I can’t tell you how often couples come to me saying that they hate having their photo taken or that they’re nervous about their wedding photos, or that their partner always pulls a funny face when asked they're in front on the camera…
…well, firstly let me tell you now that you’re not on your own! It’s completely natural to feel that way, after all not many of us are used to having our photographs taken, except by our family and friends.
But what I want to do is give you some hints and tips so that you can feel as relaxed as possible and look forward to and enjoy the experience, rather than dreading it!
CHOOSE THE RIGHT PHOTOGRAPHER FOR YOU
I can’t stress the importance of this! It’s is so important that you can have a chat and a giggle with your photographer, so that you basically forget about the fact you’re having your photos taken and just enjoy the moment. That’s when you get those natural smiles, moments and interactions.
I love nothing better than a good chinwag (a little too much my husband might say!), so why not book in a little chat with me to tell me all about your gorgeous plans for your wedding day and to see if we ‘click’ and if I’m the right photographer for you!
CHOOSE A DOCUMENTARY-STYLE PHOTOGRAPHER
What does this mean? Well basically a photographer who documents the day as it unfolds, capturing all the natural moments along the way, rather than artificially setting up lots of posed shots.
My style is ALL about those natural, relaxed shots that capture the true essence of you and your wedding day!
Of course, if you want some more formal group shots, as most people do, I’m absolutely there for you. However, what really makes my heart sing is capturing all of those natural moments and interactions between both of you and your family and friends. That’s the true you!
So, you don’t need to worry about the camera, because the majority of the time, you won’t even realise I’m there; I’ll fade into the background and will capture all of those special moments, people and objects, without you even realising it!
BOOK A PRE-WEDDING SHOOT
If you still feel nervous about the prospect of having your photographs taken, then I really would encourage you to have a pre-wedding shoot!
For these shoots, I always recommend that we go somewhere that’s special to you both or somewhere that you love to go together, so that we’re in your territory! We’ll then just have a little walk and a chat and I’ll take some beautiful photographs along the way. You honestly will see that there’s nothing to feel nervous about; that it’s just a walk with a friend and that you get the added bonus of some more gorgeous photographs of the two of you at the end!
TELL ME EVERYTHING
This is where my wedding questionnaire comes in! I will send this to you around two months before your wedding day and the aim is to get the lowdown on your wedding day; everything from how you guys met and how you would describe your day, to who your bridesmaids and groomsmen are, what the specific timings are for the day and which group shots (if any) you want! The more details you give me, the better.
Once you send this back over I’ll then sit down with a cuppa and a biscuit (or ten) and go through all of your answers. We'll then go through everything together in your pre-wedding consultation, so that I know EVERYTHING about your wedding day and in particular what photographs are most important to you.
Then on the day, you can just relax and enjoy celebrating with your gorgeous family and friends and not have to worry one little bit about when and where your photographs will be taken and if it’s time for your groups shots etc… that’s my job (which I absolutely love!).
I will liaise with the wedding co-ordinator at the venue about confetti, I’ll enlist the help of your wedding party to get the right people into the right group shoots, I’ll let you know when it’s time for us to go off together for your portraits. I’m there to guide you through the day so that you can just soak up every special moment!
ENJOY A MOMENT TOGETHER
So, when it’s time to go for your couples portraits, the first thing to stress is that I will only take you away from your guests for around 15 minutes! No mammoth photo sessions here!!
And secondly, your wedding day can be a bit of a blur, so actually, those 15 minutes can be a welcome break from the craziness of the day and a gorgeous time for the two of you to catch your breath and spend a few quiet moments together.
Just have a wander, have a chat, have a giggle at the fact that you’ve actually done it, you’re now married, have a good old smooch, JUST BE YOU!!!
I might just ask you to have a little kiss, pop your arms around each other or just snuggle into each other. I might ask you to practise your first dance or even do a little lift (yes, a lift!!) and nine times out of ten, this makes you get the giggles, but it’s natural laughter, so it’s perfect!
By this time, we’re friends, so just be you, enjoy the time together as super newly-weds and you’ll be sure to get some beautiful photos for you to treasure!
I hope this little guide has helped to get rid of some of those nerves you might have about your wedding photography! Rest assured I’m super friendly, totally relaxed and extremely stealthy when it comes to taking photos, so leave it with me and when you receive your gallery you’ll be able to relive every gorgeous moment of your amazing wedding day through each and every one of your photographs!
Amy xxx