5 ways to feel confident and relaxed in wedding photos

If getting in front of the camera makes you feel nervous, you are not alone. Trust me, the majority of engaged couples that come to me for engagement and wedding photography, say that they don’t like their photos being taken. Or they feel shy being in front of the camera. And that’s completely normal. The thought of having a camera pointed at you on one of your most important days of your life is bound to feel daunting.

But don’t worry, these tips will help you feel more confident and relaxed when it comes to wedding photography.

1. Book a documentary wedding photographer

There’s different types of wedding photography out there, from traditional wedding photography, fine art wedding photography to documentary wedding photography. If you feel more comfortable with little posed photos and a focus on storytelling, then a documentary wedding photographer may be for you. This is my approach. I like to take real, natural emotive photos that tell the story as it happens. With the natural approach, the photographer is less intrusive and often go unnoticed, only stepping in when the couples and guests need organising and directing, like for a confetti photo for example. As documentary photographer, I don’t stage the bride and grooms because I know this feels awkward and it’s not real. Instead my couple portraits are more fun and natural and aim to show personality, not a stage perfect photo.

“Gemma is an absolute diamond - and it was a complete JOY having her capture our wedding day. Many of our guests commented on how lovely Gemma was on the day - and she just blended in and around our guests, capturing so many amazing moments”

2. Talk To Your Wedding Photographer

It not really enough to just love the photographer’s work. It’s really important that you gel. Your photographer will likely be with you from bridal preparation right through to the first dance and beyond. While I’m in the background and aim to be unnoticed, I’m still a key part of your wedding day. You must be understood and feel relaxed around your photographer. I highly recommend getting on the phone to the photographer before booking or even better, meet with them. I always suggest a meeting to couples for a non-formal consultations. It makes such a difference.

bride and groom surrounded by guests with sparklers

“Gemma was amazing throughout the whole process - from first discussions and all through the wedding. She helped keep me together throughout the day without intruding. The pictures came out great and my favourite of all, that only Gemma with her natural style could have captured; me and my new husband laughing as he tripped over my dress!”

3. Book an Engagement Photoshoot

Engagement photo shoot are so important. They make such a different to the couples feeling relaxed in front of the camera. It’s a little practice for the big day and a great opportunity to get to know your wedding photographer better too. I offer a complimentary engagement photoshoot (or pre-wedding photoshoot) with my all day wedding photography packages. I’ve had groom’s say, they were so nervous about coming along to the session but left saying they had a great time and felt so much better about their wedding day. It a great way for me to get a feel for how the couple acts together, which will help when creating couple portraits.

engaged couple laughing as he gives her a piggyback

“We really enjoyed the pre-wedding engagement shoot which as well as receiving some beautiful photos, got us used to having our photo taken so it felt natural on our wedding day”

4. Trust Your Photographer

Trust your wedding suppliers. If you’ve done your research probably, you should already have that trust in your suppliers. Don’t just go with the first supplier recommend in a Facebook wedding group. Read Google reviews, check out their blogs, connect with them on social media. Meet them, but once you’ve booked them, put your trust in them! They know what they’re doing. You have invested in their skills and experience. An experienced wedding photographer knows what looks good and exactly what needs capturing throughout the day.

“We really liked that Gemma specialises in natural pictures, where people don’t really realise they are being the subject and she captured perfect natural expressions of all our guests at the perfect times. There were so many pictures that we love that we didn’t even know Gemma was there. She captured the moments that we really wanted.”

5. Go with The Flow

Forget about the cameras and go with the flow. If you’ve followed the points above, this will just come naturally anyway. If you feel comfortable around your photographer, then ultimately you will get the best photos and you won’t worry about feeling awkward. It’s your wedding day, just go with the flow and enjoy it!

bride and groom laughing as they travel down skipton high street in a horse carriage

“Gemma felt part of our day from the engagement shoot and the images she captured both there and on the wedding day were amazing. We have our beautiful personalised wedding album with memories we will treasure forever. We would 100 percent recommend Gemma to anyone looking for a wedding photographer”