It’s the biggest day of your life, all of your friends and family are waiting and you’re just a *little* bit nervous … oh, and someone (me!) is pointing a camera at you — how on earth are you supposed to feel relaxed? Don’t stress! I know how nervous your wedding day can be. I work with couples all the time, offering wedding photography tips to make them feel more natural and relaxed. It’s extremely common to feel uncomfortable in front of the camera, as most of us aren’t photographed that often, so if you’re worried about feeling relaxed and calm in your photos, I promise you’re not alone.
However, I can help! As an experienced Sydney wedding photographer, I have plenty of tips and tricks to help you feel at ease on your wedding day. To help you prepare, here are my top 5 tips to look more relaxed in your wedding photos!
1. Find A Photographer Who Feels Like An Old Friend
Out of all of my wedding photography tips, the key one to consider when choosing a photographer is to hire someone you vibe with! Sounds simple, but honestly, it’s so important to find someone who feels like an old friend, rather than a stranger. This is also why it’s a great idea, if you can, to meet or video chat with a potential photographer before hiring them — that way, you can be sure you’re both on the same wavelength.
If you feel comfortable with your photographer, you’ll 100% feel more relaxed and at ease on the day … which equals better wedding photos! If you’re worried about meeting your photographer on the morning of your wedding, a great idea is to book a Sydney engagement shoot as a ‘test run’ so you and your photographer can get to know one another. And, bonus, you’ll get lots of gorgeous engagement photos!
2. Wear Something That Feels Comfortable And Inspires Confidence
When selecting your wedding attire, it makes a world of difference to find something that you feel comfortable in. Sure, that big poofy wedding dress might look like the quintessential wedding dress, but can you walk around in it? Are you going to be sweltering in the Sydney summer heat? Same for the guys — there’s no hard and fast rule that you need to wear a tux or uncomfortable Italian leather loafers!
Instead, find a look that you love, feel confident in and that makes you feel like a million bucks. If you’re comfortable, you’ll naturally feel at ease and you can move around much more easily – and this will result in much more natural and candid-style photos.
3. Relaxed Wedding Photography Is Easier If You’re, Well, Relaxed!
If you’re wondering how to look your best in wedding photos, see if you can add more time for photos into your day. There’s nothing more stressful than feeling like you have to rush through your photos, so build some extra leeway into your wedding timeline so we can take our time.
Allow at least 45 minutes for wedding portraits so you have time to relax, get some amazing shots, and have a blast through the entire process! If there’s extra free time throughout the day, we can squeeze in candid portraits as we go along, especially at times of the day when the lighting is perfect.
Oh, and on the topic of timings, you may also want to leave a little extra time for family photos too, just in case someone wanders off or you have a large family and require lots of different family portraits.
4. Ask Your Photographer For Some Tips At The Start Of The Day
While I love letting couples do their thing while I snap away in the background, I’m also always there to give some guidance! If you’re unsure about posing, ask your photographer for some posing tips first thing in the day so you have a solid starting point, and then build from that.
5. Tell Lots Of Dad Jokes — Seriously!
When a person is laughing, they honestly look so natural, candid and happy — which makes for a great photo! I know this sounds cheesy, but feel free to tell each other dad jokes, pull funny faces or just generally be silly. It gives us great images!
I’ll get you and your partner laughing up a storm (I know the best dad jokes, I am a dad, after all!) and I’ll do whatever I can to make you both feel so relaxed that you forget I even have a camera! As I’m snapping away, you’ll look much more relaxed and natural if you’re having a ball.
How To Pose For Wedding Photos: My Insider Tips!
If you’re thinking, ok, please tell me exactly how to pose, I can help! Here are a few extra tips — my top wedding photography poses that will help you look your best.
- Always stand with one foot bent, with the weight on your back foot, so as not to make your body look stiff.
- Try holding your arms just slightly away from your body, as it makes your arms look magically slimmer!
- Try to stay as close as you can to your partner (yes, you can do that now that you’re married!) as this can create a natural intimacy, even without intentional posing.
- Think of your portrait session as a fun date with your partner, rather than as a formal photo shoot. You can be playful, muck around, laugh, smile, flirt and have as much fun as you can — it’s your wedding day, so please enjoy it!
I really hope these tips help you feel more confident, relaxed and at ease during your wedding day photos! As an experienced Sydney wedding photographer and videographer, I want to be sure you get those authentic, candid and editorial photos that look so beautiful, so I’m here to help through the entire process! If you have any questions about your wedding photos or how to pose, I’m always happy to help — get in touch!
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