Classic needn't mean boring: the 5 wedding poses you should never miss

Every wedding is different, and every wedding photographer captures the day in their own unique way, yet there are certain essential shots that you need to make a complete set of wedding photographs. They might be key moments in the ceremony or celebrations, or special groupings that every couple wants to have in their album.

Wedding photographer Katya Mukhina has been photographing weddings for over 20 years and specialises in adventure weddings and elopements. "I love meeting new people and going to new places," she says. "Shooting weddings means I can make a living from expressing myself as an artist. Most of all, every time I shoot a wedding, it gives me positive emotions. I'm inspired to shoot the couple's happiness and the excitement they feel in beginning a new life with the person they love."

Katya shoots weddings in a wide range of locations and always scouts the wedding and reception venues beforehand for beautiful backgrounds to use in the photos. She checks the weather forecast for the day, so she knows if she will need to shoot under cover. She also gets to know the couple well and discusses with them, in person or by video call, exactly the type and style of images they want.

Here, Katya discusses the wedding poses you should always capture, talks about how she creates meaningful pictures and keeps them fresh, and offers her advice on the kit and techniques you need to ensure the couple and guests look their best.

One essential picture that Katya always aims to include is a headshot of the bride looking into the camera, taken either before or after the ceremony. It's a shot that the couple and the bride's parents are likely to want to frame and display.

As well as being joyful occasions, weddings can also be stressful. To relax the bride, Katya keeps up a constant flow of chatter, including telling funny stories about herself.

Most weddings will include the traditional moment after the ceremony when the couple emerges from the venue to be greeted by guests showering them with confetti. "This will definitely be an emotional and spontaneous shot, where there's lots of movement and everyone will be smiling and having fun, so you have to be ready," says Katya.

As you're photographing a scene that will include the couple and guests, Katya suggests using a wide zoom or prime lens. She herself would choose her Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM or her RF 28-70mm F2L USM lens, while also having a telephoto such as her Canon RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM on a second camera body to switch between contextual wide shots and close-ups of the couple covered in confetti.

If you're shooting through a group of guests, sometimes a change of angle will help you get a clear view. "I use the camera's LCD screen, so I can hold the camera above their heads," says Katya. As long as your camera is focusing on the couple's faces, it doesn't matter what type of confetti is being used – whether bubbles, petals or rice. "Usually people stay close to each other in this situation and you can walk a couple of metres in front of the couple and create a series of pictures. Maybe two or three of them will be beautiful," she adds.

The shot of the whole wedding party, including guests that perhaps don't appear in any other pictures, is important. Katya says it's best to do it before the party starts and guests become harder to assemble. Choose a location for the shot that not only gives space for everyone but also makes the best of the venue. "I try to bring the 'theme' or setting into the group shot, because the couple usually spends a long time choosing it. Often I choose a spot in advance where we can gather all the guests.

"Shooting from a higher vantage point, such as a balcony, makes people lift their heads up and means we can see a lot of people in the picture. I ask everybody to stand close together."

If shooting from above the group, Katya sometimes arranges them in a semi-circle around the wedding couple.

At the wedding reception, it's traditional for the newlyweds to take the floor for the first dance. Like the confetti shot, it's a key moment in the day's events and is also a spontaneous and unpredictable situation. It's also an opportunity to capture the couple's feelings on the day as they relax after the formalities of the wedding ceremony.

To get the best possible shot, some preparation is needed. "I always ask the couple to do a rehearsal of their first dance," says Katya. "This helps you see the peak moments and find the best angles in advance. If this is not possible, ask them what will be the best position to see them dance. On the day, don't forget to include an action/reaction shot – such as the couple dancing and the faces of the guests in the background."

Katya can easily switch between her Canon EOS R5 and EOS R6 Mark II for this shot, both cameras offering up to 8-stops of image stabilisation when combined with her favourite compatible RF lenses. This allows her to shoot freely around the couple, even on dimly lit dance floors, without getting camera shake. She usually aims to shoot at 1/200 sec with the lens wide open. If shooting with ambient light, she uses the Auto ISO setting.

"In this situation, a longer focal length lens is best if you want to concentrate on the couple's faces, as it would feel uncomfortable to get very close to the couple on the dance floor," she says. For a full-length shot that captures the couple in their surroundings without getting too close, Katya suggests using the long end of a standard zoom lens, like the Canon RF 28-70mm F2L USM, or a prime like the Canon RF 85mm F1.2L Macro IS USM.

For wedding photographers who need to provide both video and stills of this special moment, Dual Shooting on the EOS R5 Mark II camera allows the photographer to capture JPG photos while shooting Full HD video, all without missing a move on the dancefloor. Pairing this camera with a hybrid lens such as the RF 24-105mm F2.5L IS USM Z or RF 50mm F1.4L VCM gives wedding photographers the opportunity to expand their offering to potential clients and boost their business.

Weddings are about a couple making a lifelong commitment, and Katya says it's important to have some intimate images of them that reflect their feelings for each other. They would ideally be taken when Katya is alone with the couple.

"Before the wedding, I ask them questions about the emotional moments when they got to know each other and how they started to date," she says. "For some more personal pictures, I ask them to think about those times," she says.

For this shot, Katya likes to move into the couple's intimate space and shoots with a focal length between 35mm and 50mm. In this situation, shooting with natural light and using the silent shooting function on Canon EOS R System cameras helps her work unobtrusively. Again, the face/eye tracking mode keeps faces sharp even in low-lit environments and allows you to concentrate on capturing the couple's emotions.

Another thing Katya asks the couple before the wedding is to visualise one moment from the day that they would like to see in a frame on their wall. "It's not one of the essential wedding shots, but it's essential for them," she says.

And what about those times when you have to make changes to your planned shots because of poor light or bad weather? "As a wedding photographer you need to be prepared for anything," says Katya. "If rain is possible, have an umbrella for yourself and a transparent umbrella for the couple and always have a Plan B in mind.

"Take a set of lenses covering a range of focal lengths. As a minimum, you need at least a 24-70mm zoom and an 85mm f/1.8 or 50mm f/1.4. Prepare for any low-light situation with LED lights, flash heads, softboxes and any other lighting you might need."

And to get some more quirky, unusual images, Katya advises taking lots of shots, especially when people are not expecting it. "Shooting while looking through the LCD screen flipped out, or using the silent mode, helps you achieve different and unusual images," she says. "Just let yourself be creative."