“I really don’t like having my picture taken.”

Does that sound like you or something you would say? 

Believe us, we hear this so often. In fact, we’re pretty sure we said the same thing to our photographers when we each got married. It’s an incredibly daunting thought to feel like you’re under the spotlight, especially when there’s a camera lens pointing at you. But the best advice we can give you for this is, quite simply, to relax.

We know what you’re thinking: it’s easier said than done, and you’d be right. We all spend hours on Instagram or Pinterest looking at all the absolutely gorgeous wedding photography that’s out there and hope that ours will turn out to be just as spectacular. That’s when the fear can set in; we worry that we won’t be able to pose correctly or that we’re not photogenic enough.

Awkward and self-conscious are among the many feelings people experience when having their picture taken. We’d be willing to bet our cameras on that the amount of people who actually like having their picture taken are in a definite minority, so if you’re terrified at the prospect of it, just know you’re not alone! 

But honestly, we can’t emphasise enough that all you need to do is relax. Focus on enjoying yourself and the company around you. Take time to appreciate all the effort you’ve put into making your day exactly what you want it to be, because it’s true what they say: time seems to speed up when it’s your big day.

We’ve had similar discussions with our couples. It’s our job as your photographers to get the very best possible images of your day. Technically, the pressure is on us, not you. And don’t worry, we won’t be asking you to do any extravagant posing (unless you ask us to, of course). Take comfort in knowing that we will gently talk you through everything you need to do for a handful of poses, giving only slight instructions here and there, but on the whole, we keep everything natural and relaxed. 

If you have any particular preferences or concerns, it’s always better to discuss this with your photographer first. Don’t ever feel like you can’t mention it if there are any photographs you don’t feel comfortable with being taken, or if there is anything at all you’re worried about, for that matter. 

So what do you have to do? All you really have to do is enjoy yourself. In fact, in our opinion, the best type of couple to photograph are those that are just enjoying being in each other’s company. 

Also, it’s worth mentioning that you’re probably more photogenic than you think. I’m sure there have been plenty of times when you’ve taken a photo of a friend and thought they looked great, only to have them pick out all their flaws. We’re all our own worst critic, after all. I was once told a great saying; ‘if we spoke to other people the way we speak to ourselves, we wouldn’t have any friends.’ So above all, be kind to yourself.