I made sure to have my camera ready to capture some candid shots as they were walking arm in arm. Their excitement for this special date was palpable and I wanted to show that movement, energy and youth. Man, wouldn’t it be nice to be 17 for just one day again?  Some of the best photos from the shoot came from these photojournalistic moments that were not posed or forced.

2. Keep The Lighting for Your Prom Photos Simple!

Most prom photo sessions are short, so be sure to keep things simple.  I only had about 45 minutes to take these group photos, so I kept things simple and used all natural light with no modification whatsoever. Just my trusty Canon 5D Mark III and 24-70mm f/2.8L II lens. Lucky for us, it was an overcast day and just before sunset, so I had some gorgeous light to work with. I edited with the SLR Lounge Lightroom Preset System.

If your prom photo session is was closer to dusk, consider simple lighting tools like an umbrella.  The key is to use tools that are fast to set up and adjust.

3. Listen to the Teens’ Ideas and Wants!

Aside from couple shots, a group shot, and a boy and girl group shot, I was open to anything the kids wanted to do. And they were sure to let me know what they wanted. Listen to the kids and go with their ideas if time allows. The girls, especially, had specific requests for different groupings or pose ideas.

Also, don’t be afraid to ask each couple if they are dating or going to the dance as “just friends.” This will help you know how to pose them appropriately.

4. Avoid “Shrimp Cocktail Hands” in your Prom Poses

I stole this tip from the SLR Lounge Natural Light Couples Workshop, so all the credit for this one has to go to our Editor in Chief, Pye Jirsa. To avoid funky looking shrimp-like fingers in a hand holding pose, discourage the couples from interlocking fingers. Just have them touch hands lightly or interlock a pinky finger or however they feel comfortable without interlocking. The key here is to just pay attention to the hands and make sure they don’t look weird or tense.

5. When in Doubt, Use the “V-Up” Pose

Here’s another tip from the SLR Lounge Natural Light Couples Workshop DVD. One of the basic foundation poses in this workshop is called the “V-Up”. You can use the basic V-Up with teens because it’s a less intimate pose. Couples can hold hands or the girl can place her hand on the guy’s lapel for more connection from this foundation pose.

6. Remember “The OC” (Editorial, Layered Prom Pose)

Hanssie offered me this tip when I was asking around about how to pose a group of teens. “Remember the OC!” Say what? Do a Google image search for “The OC” cast and you’ll see how brilliant this tip really is. I pinned some of them on my Photography Prom board on Pinterest, if you want to check them out.

To get “The OC” look, you basically want to make sure to have everyone on different levels. Some sitting, some standing, some leaning on a post or wall. Everyone is doing something different with their hands. They look posed, but not posed, and it makes a group photo a lot more dynamic than just having everyone stand in two or three rows and smile. Now, this group of 20 was so large that this casual approach to a group photo was a challenge, but I still think it turned out great! Awesome tip.

7. Have Fun With Your Prom Poses

After the super posed pics are done, make sure to have some fun! Have the kids jump in the air (make sure your shutter speed is set at 1/500th of a second or faster to stop motion) or give you their best GQ/James Bond pose.

If they have an idea, go with it (gangster poses, anyone?). Michelle Ford offered me another great idea for an interesting group shot. After the formal group shot, ask everyone to look at each other and laugh. It totally works and these make great teaser images for your Facebook page.

Ok, now you have been armed with a plan for your prom, homecoming dance, Quinceañera, sweet sixteen or teen dance party photo shoot. Go for it and let me know how it goes!

Conclusion

Prom photography is meant to be fun and exciting.  Try your best to match the mood with your energy, your ideas, and your poses!  Capture their personalities, their laughs, and their interactions.  Some of the best photos and moments will happen when they are not posed, so always be ready.  Also, be creative with your prom poses and don’ worry too much about sticking to the norm.  Capturing these teens’ personalities is far more important than any posing rules or guidance that you might have in your mind.

Easy Installation with Mylio

Mylio was super easy to download and install. I just went to mylio.com, clicked on “Get Mylio” and it downloaded within seconds. When I double clicked on the zipped file, I was instructed to drag the Mylio icon to my applications folder. Easy peasy.

After opening the application, I was prompted to enter my email address and create a password. Then I received an email link right away, which led me to the page where you can choose which subscription option you would like. There are various tiers, including a free trial. The folks at Mylio have given me an advanced account to try for a year so I’m going for all the features!

