If you’re in the midst of wedding planning and have recently found yourself asking “What if we are awkward on camera?” you are definitely not alone. This is the question I get asked most often, so you sound like a lot of the couples I work with. Many of my couples share the same concerns about being photographed – not knowing how to pose, or worrying they will have to suddenly become ‘photogenic’ or act a certain way to look good on camera.
Let me reassure you now that nothing could be further from the truth. Feeling a little apprehensive about being photographed all day on such an emotional occasion is perfectly normal. I am here to ensure that you feel relaxed and comfortable throughout your wedding day, which is all that is required to create beautiful wedding photography. In this blog, you will discover why feeling nervous about being photographed is perfectly OK, how to overcome some of your wedding photography anxieties, and why you do not need to know exactly what to do on camera in order to have incredible wedding photos.
Why Feeling Awkward In Front of the Camera Is Completely Normal
Most of us do not spend our lives being professionally photographed, so it stands to reason that you would have reservations about being on camera all day. You have also probably scrolled through countless wedding images of ‘perfect-looking’ couples who all seem to have instinctively known how to move, pose or interact on camera. Some of these couples might be models captured during a styled wedding shoot rather than a real wedding, so firstly don’t assume everything you see online is from a real wedding. Second, the happiest and most emotion-led wedding imagery you see is often the result of couples having booked a wedding photographer who matches their personality and vision. If you have been photographed professionally before and not enjoyed the experience, it was probably the photographer’s fault, and not yours.
I always tell my couples that I am the photography expert, so it is my job to worry about every aspect of the images – the lighting, the framing and most importantly making you feel safe and comfortable. Wedding content is incredibly aspirational in nature, and it can be easy to feel pressure to become the type of couple you see all over your social media page. That is never my approach. The most beautiful wedding photos stem from couples embracing who they are. The most awkward looking wedding photos come from couples trying to be the couple they think they need to be.
You Do Not Need to Be Photogenic
I can quite honestly say that I have never photographed a couple who were not photogenic. I have, however, photographed a lot of couples who thought they were not. With a little guidance from me, you can lean into interactions, gestures and mannerisms that come completely naturally to you without stepping outside of your comfort zone. In fact, the safer you feel to be yourselves, the more you’ll look back at your photos and see the real you. Granted, I will often direct you at certain points – helping you to look like the best versions of yourselves, but never pressurising you to be someone you are not. I already believe that you look gorgeous on camera, and I make it my mission to help you to believe that too.
Why Feeling Comfortable Matters More Than Confidence
Confidence is great and in an ideal world we’d all be full of self-belief and self-assurance, but it is not the key to beautiful wedding photos. I would rather my couples feel comfortable than confident. Comfortable to be a little bit nervous, ask questions when uncertain, make mistakes and embrace trying new things. I also think quietness and introversion have their own kind of beauty, and sometimes the smaller nuanced moments of a wedding can produce the most powerful photos.
Don’t get me wrong, if a confident couple books me to capture their wedding, they still have a gallery filled with heart and emotion, but please do not think you have to be bold as brass to look good on camera. You do not – you just need to trust me.
The goal is simply to help you feel comfortable in front of the camera rather than worrying about what to do.
“But We’re Going to Be So Awkward…”
Yes you might be – for the first few minutes. It might take a little time for your shoulders to drop and for your grimace to transform back into your biggest smile, but we make time for that. You might have nervous giggles to start with but you know what? Nervous giggles photograph beautifully. I do not expect you to arrive on the day having mastered your nerves and learnt 10 perfect poses – in fact that would be the worst thing you could do. I understand you’ll be a little nervous and awkward to start with and I structure my approach in such a way as to build your confidence and ease on camera as we progress.
What Actually Happens During Couple Portraits?
During your couple portrait session we incorporate lots of movement and natural interactions, which instantly calm your nerves and take your mind off being photographed. This also creates images with flow and movement, rather than stiff and stuck-in-one-position poses. I’ll direct and give advice as and when necessary, and we may try the same shot a couple of times to ensure you are comfortable or to try alternative framings and lighting. I encourage you to trust that everything I do is centred on making you look absolutely wonderful, but I also welcome your input and feedback in real time. So if there is something that isn’t feeling very ‘you’ or you have an idea you wish to try, then please just say. These sessions are collaborative, and never just about me barking orders at you. Please also make lots of mistakes, ask me to repeat things and embrace doing something that will (at first very fleetingly) feel a little alien.
If you want more advice on your couple portrait session you can read my blog titled ‘How long should couple portraits take on a wedding day?’
Do We Need To Know How To Pose?
Not at all! It is actually better if you don’t know how to pose. Most of the time, my shots are less posed and more directed – as in, I’ll prompt you to act or move in a certain way, rather than stand still and place every limb perfectly. This approach means that we are always starting from a place of natural interactions and your authentic dynamic. Should you arrive with a set of poses to perform, we would be starting from a place of performance not personality, and whilst we might get wedding photos which look like ones which are currently trending or which you have saved to your mood board, we would not get wedding photos which look and feel like you. That is always the priority – beautiful, editorially-edited imagery that reflects who you are.
What If We Hate Having Our Photo Taken?
I expect you hate having your photo taken for a couple of reasons. First, you’ve never had any guidance on what would make you, personally, look good on camera. Yes there’s lots of generic advice on lighting and posing, but one rule does not apply to all. Any advice I give is specific to you, not generic posing that tries to force you into being someone you are not. Second, you have either worked with a photographer who has not prioritised your comfort and safety, and / or you have not liked the resulting images. These two things are closely linked. When you book a photographer you feel comfortable and safe enough to be yourself with, you’ll relax in their presence, interact more naturally when in front of the camera, and the resulting images will show you looking your best. As a result, when you see the images, you’ll not only love what you see, you’ll also be reminded of a really joyous moment rather than a really awkward photoshoot.
One of the most repeated phrases I see in reviews from my couples – the same ones who started out a little nervous and apprehensive like you – is “Ross made us feel so comfortable in front of the camera.”
Please be assured that just because you have hated having your photo taken previously, it does not mean that will be the case on your wedding day. Particularly when you hire a wedding photographer who is able to connect with you on an emotional, and not just technical, level.
Why Most Couples Relax More Quickly Than They Expect
I find that my couples relax really quickly in my company, because they realise that they are not going to have to become someone that they aren’t. Once my couples understand that “walk slowly and make each other smile” is the most complex set of instructions I’m going to give them, I see the tension leave their body and they lean into living in the moment.
You can read more about my approach to wedding photography here.
Final Thoughts
It is totally normal to worry about how you will look and feel when being photographed on your wedding day. In fact, any couple who is not 100% invested in the quality of their wedding photos or who do not care about having a comfortable and joyous experience being photographed is likely not the couple for me. So know that you can arrive a little nervous and that is totally OK. Trust that very quickly you’ll start to enjoy the process and realise that you – exactly as you are, exactly how you interact with each other – are what will make you look incredible in your wedding photos.
SHARE YOUR WEDDING PLANS WITH ME
If you’re planning your wedding and want to chat about how I would capture your day with empathy and creativity, please click below. I’ll be in touch within 24 hours with more information.