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Making a portrait of two people side by side

Explore comfortable spacing, visible faces and small shared gestures with two willing portrait partners.

Yenra Photography · Published October 17, 2026

A portrait of two people begins with space for each person to contribute. Their distance from one another, the direction of their faces and a small gesture can all change the picture. Begin with an arrangement both people enjoy, then try one variation together.

These Colossalcon 2016 photographs carry the joint credit Mean Kerosene and Demoiselle. Their recorded capture times on June 3 span 16 seconds. The suggestions here are new ways to explore the visible arrangements, and each example retains its original frame, capture date and linked archive tags.

Give both people a place in the frame

The two figures stand side by side, with pink and yellow costume areas remaining easy to distinguish. Each person contributes a hand gesture, and both faces are visible. The trees provide a shared setting around the pair.

Notice the space between the figures and the room around their faces and hands. A two-person portrait gives you several relationships to consider at once. You might begin with the broad arrangement, then look for one small gesture you would like to keep.

Invite two willing portrait partners to choose a comfortable distance from each other. Begin with a simple side-by-side arrangement and make a photograph. Review it together so each person can name something they enjoy and suggest a change.

Try a closer arrangement together

In the closer arrangement, arms cross the shared space and one head leans toward the other. The two faces point in different directions. Familiar costume colors remain, while the shapes made by the pair become more closely connected.

Compare the space around the faces with the preceding image. Look at what becomes easier to see and what overlaps. This offers a question for your own photographs: how close would each person like to stand while keeping the expression or gesture they want visible?

Offer a closer variation if both people would enjoy it. Leaving space between them is equally useful, and physical contact is optional. Let their choices guide the arrangement and take a moment to check that each person feels comfortable.

Let each person add a small gesture

Both faces turn toward the camera while hands gather near the cheeks. One person raises a two-finger gesture. The smaller gestures sit within the larger pink and yellow areas, giving your eye details to find after taking in the pair.

Look at how each person contributes something of their own. A portrait can feel connected through shared space while still allowing different gestures. You can describe these visible choices without needing to assign a relationship or a particular feeling to the people pictured.

Ask each person to choose a small gesture they would like to try. A relaxed stance is enough; the examples can suggest possibilities without requiring anyone to copy every pose. Review the results together and keep a frame each person likes, along with one idea for another session.

Look back with curiosity.

• Can you see both faces as clearly as you want?
• Which arrangement does each person enjoy?
• What small change would you try together next?

Keep exploring

Photographing people together · Planning a portrait together · Exploring hand gestures in a portrait

Browse the complete Colossalcon 2016 gallery. Follow a photograph into its original neighbors and see what else catches your attention. A repeated detail, an enjoyable gesture or a familiar prop can become the beginning of another experiment.