After I went back to the home screen and signed in, I get a prompt to load Mylio onto my other devices. Using Mylio you can view and edit your photos on a desktop PC, Mac, iPhone or iPad. I have an Android phone and tablet (which will be compatible with Mylio very soon, stay tuned) and various external and back up hard drives that will need to be included in my library.

Free Mylio Tutorials and Support

Right off the bat, Mylio directs you to some easy to follow, short tutorial videos. Here’s one that shows the basic functionality of Mylio.

Import From Facebook with Mylio

Next, they had me start off by importing all the photos from my Facebook account. Oh, boy. Have you ever tried scrolling through your Facebook timeline looking for a certain photo? It’s a mess! Mylio took about 6 minutes to import over 2000 photos from my Facebook account and organize them all into folders by Year and Month. You can choose to organize them any way you want, including keeping them in the same album structure you have them on Facebook (if you’re more organized then I).

Facebook has essentially become my journal over the last several years, but it’s become somewhat of a mess, right? If I want to preserve all the photos I’ve posted there, I would really like to have them printed out or backed up somewhere other than the Facebook servers themselves. I’m seeing all kinds of potential for not only being able to find a specific photo, but also being able to print out some albums by year including photos from all my devices and apps, because they’ll all be accessible and organized right here in Mylio.

Import From Your Mac or PC

Next up, I started importing photos from folders on my Macbook Pro. These include jpg files from 2014 and 2015 only. I’m shocked how quickly they import. I’ve chosen to have Mylio simply “watch” the native file they’re stored in, so it’s importing a thumbnail only. You have the option to have Mylio move the files to a new folder, copy the files or just source the file for your catalog, which is very similar to a Lightroom catalog.

Import From Your Phone or Tablet

If you take pictures with your iPhone or iPad, you can import all your photos from there as well, directly from the app on your phone. When they have this function up and running for Android, this will save me so much time! To retrieve the photos from my phone currently, I have to plug it in using a cord, which I usually can’t find, or remove the card from the phone and go searching for a card reader (which I also can’t find), then wait for them to upload to one computer, then upload them to Dropbox, then download them from Dropbox to where ever I need them. What a pain! Mylio solves all these problems.

Import From External Drives

I also added photos from my external hard drives. I have several. Oy! I’m so happy to be able to view them all in one library. In the past, I had to go searching through each one, opening various folders because I couldn’t remember the exact date of the photo I was looking for. I tried having one huge Lightroom catalog to keep them all organized, but it just got too big and too slow so I archived my Lightroom folders as their own catalog.

Organize, Sync, Backup

After adding all your photos, it’s easy to organize them by different “favorites” albums. Mylio automatically organizes them for you based on date, geotag, people, etc. You can add keywords and other metadata, similar to Lightroom, but, the albums are synced across your different devices directly and automatically, without the cloud.

Another time saving feature of Mylio is the ability to share your photos to various places including Facebook, email, Flicker and even your printer. Or just export it as a specific file type and size.

When I saw a demo of Mylio at WPPI, my first question was, “How can you sync all those photos to your devices without taking up all the memory?” Mylio can import your photos in three different sizes. Full size, medium size and thumbnail size. So, when you import to your phone, choose the thumbnail size and it will barely take up any memory at all, even with thousands and thousands of photos. On your computer, you’ll still have the full size versions of the photos and you have the option of backing everything up in the cloud if you want.

Editing with Mylio

You can also import RAW files and do some basic editing in Mylio. It also plays nicely with Lightroom by reading the metadata, so Mylio can “see” your edits from Lightroom and vice versa. So, if I edited a photo in Lightroom with one of my favorite presets, I would be able to see those edits in Mylio. I’m not sure how much I would use this function myself. Maybe for my personal, non professional photos that needed a quick edit, or if I didn’t have my computer with me and wanted to make a few adjustments using my tablet, this would be a nice feature. The great thing is, any changes made on the tablet would automatically sync up on my computer via Mylio and show up in Lightroom.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I’m very impressed with this app and all the problems it solves for professional and enthusiast photographers alike. Seriously, I was able to import and organize over 23,000 photos from different locations in about 15 minutes!

The only downside for me is that it’s a subscription based software, which seems to be the way most software is going these days. My monthly costs for subscription based services are mounting, and I’m feeling forced to be very choosy about which services are absolutely necessary. If this proves to actually save my business time and money, it will be worth it. I just wish the Mylio functionality, combined with my Adobe Creative Suite, plus photo sharing (like Cloudspot), business management and website hosting were all combined into one glorious photography software. I would be all over that.

