Note: Photographers’ Friday is a weekly blog series directed toward professional photographers, and in some instances, serious amateur photographers. All Photographers’ Friday blog posts will assume that readers have a basic working knowledge of digital SLR cameras, but if you’re left with questions or don’t understand any of the information, don’t hesitate to ask. We love e-mails!

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When I first started photographing my friends as I eased my way into a photography business, I had this habit of perusing other photographers’ work for posing inspiration right before a shoot. Okay, so that’s a habit that I still indulge in on occasion — because I’m always looking for new ideas, all right,  guys?! But what is important to note is that I no longer feel like I need to look for posing inspiration. After a while, it becomes second nature to help couples move through flattering, natural looking poses, and even better, it becomes second nature to find what is genuine to each couple.

That said, it’s not always natural-feeling to get a couple acting all lovey-dovey or smoldering when they’re in front of a camera. Romance is something a lot of couples prefer to keep to themselves, but since that is what engagement and wedding portraits are all about, it’s up to the photographer to coax it out of a couple if public displays of affection aren’t their thing. Because, even if a couple would rather keep the kissing to themselves, what bride doesn’t want a photograph of her groom gazing at her absolutely adoringly, and what groom doesn’t want a photograph of his bride basking in that glow?Here’s how I get couples to cozy up to each other and go all dreamy-romantic on me during a shoot: I ask them to talk about each other. To tell me the moment she knew he was the love of her life. Why he decided he just had to marry her. What they’re most excited about for their marriage.

Let’s face it — even in front of a photographer, if you start telling the story of how you fell in love, it’s pretty hard not to get kind of mushy and sentimental.

So rather than just asking your couples to pose for “romantically,” ask them to relive some of their most romantic emotions and experiences together. But, you might ask, what do you do when it doesn’t work? How do you coax an insistently unromantic bride or groom to get all mushy for the camera?

I’m not going to lie and tell you that you’ll be able to get everyone to show you that they’re crazy in love. I do think that if you go into a shoot with a good attitude of your own and work to establish a credible, comfortable connection with your subjects right away, you’ll be able to ease almost all your couples into some lingering, wistful kisses and and get them gazing lovingly into each other’s eyes. When one or both of your subjects aren’t feeling it though, don’t push it — stick with what is working, and come back to the simmering romance later.

If you’ve followed my blog for very long at all, you know twinkling eyes and spontaneous laughter are my favorite interaction to capture between couples — but I also want some variety. I also want to preserve the true, stirring romance most couples share, even if getting them to share it with me seems uncomfortable to them at first. It’s key to make sure the couple knows they’re looking fabulous and doing a great job. Keep affirming your subjects as you shoot, and they’ll usually begin relaxing as they follow your directions. Often, they’ll relax right into some of that romance you’re looking for.~ Laura