Hugging

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Body: There’s a big difference between spontaneous hugs and hugs in photos. Similarly, actors have to learn how to do an on-screen kiss scene because it differs from a real kiss in their personal lives. Photography hugs require some finesse.

This photo resulted from asking a bride to hug her husband with no additional instructions. The hug is nice, but it doesn’t work for photography because her arms, specifically her elbow, is the closest part of the body to the camera. Her arm should be underneath his arms, not over them. The little rule I follow for camera hugs is, “If there’s anything pointy like an elbow closest to the camera, it’s a no-go, but if there’s something flat, like an arm, it’s fine.”

What’s nice about this hug is that both their faces are featured. It’s not as easy to pull off as you may think. Usually, you have to choose whether you want to feature the bride or the groom. Featuring both—and keeping the hug looking natural—is a bit trickier.