Couples Photoshoot | Bringing Warmth to a Cold Day
This session with Jim and Sierra was such a dream. The winter weather held off for a little while until the sun started to fall behind the Wichita Mountains. The sun was glittering on each stalk of wheat colored grass blowing in the wind. While the skies were warm and sun was bright, the temperatures were definitely still screaming winter. But these two were champs and smiled through every second. While we did have to take little trips to and from the car in between shots just to warm our hands (yes, it was that cold), we made it through. Have you ever gone on a shoot and the temps just did not cooperate?
Here are a few ways to get those pictures you've been dreaming of while still keeping your clients warm and their minds off their rising goosebumps.
The Snuggle Pose
The oldest one in the book. Have the guy bring her in close and wrap his arms around her. She will put her head against his chest and grab his torso, pulling each other into one another for a very sweet pose sure to make for a great photo. What a better way to show love and adoration than shielding each other from the wind and making sure each other is more comfortable and warm, even when the weather says otherwise.
Keep The Couple Moving
This is always a fun way to warm each other up on cold days. Choose prompts that get your clients moving. Some poses/prompts include your clients holding hands and running away from you, and then have them turn and run back. Have them do this a few times, each time giving them something fun to say or mention to their partner so it elicits a fun response. I love telling people to tell their partner a dirty joke. Works every time! You can also try prompts like give a piggy back ride, throw her over your shoulder and pretend you're saving her from bad guys, or have the guy run from behind and pick her up by the waist, twirling her in the air in a circle. You can also bring a little bluetooth speaker and ask them to dance to their favorite song like no one is watching. All of these are sure to get the blood flowing and make a cold engagement shoot or couples session warm up instantly!
Move Your Session Into an Area that Blocks Wind
If you have an area that allows for you and your clients to move into that blocks the wind and provides some shelter from the breeze, take your session in there. This can lead to some pretty gorgeous shots with sunbeams streaking through the trees or cascading over hillsides. If you can't find a narrow/hollow area surrounded by trees, try looking for other barriers that can potentially block any wind yet still provide sunlight on your subjects like a creek bank, a large building/structure, or fence line. These should all help to keep the cold chills from creeping in.
My Meemaw always had a saying whenever we complained about the weather getting in the way of our plans. She'd say, "Too bad! You can't fight mother nature." And she's right, there's no changing or fighting the weather predictions. But we can make the most out of every situation mother nature throws at us, and these tips help me get some pretty amazing photos, if I may say so myself *SMILE*.
Has anyone tried these techniques? Did you find this helpful? Let me know in the comments. Thanks for stopping by!
