Ideally, you want a digital camera. So, you can take a lot of messed up photos, and not waste film before you get the right photo. I used an old Olympus Camedia 3000Z. Make sure your batteries are fully charged.

The camera should have a remote, which allows for more control than a simple timer. No breaking the pose to get up and walk over to the camera to take the next shot.

You also need an adjustable tripod. Full size, not the cheap portable ones. Full size will let you tilt the camera sideways. Raise the camera above the subject. Shoot from below, etc.

Find a fairly neutral backdrop so that people aren't distracted by your laundry, pet, Charles Manson for President poster, etc.

Plan in advance the pose you want to try. You can tilt a mirror against the tripod to see how the looks real time.

Check the lighting and color balance. Is the flash going to be enough? Do you need side lights, etc.?

Put the camera in remote mode. Have your S/O sit approximately where you two will pose and check to see how everything looks in the frame. Hopefully, your camera will have real-time autofocus. Most do these days.

Get into position. Try multiple angles. And take multiple shots changing position slightly. Every once in a while, get up to check your results on the camera to make sure body parts aren't getting clipped out of the frame or that there is a focusing problem.

A future post will deal with photoshop editing.....

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