in Photo Shooting Ideas

Marriage is no easy road, but dating can be much harder. However, successfully navigating the dating world is often crucial to falling in love. Hopefully you’ve found the love of your life, and you’re looking for some romantic photo ideas. As a professional photographer I have shot countless photos of couples, and I would like to share my experiences with you.



Over the last few years, taking photos prior to the wedding has become a popular trend. Many individuals take this quite seriously. They hire the best photographers, and spend large sums of money to make sure everything is just right. People like “pre-wedding” photography because it portrays a time before the wedding, when times were simpler. If you craft these photos correctly, they will help you preserve these memories 20 or even 30 years into the future. More recently, it has become popular to post romantic “selfies” of you and your loved one on social media sites like Instagram or Facebook. These people try to make every moment with their loved ones special, and take as many photos as they can in the hopes that they will profit from them. These types of photos tend to be bold and simplistic.



To spice up the photos of you and your partner, you can always hire a professional photographer. If you don’t want to spend the money necessary, you can also do it on your own using some simple and creative concepts. To start, you’ll want to be using a DSLR camera to help find a professional look. If you can’t purchase one yourself, perhaps a family member owns one you can borrow. Also, keep in mind that you will need someone to take the photos of the pair of you. In my career as a photographer, I have always tried to focus on simplicity over exaggerated and artificial photos. Next, I’ll give you some ideas to help spice up your home photos.

Innovative Photo Ideas

In recent times, people have begun surfing the internet to find love. It used to be once upon a time that we would wait for a school dance or music festival to meet someone. Today, however young people are finding love over the Internet. They are building their relationships through their computers and cellphones. You can use these social media photos as the beginning of a “pre-wedding” photo album.

These selfie shots are very simple and do not require much expertise in photography. Just sit together closely, point the cellphone towards yourselves, and smile while looking at the lens. If you are using a DSLR, set the aperture to f11 with the camera roughly 6 feet away. This will give you better sharpness in low light.



Try to be engaging in these photos. A little bit of experience in acting will help you quite a bit.

The Great Impression

This has to be one of the perfect examples of a romantic photo shoot I know of. I think everyone has some sort of unique talent they can use to impress the one they love. Playing a music instrument like the harmonica or the guitar for your partner is always a great idea. I suggest finding a quiet spot, away from noise and distractions. Make sure to make eye contact when you play your instrument, as you’ll want to set the proper mood while you play a romantic tune. You will want your photographer to be using a DSLR camera with the aperture set to f5.6, shooting from roughly 5 feet away. They’ll want the focus to be on your guitar. To get the sharpest shot, try to use a 50mm prime lens.



Note: Do not play sad songs!

A Beautiful Restaurant



Everyone across the world has experienced the feeling of love for another person. Having dinner with your partner is always enjoyable, and is something you certainly must do. And try to remember that these moments are precious, so you should preserve them with a photo or two. Women especially love these kinds of shots.



Find a restaurant that both of you love, and seat yourselves at either a round or small rectangular table sitting face-to-face. Order a couple of cups of coffee and your favorite snack to share. Have your partner rest their chin in the palm of their hand, looking up and your lovingly. Really do your best to try and set the right mood, and feel out the situation.



In these kinds of dramatic photos, mood is very important as it can enhance or detract from the quality of the photograph. Without the proper mood the photo will suffer, and look quite lifeless.

The primary job of the photographer is to capture the shots that others wouldn’t. These kinds of personal shots should usually be taken from between 10 and 12 feet away, using a 50mm prime lens. If the lighting of your space is bright enough, an aperture setting of 5.6f is appropriate.

Underwater Fantasy

Another unique idea for photos as a couple would be to take some pictures underwater. A few years ago you still didn’t really see these kinds of images, but as technology has advanced, underwater shots have become far more commonplace. The equipment for this is relatively cheap.



This kind of photography hinges on whether or not you are both relatively strong swimmers. DO NOT attempt any sort of underwater tricks or dangerous poses if you aren’t a good swimmer, as you could very possibly get injured.



Boat, River

Taking photos on a boat as a couple is always a great idea, as it signifies entering the great voyage of life. I would recommend that you add this sort of theme to your pre-wedding album.



This type of photo should be taken using a telephoto lens, somewhere between a 300mm and 500mm. Try not to make the boat too large, as it will be harder to get everything in the frame. As the photographer, your main focus will be the boat itself. Try using a tripod to reduce camera blur or shaking. When using a telephoto lens it is crucial to use a tripod, otherwise the picture will most certainly be blurry. This sort of shot is excellent for a romantic photo shoot of a couple.

Romantic Proposal

When you think you are ready to propose to your partner, and waiting any longer keeps you up at night, try finding a romantic location. A private garden or beach would be perfect for this. Make sure to dress nicely, and bring a gift with you such as flowers or chocolates. An important step here is to make sure that your photographer is hidden somewhere out of sight. This is why a telephoto lens is so important.



Stand with the flowers or chocolates hiding behind your back as your partner approaches you from the front. Your photographer will focus on the flowers behind your back while your partner is roughly 4 to 6 feet away. This will ensure that you capture a dramatic effect.

Bubbly lovely

A nice touch to this situation would be to add a bubble machine. The floating bubbles will add an almost dreamlike quality to your images. Hold your partner closely and kiss them deeply. As your photographer focuses on the bubbles, they will capture several passionate images of the two of you together. Keep in mind that the goal here will be to be purposely out of focus.



Beach Fantasies

Although very common, taking photos together on the beach are perfect for those who want to be especially romantic. The sea will provide an excellent background to contrast the pair of you as you embrace each-other, or recline casually against a coconut tree. For these shots, you will want your couple in focus while the background is out of focus.



Silhouettes: A Must!

I always recommend that couples take silhouette shots. They are part of a classic genre of photography that projects a special charm for couples.



This style is characterized by outlines as the main focus in which no color is shown but darkness and light. If you want a bit more color you can also take these photos in sepia tone. These are a charming addition to any wedding album.

Horse Riding

If you are more of a sporty couple, horseback riding is another great idea for a photo shoot. If you are looking for something a little more unique, this is definitely the photo shoot for you. Keep in mind that you will actually need to ride a horse, and have access to horses in order for this to work. You or your partner can dress up in a white suit and pretend to be a professional horse rider, while the other can be a starry eyed admirer. You will ride to them and kiss their hand from your horse, showing the idealism of romance through this simple gesture. Generally, for this type of shot, you will want a high shutter speed using lower aperture settings around 5.6f, standing at least 30 feet away.



Repetitive Photos and How to Avoid Them

If you truly want to make a good impression with your pre-marriage photography, you should try to avoid the stereotypical images like giving a woman a rose, or simply sitting in a garden together. Adding images like hearts or roses via an image editing software is also another poor idea, as it can look very cheesy. I warn you of this only because several of these ideas have become quite antiquated, and are used constantly. My suggestion is always to try and be unique.

Besides from all the things I’ve mentioned above, I would also recommend hiring a professional photographer. Look at their portfolio, and ask around to see if your friends have any recommendations. The experience & advice of a professional can always be helpful.

