Thinking of having an engagement shoot? But does the thought of posing in front of a camera make you panic slightly? Fear not! The photographer knows all, and we’ve got one photographer to help you out with some ideas with some examples of his own…

Marcus Ward of Bigeye Photography tells us more:When I pose a couple I like to keep it simple and encourage their personalities to shine through. Physical closeness between the couple is important to me, as is an awesome location – and colour!

Want to hear more? Over to you, Marcus!

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Sam and Serena wanted to have fun on their engagement shoot. There’s no real posing here, just a little launching into the air which sums up this fun-loving couple perfectly.

Continue reading below…

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I went walking with Mike and Lucie around Bristol to find some amazing graffiti. This shot is perfect because the hats were just the right distance apart. And of course, smiles were essential!

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The kiss is quite a traditional pose but here I’ve shot from down low with a tree either side, giving a sense of isolation and total focus on Daniel and Lindsay amongst an otherwise, quite busy landscape.

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When a couple have their heads together, they are always smiling. I’ve added more than a splash of yellow flowers and again, a little isolation to focus on the newly engaged couple!

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I love posing couples so that they are extremely close, but not actually touching. Here, the silhouette adds their closeness opposite each other against the huge background.

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This is one of the simplest poses there is: the bride standing behind the groom. By shooting from lots of different angles, there are endless opportunities for that perfect engagement shot.

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Akin was very nervous about having his photograph taken, but this pose is so simple as they are literally standing next to each other – is there anything more natural? The awesome background and the fact they are not looking at the camera helps too, of course!

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Paul and Amy loved their longboards so it made sense to involve them in their engagement shoot. I asked Paul to put his foot up and put his hands behind his back for a more masculine pose, while Amy looks more feminine leaning on her board.

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Another one from Akin and Nelle’s engagement shoot in Oxford! The perfect height for a cuddle, Nelle is tucking her head into Akin’s chest. Add a random photobomber and the personalities appear!

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Asking couples to stand very close to each other works best when in a small space, like a doorway. Here, I photographed through a plant to isolate their head and eyes even more.

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It can be as simple as sitting down and looking at each other. I had a few similar images to choose from for this, but that background wins every time!

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With the groom standing behind the bride-to-be and wrapping his arms around her, it’s impossible not to capture the closeness. This pose also works well when the bride has fractured her arm prior to the shoot!

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Standing next to each other and holding hands is such a natural pose, it’s a great one to start shoots with. Again, amazing backgrounds help too and take the pressure off the couple a little.

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This last one is another easy one: walking towards the camera! It’s best if the couple are looking at each other for that perfect shot, but it’s not essential. Either way it’s casual and natural!

Head to www.bigeyephotography.co.uk if you want more inspo for your engagement or wedding photoshoots!