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Winter Engagement Photography

When Striking a pose

The first sound piece of advice that can come to mind here is that of picking the right location(s), which is so far often easier said than done. The photographer in charge should have a few ideas in mind already, top “hot spots” in Toronto, a major city offering lots of great options, or even in cities like Alberta or those surrounding it. There are plenty of free-to-use shooting locations that do not require a reservation of any form.  

But for when it comes to capturing the right shots at the right moment, pose (not only timing and angle capture) is truly the framework by which all else will fall into place…..

  • Consider a standing, kneeling, bowing, sitting, running, jumping or other type of pose that makes both people in the matrimony comfortable….that’s the secret — “comfortable and relaxed” are the two key words here.
  • When the couple is both of these, then the natural pose will fall into play more easily.
  • And if you’re the photographer, consider allowing both candidates of the shoot to play around with numerous poses until they find one that they are both comfortable remaining in, even for extended periods.

Engagement Photography

Advice for when shooting in the snowier parts of Canada: Considerations for unpredictable weather…..

As you may know, beautiful Canada gets all types of weather during all seasons of the year. Sometimes, what the weather will be like for the next week, or day, alone, is truly unexpected. So consider these facts:

  1. Different types of outfits, both warm and cold, should be assessed by the photographer and the couple before heading out to the shoot location(s).
  2. It’s important for the photographer to assess what may and may not be ‘lens-friendly’ when shooting, considering multitudinous factors like colors, textures, sizes and much more, in addition to patterns and how they may offshoot or even enhance the quality of any timed capture.
  3. As such, bringing an entire combination of scarves, jackets, hats, shoes, pants, shorts, leggings, shirts, and more will offer a greater variety of options that the photographer can work with.

In addition, there are certain moments that professionals have come to embrace as “Kodak moments”, times in which (during a very limited window of opportunity), the obstacle or impediment getting in the way of shooting can actually work for the benefit of a greater shot, a true “Kodak moment”. And here’s how it can play out…..

  1. Both participants feel cold and shrug, hugging each other for warmth and wishing they were someplace else.
  2. This makes for a perfect “serious” or “silent” shot, so zoom in on the emotion seen in both faces.  

Last thoughts

Remember to start with the right look; just play around with this until the best capturable poses are found. And sometimes, there’s no ‘right or wrong’ way to do it, just what works best in each situation. Also, bring several outfits and props, as needed, to offer more options for shooting in various weather conditions and backgrounds.    

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