4 Tips for couples who hate having their photo taken
There’s enough to be anxious about on the day of your wedding without having to worry that your every move is being caught on camera. Yep, for the camera-shy, or photo-adverse, getting married can be a stressful experience - knowing that, on what should be the happiest day of your life, you’re going to have to face up to one of your greatest pet peeves: having your photo taken. Not just once or twice (that you could just about cope with) but literally for the entire day.
If you’re a bride or groom with a photographic phobia then weddings are your equivalent of a bushtucker trial – minus the “get me out of here” escape clause. So if you’re engaged and dreading the moments you’re going to have to spend with a lens pointing straight at you, here are 4 tips from us to help you counter your dislike of the camera…
1 Do An Engagement Shoot
Ok, so I hate the camera already, and your idea of making me comfortable is to put me in front of it even more? The idea of doing an engagement shoot might send chills through you if you’re already dreading your wedding day photography, but that’s precisely why an engagement shoot is the answer.
But there’s a reason I encourage my couples to take part in a shoot with us in advance of their big day – it gets you comfortable with us, and the camera. It’s just like at the end of “fear of flying” courses when they put you on an aeroplane. An engagement shoot is about facing-up to your fear head-on and diffusing any anxiety, so on the day of your wedding you can relax and enjoy the experience. Now, we won’t go as far as to say we’re miracle workers, but trust us – it really does work wonders for couples that adamantly insist they hate being photographed.
2 Talk to your photographer (that’s me)
Just like you guys I was engaged once, and we’ve had a wedding day of our very own, so I know the drill. I was in your shoes on our long-awaited big day, trying to act natural and enjoy the moments with our friends and family with the ever-lingering presence of a camera click, click, clicking away, so we totally understand what you’re feeling and thinking.
Just because I'm now on the other side of the lens doesn’t distance us from how it feels to be camera facing on your wedding day. In fact, for me, it’s this first-hand experience that makes me such a good fit for couples that aren’t especially comfortable at the idea of being photographed for hours on end. Let’s be clear: there’s no shame in admitting your reservations to us. In fact, I’d rather you were upfront and honest so we can work through your fears and concerns together, ahead of the big day. The morning of your wedding is not the time to admit that you hate being photographed so if you are feeling apprehensive about the process, let me know ASAP.
3 Have your couple’s shoot away from prying eyes
One of the biggest dislikes people have of the camera is being the centre of attention, with all the focus and eyes on you. This feeling can be compounded on your wedding day with your well-meaning and excited friends and family all clamouring to get their own keepsake photos of the newlywed happy couple. It’s for exactly this reason that we recommend going to a quiet part of your wedding venue, away from the crowds, to engage in your two 15 minute couple’s shoots on the day.
The privacy this affords you will help you feel more relaxed in front of the camera, and get the best images out of the short burst of time we have alone together before you have to re-join the fray. Plus, as you’ve already had an engagement shoot at this point in time, the experience of being snapped away (while you act seemingly unawares with your other half) won’t be entirely alien to you. In fact, you’d be amazed how many couples actually LOVED those short few moments to take a breath and enjoy each other’s company, away from the intensity of their wedding party.
4 Have fun and don’t overthink it
Sometimes it feels like I'm repeating myself by saying this but we really can’t stress enough how important it is to just relax and have fun on your wedding day. I get that you want your wedding photos to be absolutely perfect, that this is your one opportunity to capture images that will document this day for all eternity – but let us worry about that. The best pictures happen naturally, when two people are just being themselves, and relaxed in each other’s company.
So don’t stress about how the light looks, or whether your arm is in the right place. We aren’t going for manufactured images, and we’re not looking to fill four double page spreads in OK magazine. All I need is for the two of you to act like you would if I wasn’t around – and in the euphoria that is your wedding day, that’s actually a lot easier than it sounds.
So (at the danger of sounding a little new age) don’t overthink what you’re doing. Just be present in the moment, and enjoy the happiness you’ll be experiencing. I won’t ask you to fake kiss or smile, all I want is to capture the interaction that occurs between the two of you, as honestly and authentically as possible.
If you are feeling a little anxious about an impending engagement shoot, or even the photography that’s going to take place on your wedding day, we hope our advice has gone a little way to making you feel more at ease.
