Hello Friends! I’m excited to share my Top 3 Poses when photographing Styled Studio Bridal. I want to go beyond the images of just the ring and focus on creative lighting or using backgrounds and props around the studio.

"Montauk" Backdrop

Playing with Creative Lighting

When photographing this session, there was some amazing light coming through the windows that I knew I wanted to incorporate into this dress look. Typically, I would have photographed this look with studio lighting or brighter but the warm tones of the background and hard light made for the perfect inspiration. Think outside the box when it comes to lighting and bridal. It doesn’t all have to look one way.

Over the Shoulder

I absolutely love the look of an over the shoulder glance, whether its directly into the lens or off in the distance. Not only am I capturing a moment but this is a great shot to get any details in the back of the dress, accessories, or the hair looks. This look does take a bit of directing to not lose too much of the face. I typically direct my client to tilt their head/forehead away from the camera to show more of the jawline, even if its subtle. I will also have them raise their shoulder up a bit higher to give it more of a fashion pose.

"Florence" Backdrop

I also will do a head turn over the shoulder and position to show more of the front of the dress. For this look, I made some floral gloves and wanted to show them off for this look. Instead of just straight on, we used a prop door I have so she could keep the arms/hands up to show the accessory details while also doing an over the shoulder look. This is also a great way to show off the hard work of your makeup team!

"Classic Romance" Backdrop

Seated

I always try to include a seated pose with most sessions. With the long and beautiful gowns, there is a great opportunity to play with the shape of the gown and show draping. Adding a special touch of greenery or flowers to give it a soft touch and add some demotion to the set. With this image, I loved the pop of the greens against the pinks (can’t go wrong with complementary colors!)

About the Author

Shannon K. Dougherty is a boudoir and portrait photographer, educator, and re-toucher based in St. Louis, Missouri. She has been creating art all her life and fell in love with photography. She specializes in editorial and fashion inspired style in her work.