Inspiring Wedding Photo Ideas Using the Walking and Running Pose

Some of the most engaging wedding photos aren’t the posed portraits. Instead, they’re the ones where something’s happening. The walking (or running) pose has become a go-to for modern wedding photography, and for good reason. Capturing movement makes the photos more dynamic, and these “poses” are more candid in nature, which can add a bit of authenticity to your wedding photo gallery. Even better? It’s super flexible. Whether you’re looking for a dramatic editorial-type shot or a subtle lifestyle portrait, there’s a version of this pose that’ll feel completely you.

Here are some creative ways to capture the walking and running pose, each brought to life through the incredible images provided by the photographers at Wedding Maps, including the featured image above by Mauricio Ureña at Secrets Papagayo Resort in Liberia, Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

Walking and Running Pose Ideas: At a Glance

Silhouettes – Backlighting creates a striking outline, especially during sunset or low light.
Walking Away From the Camera – Creates a sense of heading into your next chapter.
Walking Toward the Camera – This perspective draws the viewer in.
Focusing on One Subject – Highlights either the bride or groom.
Shallow Depth of Field – Keeps you and your partner crisp while softening the background.
Black & White – Strips away distraction and gives a timeless feel.
Natural Light – Uses soft, real light to keep the photo clean and true to tone.
Dramatic Lighting – Adds mood and contrast with flash, spotlight, or directional lighting.
Storytelling Angles – Mixes wide, medium, and tight shots to tell a fuller visual story.
Epic Environmental Portraits – Captures scale and landscape for grand portraits.
Variety of Backdrops – This posing idea works in any environment.

Let’s get into it.

1. Silhouettes

Photo by **Mauricio Ureña** at Villa Caletas Hotel in Jaco, Puntarenas, Costa Rica

Silhouettes work especially well during golden hour or just after sunset. So long as there’s a suitable backlight, which can exist naturally or with the help of flash, your photographer should be able to make this shot happen. All you’ll have to do is walk (or run) along the horizon from one side of the frame to the other. Throw in some creative framing, and this might be one of your favorite photos in the collection.

Photo by **SMJ Photography** at Valley Forge National Historical Park in King of Prussia, PA, USA

2. Walking Away From the Camera

Photo by **Tove Lundquist** in Haväng, near Kivik, Sweden

In most photos, the subjects face the camera. Not here. Walking away while the photographer captures your portrait gives a candid vibe, like you were photographed in a private moment. It also adds a sense of direction and subtle narrative to the frame.

Photo by **Life and Lights Photography** at Stonewater Country Club in Michigan, USA

Photo by **Green Apple Weddings** at The Club at UK Spindletop in Lexington, Kentucky, USA

Photo by **Laura Skebba Photography** at Bloom and Bower in Risingsun, OH, USA

3. Walking Toward the Camera

Photo by **Cindy Brown** at Centennial Olympic Park, Atlanta, GA, USA

A classic. This walking “pose” feels confident and composed. Add smiles, a quick glance at each other, or a slight lean in to make it less posed and more “caught in the moment.”

Photo by **Tekoa Rose Photo** at Chemeketa Cellars in Salem, Oregon, USA

Photo by **Bonnie Photo** at Carter Lake in Loveland, CO, USA

Photo by **Stefani Ciotti** at Knotting Hill Place in Little Elm, TX, USA

4. Focusing on One Subject (Bride or Groom)

Photo by **Shukhrat Kamalov** at the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill in Boylston, MA, USA

In some walking shots, your photographer might highlight just one of you, like capturing your stride or the way your dress moves, while the other falls slightly out of focus. It’s a simple way to add variety to your album and it creates a different mood than the classic couple-focused frame.

5. Using Shallow Depth of Field

Photo by **SMJ Photography** at The Inn at Leola Village in Leola, PA, USA

Let the background blur out while your photographer focuses on the motion and emotion up front. This works especially well with close-ups or mid-range shots.

6. In Black & White

Photo by **Andy Sidders Photography** at the Five Arrows Hotel in Waddesdon, UK

Stripping away the color from a photo can help draw more attention to the subjects, or in this case, you and your newlywed partner. While color brings its own magic to making photos beautiful, there’s something about minimizing the distractions that color introduces and focusing instead on the shapes, emotion, and contrast in the frame. As a result, black and white photos have a timeless, almost editorial feel that makes it worthwhile to include at least a few in your gallery.

Photo by **Nix Weddings** at the Wadsworth Mansion in Middletown, Connecticut, USA

Photo by **Milan Lazic (WS Photography)** in Chicago, USA

Photo by **Shukhrat Kamalov** at the Candlewood Inn in Brookfield, CT, USA

7. With Natural Light

Photo by **Andreas Pollok** at Hambacher Schloss, Pfalz, Germany

Just like you’re doing with this style of posing, keep it simple and real with the lighting as well. A bright, clean walking shot lit by soft daylight brings out skin tones, textures, and true colors. This style is ideal for outdoor weddings with neutral or nature-inspired palettes, but it really works for any occasion with adequate ambient light.

Photo by **Laura Skebba Photography** at Heban’s Field of Dreams in Grand Rapids, OH USA

Photo by **Summit Photo and Film** at a Private Ranch in Carbondale, Colorado, USA

Photo by **Andreas Pollok** at Orangerie Darmstadt, Hessen, Germany

8. Dramatic Lighting

Photo by **Milan Lazic (WS Photography)** in Chicago, IL, USA

Think flash at night or midday, spotlights, or directional light through a window. Running or walking under a beam of light can turn a simple moment into a high-impact, cinematic photo.

Photo by **Nix Weddings** in Ashford, Connecticut, USA

9. Told Through Storytelling Angles (Wide, Medium, Tight)

Photo by **Eric Turner Photography** in Beaver Creek, Colorado, USA

Storytelling rarely relies on one static shot. Just like we see in television and movies, the best stories usually feature a mix of framing angles. Wide shots set the scene and capture your surroundings while medium ones give context (like hand-holding or a shared laugh), and tight shots bring focus to facial expressions, bouquet swings, or dress movement.

10. Epic Environmental Portraits

Photo by **JCM Photography** at the Wedding Tree in Kelly, Wyoming, USA

This is where walking poses go next-level. Whether you’re walking up a mountain ridge or running through desert dunes, scale and setting become part of the story. You might feel small, but the impact of epic environmental portraits mixed with walking and running pose ideas result in images you’ll want to print and hang for everyone to see.

Photo by **Vow of the Wild** in Colorado, USA

11. In a Variety of Backdrops

Photo by **Luzye Photography** in downtown Santa Ana, CA, USA

At the end of the day, the walking and running pose works just about anywhere, with a wide variety of backdrops. Don’t be afraid to play with contrast and location. A structured city backdrop versus a wild forest trail versus an ocean shore changes the entire mood. You don’t have to stick with one. Some couples hit multiple spots to capture the variety, and that would be our recommendation as well.

Photo by **Vows and Peaks** in Ouray, Colorado, USA

Photo by **Tekoa Rose Photo** at Haystack Rock in Canon Beach, Oregon, USA

Final Thoughts & More Inspiration

The walking and running pose is more than just a trendy shot. This popular posing idea, which is really more of an action than a pose, provides a way to show personality in a dynamic portrait. With the right direction and a little movement, you’ll end up with photos that feel as good as they look.

Here are some additional photos to inspire your walking and running pose portraits.