Wondering how to take a couple photos by yourself? The best way is to hire a local photographer, like us, for example. But what if for some reason you don’t want to or can’t use that service? Here are some tips to help you take authentic couple photos you’ve always dreamed of.

1. Plan Ahead

It’s always good to be prepared, be sure you’ve chosen your location, that all the equipment you need is changed and packed, and that you know how to set up your camera. Also, it’s good to choose your clothes and try a few poses beforehand. Don’t worry, we’ve covered all of that in this blog post.

2. When to take photos

The best time to take magical pictures is the golden hour (which begins about an hour before sunset or until an hour after sunrise). The light of the golden hour allows you to take photos without harsh shadows and highlights. It also adds a golden touch. You avoid crowds during the morning golden hour as well, so you don’t have to Photoshop people out of your images.

But you shouldn’t underestimate daylight either. If you want to shoot during the day, we recommend you shoot during midday, especially in the city, where you can take advantage of the games of light and shadow. If you want to shoot in nature during the day, find a place with enough shade.

3. Find a good location

Finding a great location can be a challenge, but here are some things to keep in mind as you search.

• Decide if you want to take photos of nature or architecture.
• If you are looking for nature, keep an eye out for local parks or nature preserves (always check that it’s not prohibited to take photos there).
• If you want to take photos in the city center, it may be crowded, so maybe plan the shoot at sunrise.
• If you aren’t sure about the chosen location. It’s always advisable to scout the location before the shoot.

4. What gears to take

• Camera: Taking pictures with a cell phone is great, but c’mon, get a camera if you can!
• Tripod: Get a good, compact travel tripod. These are great because they’re foldable and lightweight, making them easy to carry around.
• Phone app: It’s not necessary, but if your camera brand offers it, it can be very handy.

5. How to set your camera

• It’s best to shoot in a manual setting. But you can also shoot in aperture priority mode.
• If you’re moving (dynamic poses), set shutter speed of 1/500 or faster if light permits.
• Set the camera to burst timer (5 or 10 photos) or use the app.
• Set the tripod in a stable & secure place, so you can be sure it will not move while taking photos.
• Set your focus: Ask your partner to stand where you’d stand and use autofocus to focus on him/her, then switch to manual focus, this way camera won’t struggle while it’s taking the shots.

6. Best poses

The list of poses is long but here is our article with poses we love to use the most. Follow the link or visit our gallery.

Last but not least, don’t be shy and don’t worry about what people think. You’re capturing memories that you’ll have forever.

As photographers, we do these self shoots quite often, so we can try out new poses and locations for our clients. Most of the time it works out wonderfully and we have a lot of fun doing it. If you’re looking for more couple poses & ideas, you can visit our Instagram, where we share our knowledge often.

Now you know to Take couple photos by yourself, have fun!