7 Photography Tips For High-Level Couple Poses That Aren’t Selfies Or “Follow Me”

Couple photography tips at Funan’s Tree of Life

Think of the last couple pic you saw on your IG feed and chances are they are a variation of “follow me” snaps and mirror selfies. You don’t have to fall back on these common poses if you’re looking to level up your ‘gram to celebrate your love with bae. From using cellophane paper to playing with perspectives, check out these photography tips for high-level couple poses, shot around Funan’s Tree of Life.

1. Pose as a flatlay for artsy aesthetics

Men’s retro print shirt from The Lucky Shop and women’s top from Love, Bonito. Photo taken at Tree of Life Level 3.

Flatlays are the staple of every beautifully curated Instagram feed, whether it’s yummy-looking cafe fare or envy-inducing travel essentials. Recreate that wistful aesthetic by doing a flatlay of yourself with bae.

Use layers like a mat to create more dimension to your photo and avoid clashing outfit patterns for a more cohesive look. You can also add objects to fit the theme – props like dried flowers and leaves, for example, can add a touch of mother nature to the photo.

Pro tip: When taking flatlay shots as a couple, avoid having a light source that’s too close to your camera to eliminate harsh shadows. Choosing an open space will help with that – plus, provide ample room for you to lay down.

2. Shoot from floor level to utilise a striking backdrop

Photos shot from a low angle are amplified if you have towering, picturesque structures in the background. Photo taken at Tree of Life Level 1.

Regular straight-on shots are commonplace when it comes to couple photos, and sometimes shooting from a different angle can do wonders to elevate basic photos. That said, positioning your camera from a low angle is said to help make your photos and poses appear more “powerful.”

You can take on a variety of poses, but one that’ll showcase you and your partner, plus take advantage of a particularly aesthetic background, is to simply hold hands across the frame.

Pro tip: Whether you’re indoors in a mall or outside during the day, use overhead backlighting to create a dramatic effect in your background.

3. Play with perspectives for fun shots

Ladies’ light pink blazer and pants from Love, Bonito and men’s floral button-up from The Lucky Shop. Recreate this pic at Funan’s Urban Farm at Level 7.

We all know that a nice background will immediately amp up your shots and give you aesthetically pleasing photos. But what you can do is to add some playfulness to your pictures by using what photographers term as forced perspectives to give it that extra edge over the others.

Use your environment to find angles where you can optimise the background – such as platforms to give you a boost in height to achieve that perfect illusion.

Pro tip: Most mobile phone users shouldn’t have a problem with depth of field when it comes to taking forced perspective photos. But if you’re using a camera, go for a narrow aperture (f/16) so that both subjects remain in focus.

4. Create kaleidoscope vibes with cellophane paper

Ladies’ blouse from Minor Miracles and men’s floral button-up from The Lucky Shop. Photo taken at Tree of Life Level 3.

There’s no shame in going for a glam shot once in a while, and if you’re a fan of K-pop-esque vibes, create a kaleidoscope effect for your next couple pic. Use cellophane paper or any reflective material like aluminium foil to create a “frame” around your camera lens while you and your S/O strike a relaxed pose in the middle.

This simple yet effective touch is perfect for zooming in on the couple, and more importantly, hides any clutter and unsightly surroundings in your background.

Pro tip: If sparkles aren’t your thing, you can use a piece of paper with a hole in the middle to create the frame.

5. Use reflective surfaces for a mirror effect

Dress from Love, Bonito and men’s tee and pants from SUP. Christmas installation at Level 1 Funan North Bridge Road entrance.

We’ve all seen our fair share of couple mirror selfies on our social media feeds. If that’s part of your go-to aesthetics, shake things up by creating a mirror effect on posed shots instead.

Use a reflective surface like your smartphone screen to easily achieve this. For the full effect, choose a background that’s particularly striking to add character to stoic poses.

Similar to forced perspective shots, use a narrow aperture to eliminate the depth of field between the reflective surface and the subject.

6. Back-facing poses for OOTDs

Graphic print blouse from Minor Miracles and men’s retro print shirt from The Lucky Shop.

Sometimes, a simple change of direction can make all the difference to your couple photos. To create a sense of mystery for high fashion-like vibes, have one of you face your back to the camera while looking to the side or front.

This pose is ideal for couple OOTDs, especially if you’re wearing outfits that have striking details or patterns on the back.

Pro tip: For this shot, we chanced upon a neon sign board outside lyf, so we used this to create a coloured backlight effect onto the couple.

7. Use staircases for magazine-like aesthetics

Woman’s top and pants from Love, Bonito and men’s button-up shirt from The Lucky Shop. Photo taken at stairs to Urban Farm Level 7.

If you have an eye for aesthetics, you’d know that you can make do with just about any background to level up basic photos. Using staircases, for one, is an easy way to elevate your couple shots to mimic magazine-like vibes.

Create depth to your photos by posing on different levels of the staircases and have a mix of squatting, sitting and standing poses.

Pro tip: Shooting from a low angle will work better with stairs to amplify the height differences of the steps and the couple in frame for more dimension.

Snap couple shots at Funan’s Tree of Life

When it comes to the mandatory couple shot to commemorate every date, it is incredibly easy to just take a selfie or two, post it up on IG and call it a day. But if you want to elevate your photos to stand out from the sea of couples on your feed, these photography tips for high-level couple poses.

IG-worthy spots in Singapore are aplenty, but here’s one you can easily access in air-conditioned comfort. Head over to Funan’s Tree of Life, instantly recognisable with its airy open space and labyrinth of escalators. It encompasses six levels of retail and F&B spots, including 20 pods for fashion pop-ups.

Women’s Nike Air Force 1 and Men’s Nike Air Force 1’07 from JD Sports. Photo taken at grand staircases between Level 1 – Level 2.

Brands you’ll be more than familiar with include JD Sports, Love, Bonito, and The Shirt Bar, but you can also find gems from the likes of Minor Miracles, SUP, SWIMS and The Lucky Shop.

Shopping aside, avid fitspo couples will have plenty to do here, such as conquer the three-storey high rock wall at Climb Central, or take in a fitness class at TFX. While you’re at it, level up your usual dates with a VR game session at Hologate, or “pilot” a virtual aircraft at Flight Experience.

Artsy folk can also check out leather crafting workshops at Anastasia by Raine, where you can snag premium leather goods that make for ideal Secret Santa gifts this Christmas.

After a day of activities, wind down with a good meal at the host of F&B outlets. Check out 5 Senses Bistro, Workspace Espresso, Wolf Burger and Tsuta for festive dining in December 2020.

Whether you’re at Funan to spend the day with your S/O, or for some retail therapy, there’s plenty to do at their Tree of Life. While you’re here, try your hand at these couple photography tips to amp up your ‘gram and maximise your day here.