Kissing

17.20

Hands: A rainy night in Chicago. With the streetlights and buildings, it looks like a beautiful, candid moment. But then you see the hands crossing each other, and immediately the photo looks posed. This is how people kiss in front of a camera when they are asked to kiss. It is not very romantic.

If you show hands in a kiss shot, they must match the intimacy of a kiss. Experiment with the placement of the hands until both are positioned in different places. For example, her hands could be on his waist with his on her shoulders.

17.20. It looks like a beautiful, candid moment—until you see the hands crossing each other.

17.21

Explanation: After noticing the static look of the hands in image 17.20, I quickly asked the groom to place both of his hands underneath her jaw. Placing hands on the cheeks usually blocks too much of the face. The most important tip when placing the groom’s hands on her neck is to make sure his thumb is on her face, just as shown in this photo. This avoids the appearance that he is choking her. Next time you pose a couple to kiss, keep the thumb’s position in mind and direct your clients accordingly.