Valentine's Day Photo Props (15 Sweet Ideas) - A Moment Stopped Photography

With another holiday right around the corner, it is time for another article about session props! This time we are going to look at ideas for Valentine’s Day photo props.

There are a lot of routes you can go with this. Generally, a typical Valentine’s Day setup will consist of red, pinks, and whites. These bright colors really stand out and make sure the viewer knows they are looking at a Valentine’s Day setup.

Usually a backdrop is lighter colored, usually white. This lets the red in outfits and props stand out. There are also backdrops in the pink and red varieties, with white props instead. If you would like to my list of suggestions for Valentine’s Day backdrops, please check out my article here.

Aside from the colors, what props work well in these types of photos? What makes something fit into the category of Valentine’s Day photo props? I have gathered a list of the most popular props to use for a Valentine’s Day photo shoot:

Balloons
“&” Sign
Fairy Lights
Candy
Teddy Bears
Flowers
Kissing Booth
Letterboard
“L O V E” Letters
Giant heart
Red Garland
Banner
Glitter
Confetti
Umbrella

Let’s take a look at each of these in more detail:

Valentine's Day Photo Props - Pin 01 - Camera and red heart on white

Balloons

Whether they are heart shaped or the standard latex, balloons always make for a fun addition to a photoshoot. Some ideas on how to use the balloons:

Have them scattered all over the floor.
Use gold X and O balloons for the subject to hold
Use heart shaped foil balloons and tape them to your backdrop
Have a bunch of helium filled balloons for the subject to hold
Have just a single red balloon for the subject to hold

“&” Sign

This prop works well with couples. Have the “&” sign between the two parties for a cute effect.

Fairy Lights

I love my fairy lights, and they work so well for so many different settings! Valentine’s Day shoots are no exception. If you have the kind that can change color, set them to white, red, or pink for this occasion.

If you are going to be doing a lot of photos, a set of fairy lights is a good addition to your photo prop collection. They can be incorporated into so many different kinds of shoots. Plus you can also use them as decorations around your house!

Candy

Another tip: If you get those heart-shaped boxes of chocolates, save the box! You can use them for your shoot even if there is nothing in them. This works especially well if you get a really nice, velvet box of chocolates and hold onto the box.

You can also use individually wrapped pieces of candys. Hershey’s kisses work especially well.

Teddy Bears

Teddy bears are such a cute addition to a Valentine’s photo session! If you are doing a child’s photo shoot, these are an especially popular choice. If you can find one that is holding a heart or a red balloon it makes it even better!

For this year’s Valentine’s Day session, I used a large bear (about two feet tall when seated). It worked great for photos! I could use it for a five-month-old as well, because I could lean her against the bear. I will be seeing if I can incorporate the bear into even more sessions in the future.

Valentine's Day Photo Props - Pin 02 - Two stuffed teddy bears and vintage camera

Flowers

Flowers work very well for a Valentine’s Day photo session. A popular choice is red roses. However, if you want to go with something more casual, red, pink, and/or white chrysanthemums work as well

Kissing Booth

This is an especially popular option for pets! Stick a kitty cat or a dog in the booth and you are sure to get a winner!

Letterboard

If you have read any of my other posts, you know a letterboard is one of my favorite props. It seems to make it onto most of my prop articles! If you would like a list of Valentine’s phrases you could use, please check out my other post Valentine’s Day Phrases for a Letterboard.

“L O V E” Letters

I feel like as a photographer, I will eventually end up with the whole alphabet in large wooden letters! Occasions such as this are one reason for that. A large L O V E in the picture works well for kids and adults alike.

A bonus can be if you are ever doing an engagement shoot, you can use the starting letter of the last name as a prop in the photos. This also works for newborn photos (except you use the first letter of the first name).

Giant heart

You could either buy an oversized heart at a craft store. Or, you can make one yourself out of cardboard or posterboard. This option works well if you are trying to cover up anything in the background.

Red Garland

A red garland can work as a prop for more than just Christmas pictures! You can use it for Valentine’s photos as well. A garland also works well to hide the seam of your backdrop.

This time of year you can usually find valentines themed garlands if you want something that is a little more festive. I usually find the dollar store has a great selection of holiday garlands.

Banner

You can utilize all different kinds of banners for a Valentine’s Day photo session! Burlap, red and pink, letters that spell “I love You,” etc. A nice generic burlap banner not only works well for this session, but many other kinds as well.

Glitter

Careful with this one, it could get messy! Large glitter flakes can make for a fun session. Plus, you will then forever have glitter on your floor! Try having the subject hold the glitter and blow it into the camera for a wild effect!

Valentine's Day Photo Props - Pin 03 - Camera and red heart

Confetti

Similar to glitter, red, pink or white confetti makes for a fun photo session! Sometimes confetti is easier to clean up, so that is a bonus.

Umbrella

Umbrellas are a cute idea for Valentine’s Day pictures, especially if you can find a red or pink one. You can also use a clear umbrella; it adds a fun element to your pictures. If you are doing a lot of different kinds of pictures, I would suggest investing in a clear umbrella because it will work for a variety of different shoots.

A cute idea with an umbrella is to make it “rain hearts.” Cut out small hearts from red paper and tape them to fishing line. Then, tape one end of the line along the inside edge of the umbrella. Do this several times along the edge, and it will look like it is raining hearts in your picture!

Summary

I hope you enjoyed this article and found some ideas on what to use for Valentine’s Day Photo Props! Which of these was your favorite? Let me know in the comments below!

Just a recap of the 15 Valentine’s Day Photo Props I listed in this article: