Pictures of two people together offer interesting opportunities and some challenges for photographers. In such pictures, what is often and fundamentally required is that the relationship between the two people is revealed in the photograph. They could be lovers, friends, siblings, workmates or complete strangers. The likelihood from a clients point of view is that this relationship, whatever it is, should be shown.
Once the relationship between the two is established the photograph will often begin to take form. The relationship will decide how close together the subjects should be, how they angle themselves towards each other and whether they should be seen touching in the photograph.
Some relationships such as that of a married couple almost demand physical contact whereas others may forbid it. The nature of the type of touch will be different to a sibling touch; an engaged couples touch will be different to a close friends touch. Besides the touch, the pose of the couple will differ depending on the relationship. An engaged couple portrait or a wedding day portrait will be designed to be romantic and loving. A brother/sister picture could be comfortable and playful. A brother/sister picture could be comfortable and playful.
In posing two people together it is usual that faces and heads are not placed side by side so that there is no horizontal line going between their eyes. Diagonal lines generally make for better pictures so it is usually compositionally better to have a diagonal line running between the eyelines, meaning that very often one subject will be positioned higher than the other. Sometimes one subject may be side on to the camera and the other face one. Compositionally, symmetry can be boring and usually should be broken.
