Do you have any tips to make prom pictures special?

[Garga]

I know a young couple that I like very much. Their parents did a bit of matchmaking and the two young people really like each other a lot. They're adorable together.

 

The young man (he's 18) is taking his girl to the prom. I'm an amateur photographer and he asked me to take their prom pictures. He'll be paying me a modest fee--$100.00 (That's modest for photography--I've already put 3 hours into this scouting for a location.)

 

We are going to a nearby lake for the photoshoot. After talking with his mom, I realized that it's not so much about the pictures as it is about the photoshoot experience. I took this young man's senior portraits (for free) and he told his mom, "If we get our pictures done at the prom, we'll get two shots and it's over. But if Garga does our pictures, we'll be walking around and getting lots of pictures and we'll all be having fun."

 

Since I really like this couple, I want to deliver and make them feel special.

 

But! Remember the part where I wrote that I'm an amateur photographer? That means I have a decent amount of technical knowhow, but very limited experience in running a photoshoot.

 

Anyone can answer--photographers, moms of kids who have been to proms, anyone who has had their picture taken---do you guys have any tips for me? Any bad photography experiences you'd want to help me avoid? Any clever ideas or something a photographer did to make the photoshoot a fun experience? Any poses that someone did for you that you love?

 

There will be two couples having their pictures taken. There won't be any parents there. Just me and the two couples.

[Garga]

Anyone?

[fairfarmhand]

http://content.photojojo.com/diy/prom-photography-guide/

 

http://www.picturecorrect.com/tips/prom-photography-tips/

 

Here's a couple idea pages from Pinterest.

[lailasmum]

Google prom photos (or engagement/wedding photos might be good for couple poses) and see if there is anything you like pose wise.

Think how you could talk your couple into those poses. You could always print out the images you like in a mini version or put the images on a phone or sketch them, make a cheat sheet or make notes to help you know what you are doing next. Think about making small changes in the same pose to give more options (moving head, hands, arms, etc). Avoid posing them staring into each others eyes it looks really wierd.

 

Think about hands-no creepy claw hands with fingers all spread out and under tension(people have a tendency to do this when they put their hands on their hips), relaxed fingers, think ballet hands.

 

Avoid limbs looking amputated, wierd stuff can happen when people stand together.

 

If the girls are wear in a strapless dress watch out for that wierd armpit above boob bulge that can happen if you lean slightly one way or have your arms against you. If you move the arm a bit and adjust posture it can be lessened.

 

Aim to shoot away from the middle of the day, look for shade, either covered or open shade if the light is harsh.

 

Avoid any dappled light/shadows/ wierd blotches on the face that might occur if you place them under a tree.

 

If no shade stand in the direction of their shadow with the sun behind them. On a sunny day they'll have better light on their face and a nice rim light around their hair.

 

You might want to get a reflector, they are fairly cheap.

 

Don't forget the background. Move yourself or them if needed.

 

Google Lindsay Adler (she has a very good video on Kelby training on Lighting) and Jasmine star has lots of videos on you tube about posing couples.