“We don’t like posing – help!”

99% of the couples I chat to tell me how much they dislike having their picture taken, or how they think they are awful at posing. They don’t feel comfortable and I completely understand it. It’s a bizarre thing to have a camera pointed at you, it’s not something that we are used to in our day to day lives. Most people haven’t experienced being in front of a camera with a professional photographer. 

Whilst I spend the majority of a wedding day taking natural, candid photographs I do always spend time with the couple, taking some portraits of the two of them. It’s the perfect opportunity for the newlyweds to spend some time together away from the hustle and bustle of the wedding reception whilst I get some relaxed pictures. 

Now, the key phrase above is ‘relaxed photos’. I always want that portrait time to be very laid back, natural and fun. We’ll chat our way through it, there’ll be lots of smiles and you’ll both be so caught up in your wedding bubble that you’ll revel in that time alone together. The tension and nerves that you’ve had in the lead up to the day have all gone and you’ve had the most formal part of the wedding – your ceremony. 

I don’t overly pose couples. I want to see how you are together and I will give subtle directions so you don’t feel awkward. I let your natural chemistry shine through. Some couples are very touchy feely whilst others have more subtle displays of affection. If you are nervous then I have some prompts that will make you both smile and relax. I pride myself on being laid back and easygoing myself which I find always helps couples feel comfortable around me. 

With all of the above in mind, here are my top tips for helping you to relax on your wedding day and get rid of those nerves around posing. 

1 – Book a photographer that you are comfortable with. You spend so much time with your wedding photographer that it’s really important you can relax around them. Ideally you want to work with someone friendly and who puts you at ease. 

2 – Think about booking a pre-wedding photoshoot. Whilst the thought of an additional photo session might seem daunting it’s actually one of the best things you can do to settle your nerves. It’s a good chance to meet your photographer and experience being on the other side of their lens. You can also see which poses you feel more relaxed and ‘yourselves’ in. 

3 – Don’t overthink ‘posing’. Stiff poses will always look awkward. Relax, be yourselves and (if needed) your photographer will gently guide you into some more laid back and natural looking poses. Subtle direction and just slightly changing things up can make a world of difference. 

4 – Be yourselves! Don’t try to replicate poses you’ve seen before. Forcing things will always look and feel unnatural. Chat away to each other, laugh together and your love will shine through in the photographs. 

5 – Trust your photographer. You’ve chosen them because you love their work and you feel comfortable around them. They want you both to love your photographs and definitely don’t want you to feel awkward or embarrassed by anything. Know that your portrait session is a small part of your wedding day, embrace the fact that you get to spend time together and enjoy the moment. 

Finally, take a look through the photos I’ve included in this blog post, my portfolio and my Google reviews. Most of these couples confided in me about hating having their photographs taken but they all came back to me afterwards to say how relaxed they had felt in front of my camera and that they ended up really enjoying that quiet time together on their wedding.

Would you like some more wedding photography tips and advice? Check out my blog.