e-session blues

I have found as I shoot more and more e-sessions that it is so true that some couples just aren't easy to photograph. Usually it's the guy who just seems/looks TOTALLY UNAMUSED at the thought of taking mostly posed pictures for 1-1.5 hours.
What are your tips/tricks for getting those stoddy couples to loosen up and have a little fun? To actually smile or laugh just because, and NOT becase you told them to? Some even act like they don't want to touch eachother or get in close... I'm no comedian, so even trying to say funny stuff or do some kind of entertaining act is out...
Suggestions? Please!?!?

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=476788

yeah, I've read that multiple times. When I suggest the "kissing game" I get raised eyebrows and a "uh, I don't think so" look. Believe me - I'm talking about the really stoddy ones...

if the couple don't want to kiss... so be it. they don't have to have a kissing picture! when my wife (then fiance) and I did our engagement pics we still hadn't kissed! and we told the photographer that and that all we really needed from the shoot was a pic or two to choose from to mass print and send in the invite. we ended up with a great one too. oh yeah this was before I had gotten into photography... so it was a little awkward for us with the whole posing stuff. but the photographer did a great job. I digress...

my point being, if the couple is too uncomfortable in front of the camera then set it down a while and talk with them to try and get an Idea of what they really want out of the shoot. the whole "Measure twice cut once" principle would apply here. of course If they have no Idea what they want... then this can get interesting, and some example prints can really go a long way in this situation.

theres my two cents

Give 'em a glass a wine b4 your session! JK! (kind of).... some people are just stiff and aren't huge fans of taking pictures, and when that is the case, I try to go for more of the candids than the unatural posed shots... Get them talking to each other, or to you (just don't snap in mid sentence! We don't want a case of the monkey face)... create as much of a repore with them as possible so they feel comfy with you... OH, and try to take them somewhere where there aren't alot of people around..... alot of subjects tend to clam up when they think they have an audience. I'm not a pro by any means, so take my advice with a grain of salt.... Good Luck and just try to have as much fun as possible!

Great idea...
"Here, have this valium. I'll meet up with you at the park in 30 minutes..."
By the way, act like you like eachother...

jlrichmond76 wrote in post #5983312
Great idea...
"Here, have this valium. I'll meet up with you at the park in 30 minutes..."
By the way, act like you like eachother...

HAHAHA! Thats some good stuff! "Can you guys at least act like you're in love?"

jlrichmond76 wrote in post #5983312
Great idea...
"Here, have this valium. I'll meet up with you at the park in 30 minutes..."
By the way, act like you like eachother...

Haha! Great idea! *Note to self* "pack Valium in camera bag"