How to Become a Model Couple

If you’ve ever seen a wedding or elopement on Instagram and thought to yourself “that looks way too perfect to be a real wedding”. Well… 9 times out of 10, it is.

Same thing with those couple photo inspo boards you save on Pinterest.

Most of the time, photographers set up these photoshoots. They’re called styled shoots, and they’re created to help photographers build their portfolios, experiment with creative ideas, and show future clients exactly what kind of photos they can and want to create.

But here’s the part no one really talks about: they need real couples to model for them.

That’s where you come in.

If you and your partner love taking photos, traveling, or just want a creative side hustle together, becoming a model couple might be something worth exploring. It’s how we got started and it’s a lot more accessible than you’d think.

So, What Is a Model Couple?

In simple terms, a model couple is a real-life couple who poses together for photographers, brands, or content creators.

It could be for:

• A styled wedding shoot

• A brand campaign for a travel company, clothing line, or product

• A photographer’s content day in a scenic location

• Or even a mock proposal for an elopement blog

It doesn’t matter at all how much modeling experience you have; it’s about your chemistry and ability to show genuine connection on camera. Photographers want these photos to feel real even if they aren’t.

Retreat by @amv_retreats, photo by @emilychoy_

“Ok that sounds great, but how do I get started?”

• Step 1: Take Some Photos

  Start by taking or gathering 5–10 solid photos that show you two interacting naturally. These can be:

  • Photos from your travels

  • A session you had with a local photographer

  • Even high-quality iPhone shots with decent lighting

  You don’t need a ton, just enough to show your vibe, connection, and that you are comfortable in front of a camera.

• Step 2: Use Social Media

  Instagram and TikTok are how many photographers and brands discover model couples. Treat your feed as a portfolio.

  What to post:

  • Casual behind-the-scenes of you two

  • Any shoot content you’ve done

  • Little moments that show your relationship dynamic

  Use hashtags like #modelcouple, #couplemodeling, or #travelcouple and yes, they actually work.

• Step 3: Reaching Out

  This is the part that makes people nervous but it’s how most couples get their first few gigs.

  Here’s what you can do:

  • DM photographers in your area and offer to model for free

  • Join Facebook groups for photographers and post in them

  • Keep an eye out for open calls on Instagram stories or event boards

  Once you build a few connections, word-of-mouth goes a very long way.

  (In our course, we share the exact FB groups, scripts, platforms, and pitch templates that we use)

There’s something really special about creating together, especially when you’re building toward something that supports your lifestyle or travels.

Couple modeling can:

• Help you travel for free (and sometimes get paid on top of it!)

• Get you working with brands and photographers

• Give you a creative outlet as a couple

• Turn into a legit side income, or in our case, a full-time job

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A Few Things to Know

It’s not always as easy as it looks. Knowing how to pose naturally, organize and optimize your shoot schedule, and find the right kind of jobs makes a huge difference. After getting tons of questions in our DM’s, we decided not to gatekeep!

We made a complete step-by-step guide since there’s very little info about this online

We cover:

• How to actually get booked

• What to charge (and how to negotiate)

• How to find photographers who want to work with you

• Contracts, shoot prep, and scaling this into something real