Something we hear from so many of our couples is that they feel awkward or nervous about getting their wedding photos taken. This is completely normal and totally understandable, especially if you’ve never had your photo taken professionally before!
The good news is, even our most camera-shy couples come away from their wedding photography experience feeling relaxed, at ease, and yep – even having fun. Here at Figtree, we love to capture those candid moments and authentic emotions from the day, and go above and beyond to help you feel comfortable in order to do this.
Keep reading on for a few of our top tips on how to feel comfortable and confident in front of the camera!
1. Book an engagement shoot
Engagement shoots are the perfect opportunity to get some practice in before the wedding day! And will give you a great insight into what to expect on the day.
Once you’ve had a chance to get used to being photographed, you’ll be amazed at how relaxed you can feel! It also gives you the chance to hang out with us as your photographer before the wedding day so we can get to know each other’s personalities. This all helps us to create the most natural and candid photos possible.
At the end of it all, you’ll also end up with some super sweet photos of you both!
Just in case you need more convincing, here’s a link with more info about our engagement shoots and why we think they are such a great idea.
2. Book a hair and makeup trial
We are all for hair and makeup trials for so many reasons!
The best thing about having your beauty trials is that you’ll know exactly what to expect on the wedding day which will help ensure you’re completely confident in how you look and feel. This will all shine through in your photos!
3. Embrace the experience
Have fun and try not over think it! As simple as it sounds, focus on yourself and your partner, get lost in the moment and just be yourselves.
We’ll definitely give you direction throughout the shoot so that you aren’t just standing there awkwardly not knowing where to look, and if something doesn’t look right we will tell you. Trust us! However, we try to get you to do things that come naturally to create those candid style shots. If you’re ever feeling awkward, have a laugh about it and we will capture those wonderful in between moments.
Throughout the shoot, we also try to give you a moment on your own as newlyweds, as it may be the only time you get to spend alone all day. Rest assured we’re always looking for those super sweet candid moments as well, so we might be capturing the love from a distance…
4. Dress comfortably
To look comfortable in front of the camera, you have to feel comfortable!
For brides, think about your comfort and try to pick a dress that you can move easily in. We totally don’t want to be the fashion police but the more you can comfortably move in your dress, the less restricted you’ll be during the shoot. Grooms, if you’re getting married in summer, perhaps think twice about opting for a three piece suit!
On the flip side, if you’re getting married in winter, make sure you’ve got something warm for when the sun starts setting. Brides, you could rock a denim jacket in your photos or even just have something on hand for the in between moments when we’re not shooting.
Another big thing to think about is your footwear. Consider the location of your photo shoot e.g. if you’re planning on wandering through a beautiful long grass field, stilettos might be a bit tricky. Or if your heels are so amazingly pretty but uncomfortable, our tip is to bring a back up comfy pair of heels or flats just in case.
5. Be prepared
Lastly, you want to make sure you feel refreshed for your photo shoot.
By the time your location shoot comes around, for many brides you’ve been wearing your makeup for quite a few hours and there might have been a few happy tears and sneaky kisses. It’s a great idea to bring along a few makeup touch up essentials to ensure you’re feeling your best for the shoot e.g. lipstick, concealer, translucent powder. Bridesmaids are great for carrying these handy little bridal kits around!
And for brides and grooms, don’t forget to eat and hydrate! Pack a little something to eat and drink on your location shoot, you’ll be so thankful you did and it’ll help you feel totally ready to embrace being photographed!
We really hope that this guide has helped you! If you are engaged and looking for your perfect wedding photographer, get in touch for more information and our wedding photography packages here.
