“Posing-wise, movement is key,” says Rangefinder 30 Rising Star, Rune Havn while describing his favorite image from the wedding of Fatima Mekdad and Eligijus Sukarevicius, which was in July 2024 in Stavanger, Norway. While Rune shoots 90% documentary, he does rely on some gentle posing, especially when it comes to portraits, to capture images with a cinematic feel. He says, “I want my photos to be from a ‘scene,’ and I am documenting a scene I created.” The key to creating these natural, relaxed wedding photography poses is to incorporate gentle movement. 

Guiding Movement in the Hands 

For the shot above, Rune simply asked the bride, Fatima, to use her hand to play with the veil. He says that directing gentle movements like this is crucial to achieving a relaxed pose. If he had asked her to simply hold the hand there without moving it, she would have been concentrated on her hand. “She would have looked more focused and the photo more staged. Small things like her eye movement would have been different.” However, where there’s movement, “the focus evolves into a moment.” 

Achieve Natural, Relaxed Wedding Photography Poses 

For Rune, preparing the ground for beautiful wedding photos happens well in advance of the wedding day. He says, “I want to be a friend they can trust at the same time as a professional photographer. The more work I do in my meeting pre-wedding, the more I am rewarded with amazing photos.”   

To accomplish this, Rune tells his clients well in advance of their first meeting how he works and what is helpful for him to know in advance. He likes to learn about their “interests, ideas, and stories” and “which love language they have.” He also wants to know if they “get emotional if someone speaks nice words to [them], or if [they] think it’s silly to dance in front of everyone.” Having an awareness of how his clients think and feel helps him know where to be when moments like this happen at the wedding.

During the day, Rune also likes to make his clients feel cared for by speaking with them while he shoots. He says, “I always ask my clients if they are feeling good when we are shooting” as well as if they need breaks for water or snacks. This helps them feel taken care of. Rune says, “When people are relaxed and feeling safe, they open up easier, and they do things they didn’t think they could do.” 

Lastly, Rune encourages photographers to give their clients lots of positive feedback. Saying small things like, “Love it,” “You’re killing it,” and “This is so nice,” helps build their confidence. When posing his clients, Rune also keeps his feedback brief, saying things like, “Look that way,” “Focus on each other,” and “Move your hands.” By being quiet and unobtrusive, Rune opens the way for the couple to “be themselves in front of me.”  

Relaxed, Safe, and Cozy 

Rune says, “I work a lot to make my couples feel relaxed and feel safe. I want them to be cozy with each other and make them forget that I’m there.” By creating this atmosphere of safety and comfort, Rune makes way for those aspects of a wedding that he really loves to document to come to the forefront. He says, “I love real, raw feelings – tears, laughter, sorrow, and love.” 

In addition to capturing these poignant feelings from the day, other hallmarks of Rune’s wedding photography include “the light hitting the correct places, making the subject pop,” and the image looking like a true cinematic moment. Rune’s attention to this beautiful aesthetic has made him stand out as a Rangefinder Rising Star of wedding photography after only two and half years in the business. 

Follow Rune Havn’s work on Instagram and Facebook. View the full 30 Rising Star Winners Gallery for 2024 here.