Did you ever feel awkward when you had your photo taken?
Suddenly becoming overly aware of everything your body was doing – your dangling hands, your weird posture, and your forced smile – you started feeling uncomfortable.
Becoming a poser felt unnatural – but whenever you tried to act natural, your pics just didn’t turn out how you wanted them to.
Check-mate – or maybe not?
As a professional wedding photographer, I’m here to make sure you feel amazing on your wedding day. Yes, you’ll have your picture taken – obviously. But I’ll help you stop feeling awkward. And still look phenomenal on your wedding pics.
So if you’re ready to have one less thing to worry about on your wedding day…
…then here are my top 4 tips to stop feeling awkward, and start looking fabulous in your photos!
1. Meet Your Photographer
If you take only one tip home from this entire list, let it be this one…
For the love of God, please – please – meet up with your photographer for a photoshoot or two before your big day.
Now, just about any photoshoot will do the trick…
- You can have a practice session to go over the technicalities…
- A romantic photoshoot for emotional engagement shots…
- Or even just a quick seance to snap a few couples’ pics for grandma’s album!
It really doesn’t matter. Just do it!
And do it with the photographer who you’ll be hiring for your wedding.
(Ideally that would be me – but again, not the point!)
Now, you might be wondering why this is so important…
And no, it’s not just about getting your angles, facial expressions & positions perfect before your big day. Although knowing that you’ll look amazing on your wedding photos might just give you the confidence boost you need to stop feeling awkward and be at ease on your special day.
It’s not just about getting to know your photographer on a deeper level either. I mean sure, you might find a few common interests, like your pets or your passion for adventure. Maybe even share a few heartfelt moments & good laughs. I mean, your photographer will be at your wedding – might as well be someone you actually like!
As a bonus, you’ll probably develop a workflow that works for the both of you as well.
Experience what it’s like to work together, leaving no unwanted surprises for your wedding…
But more than anything else, having a photoshoot beforehand is about putting yourself into that uncomfortable situation at least once before your wedding. Psychologists call this exposure therapy. And it works like a charm to help people overcome all kinds of fears – some of them even scarier than a camera! Yikes!
And if it works for everyone else, why wouldn’t it work for you?
By experiencing that a photoshoot is no big deal, you’ll realize that you were just blowing it all up in your head. And this realization will finally let you act naturally in front of the lens. So, give yourself a chance to face your fears – without the audience of your guests – before your wedding!
2. Pose Less, Do More
– Look into the camera. Say cheese!
– Cheeeeese!
Can you imagine getting an amazing wedding shot like that? Something that captures the genuine beauty and magic of your special day?
I sure can’t…
Still, some photos do have to be staged to get perfect lighting, great angles, and a romantic composition. But the most authentic and interesting photos you’re going to get are going to be the real ones.
The ones that aren’t staged.
The sneaky photos on which everyone is having an amazing time…
…and nobody realizes that your photographer is covertly snapping away.
So, if you feel that posing is awkward for you, just pose less!
And focus on enjoying yourself instead!
A truly amazing photographer will do their job and capture your most magical moments without you even realizing!
And even if you do want to pose for a few photos…
…make sure you’re moving around and doing something – instead of just standing still and staring into the camera.
3. Realise That Everyone’s There For You
Everyone at your wedding is there to make sure you’re having a good time.
And nobody wants to be the reason you’re stressed out on your big day.
Nobody’s judging you.
So just stop caring what anyone else thinks.
Stop worrying about looking or feeling awkward.
Stop stressing over what your guests might think of how you pose, or how your photos might turn out. Stop setting imaginary expectations that you think you have to live up to.
Who cares if your smile looks weird in a few photos? You’ll have literally hundreds of shots to choose from. Although you can always keep the funny ones too, just for a good laugh a few decades down the road.
Who cares if it’s “unlike you” to be such a poser just for a pic? It’s your big day – you do what you want. Besides, there’s no normal way to behave on a wedding day!
Who cares if your dangling hand or your foot placement looks funny? Nobody’s going to laugh at you or judge you for it. Nobody’s even going to notice.
You have to realize that there’s no such thing as awkward when it comes to your wedding photos. Nobody’s judging, and nobody cares. Everyone – your guests, your partner, and even your photographer – just wants you to have the happiest day of your life.
So take a deep breath and put yourself at ease.
You’re not awkward. In fact, you look fabulous. And your photographer is there to make sure your amazingness comes across in your wedding photos too! After all, it’s our job to worry about that – not yours!
4. Drinks, Anyone?
If you want to make all – and I really mean ALL – of the previous tips way easier to do…
…then just have a few drinks.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on!” – you must be thinking – “There’s no way I’m getting drunk on my wedding day! Is this crazy photographer actually recommending getting wasted? Just for a few pics? What an awful piece of advice…”
Now, before you stop reading, hear me out!
It’s your wedding.
So, you get to drink as much – or as little – as you want.
As with everything else, there really is no right or wrong way to do this.
But if you’re stressing out about literally everything, a few drinks might help you cool off a bit.
To lighten the mood. And to help you forget about the small details you’re stressing out about (like your photographer, who’s diligently snapping away).
Don’t get wasted – unless that’s something the both of you want to do – but drink enough to stop stressing and start enjoying.
Suddenly, conversations will go smoother and your dance-moves will be better than Michael Jackson’s (okay, maybe not – but you’ll feel that way). Posing for the camera might even become fun, and you’ll stop being so hyperaware of where the lens is pointed in every moment.
Of course, your photographer will still be there – but this won’t stress you out anymore.
Instead, you’ll finally be able to lose yourself in the magic of the moment, and enjoy yourself freely. And your photographer will capture these rare moments of pure happiness.
So, there you have it, my top 4 tips to stop feeling awkward on your wedding photos.
If you need some more in-person guidance on how to make the most out of your special day, feel free to reach out! I’d be happy to help you turn your wedding or elopement into an unforgettable experience.
