Published on February 8th, 2019 | by Sunit Nandi

8 Romantic Photo Tips to Inspire You this Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and time is running out to capture those beautiful and romantic moments between couples and lovers. Having some Valentine’s Day photo session is a great and cute way for couple to express their love for one another. However, as a photographer, shooting the most romantic photos requires you to be prepared and have plenty of ideas before that time.

In this article, I will be showing you some Valentine’s Day theme ideas that will be of great help to you when shooting romantic photos.

#1: Pick several locations

One of the best places you can ever choose to shoot romantic photos is in the great outdoors. There are lots of places that provide beautiful, natural backdrops for your Valentine’s Day pictures. Some romantic locations you can eye include areas near a body of water, areas with large trees, in a field with wild flowers, or on a boat in the middle of a pond.

When taking pictures outdoor, there will be plenty of natural light which make it easy for you to create lens flare. However, you will still need to prevent harsh shadows from falling on the couple’s faces by using a fill flash. You can see more tips for using lens flare here.

If you don’t have access to a good location, you can make use of the back of your photography studio as an alternative and use soft lighting techniques. Make the couple sit on a couch, at a table, or in an overstuffed chair together. Add a soft feel to everything by using a filter on either the lens or the light.

#2: Concentrate on positioning

In comparison to the photo background you have chosen, you need to consider where you want your subjects to be. The rule of thirds should come in handy in such a situation as this. This simply means dividing the frame into three both horizontally and vertically and then aligning the couples along the imaginary lines to make a more interesting effect.

You can also decide to make the background blurry. That is also okay. Remember you want viewers to focus on the couple in the photos and not the background.

#3: Focus on shooting the unexpected

Allow the couple to have a good time together enjoying themselves. Let them relax and act naturally while you observe. Just be prepared to capture any unexpected romantic moments, including hugging, affectionate gazes. Walking together, holding hands and kissing. Allow them to go as close to each other as they want to be. You will be surprised at the beauty of the photos you will produce from this – that’s one of the secrets revealed by Oscar red carpet nominees last year.

#4: Stick to a few strong poses

Of course, it is your responsibilities to teach the couples some basic couple poses by telling them where to sit or stand and what to do with their hands and body. However, try to avoid changing poses every time because couples tend to relax and introduced poses becomes more natural for them after the initial 15 minutes. Changing poses too often will not only eat up your time, but it can also become uncomfortable for the couples.

Instead of changing poses every time, I will recommend you slightly adjust each basic pose at a time. You can begin with asking the couples to face each other; toe-to-toe. There are lots of variations you can make out of this one single pose, including looking at each other, head on chest, one person looking at the other while the other looks at me, arms around neck, hand on chest, etc. This is one thing that makes couple pictures more fun because there are many variations you can work with.

#5: Make use of props

You can also look into adding props like balloons, flowers, or confetti to your Valentine’s Day photos. You can use these props in a variety of ways. For example, you can have the couples look into the eyes of each other through a bunch of balloons.

Another good thought is to have the couple jump in the air while holding hands while balloons or roses fall over them.

#6: Going old school isn’t a bad idea

If you have been in the photography business for a while, you will agree with me that vintage looking pictures do have this unique romantic feel of their own. So, try shooting the couple with a sepia tone to it or in black and white. Encourage vintage props or clothing. This has a way of adding more vintage appearance to the pictures and make more romantic. Don’t forget that romance of the past does add unique tones to portraits.

#7: Make the couples the focus of the shoot

Even though props can be great tools during a photography session, it is also important not to overdo it. The couple should always be your main focus during the shoot. If you are making a plan about what the couples should wear, the most important thing is that the couple looks beautiful and feel comfortable in whatever they are wearing.

Also, while their outfit should compliment each other, they shouldn’t be matching. Make sure they add a few more colors into their outfit and not just go for only black and white as this helps add some personality to the photographs.

#8: Bring essentials

You will need more than just your camera. You should also have the correct lens for portraiture. Even though you can make use of wide-angle lens for a landscape shot with your couple, this may not be appropriate for closer shots because of distortion. Ensure you always have a fully charged backup battery and extra flash cards in case of the unexpected.

Bottom Line

Valentine’s Day is a special day of the year where you are allowed to add creative touches of romance to your photographs when shooting your couples. Use these tips above to have the most creative photographs ever. Before you go into shooting the Valentine’s Day shots, you should sit down and talk to the couples to understand their needs. Let them tell you what they are looking for. This will not only make the job easier for you but will also make you as accurate as much as possible.

Tags: inspire, photo, romantic, tips, Valentine's Day

About the Author

Sunit Nandi I'm the leader of Techno FAQ. Also an engineering college student with immense interest in science and technology. Other interests include literature, coin collecting, gardening and photography. Always wish to live life like there's no tomorrow.