All of us experience that feeling of being ‘non-photogenic’ from time to time. It’s perfectly normal to feel like you don’t look good in pictures, or maybe simply worry about having only bad pictures to remember your wedding by. If you are someone who feels like the idea of wedding pictures just sends your anxiety through the roof, you aren’t alone.
In fact, most of us would say that we don’t really know what to do with your faces, hands, eyes, or even smiles when we are getting our pictures taken–cue the ‘duck face’, am I right? Well, luckily, things don’t have to be such a nightmare. You don’t have to spend your entire wedding day stressing about where the camera is, like a fugitive hiding from the police. Here’s a bit of advice, from someone who feels your pain, on how to relax a bit in front of the camera; and on how to make your wedding pictures more enjoyable.
1.) Let The Camera Be Invisible
A great wedding photographer knows when to disappear into the ‘shadows’ so to speak. This means that, ideally, you shouldn’t notice them at all unless they are giving you direction. In most cases, wedding photographers want their shoots to be as organic and natural as possible, and prefer to catch the candid and ‘real’ moments over the scripted ones. Try to spend your day just enjoying it as if the camera wasn’t there. Sure there are times when he/she cannot be ignored, but the best wedding photographers will make them times just as enjoyable as the rest
Don’t worry about all of the cute poses, or scripted ‘scenes’ you will need to act out. In all likelihood, the best photos of the day will be ones of you living in the moment, and enjoying your loved ones–and new husband/wife–around you.
2.) Simply Accept The ‘Bad’ Photos
Wedding photo shoots literally come with thousands of shots being taken. The photographer will try to capture every single moment they can, in order to capture the truly ‘magical’ ones. This, naturally, comes along with a whole lot of pictures that are simply laughable. Funny faces, embarrassing poses, awkward lighting, it’s all a part of the game with wedding photography.
On your big day, understand that there are going to be less flattering pictures taken. Just trust the photographer to delete and burn their memory forever in the fiery pits of hades–and wait for the pretty ones to come through!
3.) Trust The Photographer
Don’t concern yourself with how you should be posing, or where you should be looking. The photographer is a professional, and knows what angles and poses will look good on camera and what doesn’t. As mentioned before, the more natural and organic the setting, the better the wedding pictures will be. No one wants wedding pictures that are clearly ‘canned’.
Just remember that if the photographer isn’t telling you to do anything specific, then you are probably acting and looking perfect! Just continue to enjoy your day, and unwind. You will be shocked at how amazing you look once you let the magic happen, and trust the professionals.
4.) Final Thoughts
Of course, all of these little tips are easier said than done. Totally enjoy your wedding day, have the laughs and the tears, and your wedding photographer will capture it all. Having a photographer who you can relate to and get on with will 100% make the thought of having your photo taken far less daunting