In Chapter 5 of Photography 101, Pye teaches some compositional tips for creating great images. Framing is one of the basic principles of composition that can add a lot of interest and impact to your images. Today, we’re going to talk specifically about including a “frame within a frame” in your composition and brainstorm some creative ideas for doing so.

So, what’s the big deal with the frame within a frame? How can it improve your composition? Framing your subject can strengthen the focal point, add texture and interest to an otherwise flat and boring image, help tell a story, provide balance to the composition, add depth to a scene and elevate a snapshot to a fine art image. These are the things that set a creative artist apart from a mere recorder of light. Below are 10+ examples of the compositional technique of “a frame within a frame.”

Secondary Subject in Foreground

In this image, photographer Nicole Chan is using the arm of her secondary subject in the foreground to frame the primary subject in the background. The groom is also being framed by the partial arch of the doorway behind him. There’s no question what the focal point is here. Your eye goes right where it’s supposed to go. Then we can look around and see there’s a story being told in an interesting way. It’s a groom seeing his bride for the first time. Very well done.

Framing with Windows & Doors

Jason Guy, of Jason Guy Photography, spotted this cathedral while walking around in Hawaii with his sister for her wedding photos. They popped in to grab a few shots in front of this window. Great choice! Windows and doorways are always excellent options for framing. In this case, the pattern on the tiles of the floor are framing the bride, as are the structure of the window and the architecture of the building itself. Since this image is very low contrast, the framing is acting as more of a texture in the background. It’s very subtle. Framing doesn’t have to always be glaringly obvious.

Organic Framing

In this image from Lin & Jirsa, the couples’ reflection is being framed by lilly pads in a pond. Using organic material to frame your subject can have a softer look than windows and doorways. Look around you, there are framing options everywhere!

Framing Ceilings as Leading Lines

Here’s another example from Lin & Jirsa. In addition to using the doorway to frame the couple, the architectural elements of the walls and ceiling of the building, as well as the light fixtures and light source itself are creating a frame within a frame within a frame. This frame within a frame technique is drawing our eye to the focal point of the image. Everything points to the couple.

Archways as Frames

Archways are a classic architectural feature used for framing. How could you pass one up, actually? In this case, the contrast between the light on the subject and shadow on the front of the wall are also helping to frame the subject.

Bokeh and Foregrounds Elements

Creating some bokeh in the foreground of the image is a creative and soft way to frame your subject. You could shoot through tree leaves, use a glass or crystal, shoot through fabric or lace. Or, do what Pye does and spray some water on your lens (crazy!)

Curtains/Fabric

Shooting through curtains or fabric can be a good way to frame a subject. You can see the frame within a frame here, which really leads your eye through the composition.

Creating Depth

Here are two examples of framing by Jay Cassario of Twisted Oaks Studio. The first shot is nice, but the second has so much more depth. The frame within a frame adds more to the story. It draws you in. Even though there’s more detail in the image, there’s less distraction from the focal point. Frame within a frame. Do it!

Framing with Color and Texture

Trees can be great for framing. In this image by Michael Kinney, the branches frame the couple and the overall color and texture in the scene also frame them. When I asked Michael how he chooses framing for his images, he said, “It’s really all about finding a place to put the couple where lines don’t intersect their heads, but go around them. Finding space in the middle of chaos.” I love it!

Frame + Reflection

Here’s another shot by Michael Kinney. Using a frame within a frame plus reflection is a double whammy. You’ll notice this couple is framed by the circular cutout of the wall plus the rectangle behind their heads plus the overall architecture of the room behind them, plus the dark shadowed tile area around the perimeter of the image. Frame, frame, frame, frame. See how much depth and interest that creates?

Frame Within In a Frame Ideas

Here’s a list of a few elements you can use to create framing in your images. This isn’t an exhaustive list by any means. Just take a look around you and find things you can you use within your composition to frame your subject. Finding a double or triple “frame within a frame” will add even more interest and depth to your image.

• Archways
• Bridges
• Doors
• Windows
• Mirrors
• People
• Ceilings
• Bokeh
• Curtains/fabric
• Fireplaces
• Multiple frames within a frame\
• Light
• Shadow
• Organic material
• Negative space
• Reflections
• Color

To learn more incredible composition tips, check out our comprehensive beginning photography course, Photography 101. You’ll learn how to approach a scene, how to light, how to pose, how to expose and how to compose amazing shots like those we’ve reviewed here.