Welcome to the second of our new series of Sunday features where we ask some of the brilliant wedding suppliers you’ll find tucked in our Little Book for Brides pass on their invaluable advice. Today, we’ve asked our wonderful wedding photographers to join us to dispel those photography worries that so many of us have before we step in front of the camera. So whether you hate having your photo taken or are worried about the weather or if you’d just like some practical planning advice from splendid professionals, this is the feature for you. Don’t worry; you’re going to look great…
Let’s be honest, when it comes to wedding photography, it feels like there’s a lot of pressure. You want beautiful images that you’ll love for years, you want to capture everything from start to finish but you’re probably not actually that keen on being photographed and unless you’re a professional model, it’s highly unlikely you’ll have spent much time in front of the lens before. However, trust me when I tell you that you absolutely can have fabulous photos without any worry – and it all starts months before your big day.
“Really make sure you do your homework when choosing your photographer,” says Ed Godden. “Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions – you’re investing a lot of money into your wedding photos so you’re always well within your right to not only ask lots of questions but to also make sure that you’re booking the right style of photographer for your wedding.”
Jo and Steve at Peach & Jo Photography agree: “When choosing your photographer, to most obvious piece of advice is ‘do you like their portfolio’? Does their style and the style of the weddings they photograph resonate with you? This is the most important thing as no photographer will change their style for you and making sure you love what they do is a pretty good guarantee of getting the wedding photographs that you want.”
“Know what you want to portray through your photos,” says Benjamin of Benjamin Stuart Photography. “The clearer you are, the easier it will be to find your ‘perfect fit’. If you want fun, posed photos with your bridal party, find someone who does this well and who is fun to be around. If you would rather a fine art photographer who takes whimsical beauty shots then don’t bother looking at the ‘big and bold’ styles. Similarly, if you want a documentary style, find someone who understands natural light and doesn’t whack out the flash every five seconds.”
Once you’ve found the photographer (and you might like to take a look at last week’s feature about choosing suppliers you’ll love), the next step is to get to know them so that come your wedding day, you’re relaxed in their company and totally trusting of their ability to deliver the images that you’ve dreamed about. Here, all our photographers agree on one thing – a pre-wedding shoot is an absolute wedding must-have:
“I can’t tell you how much of a difference having a pre-shoot makes for those who are camera shy,” explains Catherine of Lily & Frank Photography. “Everyone says to me at the end of the shoot how much they enjoyed it and when they see the pictures, they’re delighted. That then gives them the confidence to be natural on the day and feel secure that if their pre-shoot looks so good, their wedding is going to be beautiful.”
“I’ll let you into a secret,” says Angela Ward Brown. “There’s a reason most of us stay behind the camera! We get that having your picture taken can be hard and can make you feel anxious and vulnerable so a pre-wedding session can be enormously helpful.”
“I love pre-wedding shoots,” says Genevieve of Miss Gen Photography. “They give me a chance to get to know you and create a set of gorgeous images of the two of you together that you wouldn’t otherwise have. Focus on each other, not the camera and I can capture natural, real moments that are authentic and beautiful.”
Pre-wedding shoots can be handy for another reason too as Steve from Mr Sleeve Photography explains:
“A pre-wedding shoot can be a great opportunity to have a good look around your venue together. We can then earmark potential sites for the couple shots and we can point out details we like and places to come back to.”
So a pre-wedding shoot can make your wedding day that much easier in so many ways! However, if you want to really relax in front of the camera and just be yourself, you might need to limit your time on Pinterest or at least, as our photographers explain, be realistic about what you can achieve:
“Pinterest is a great source of inspiration but I do think that these photos can put pressure on you to recreate that ‘perfect moment,” says Charli Photography. “A lot of the time, the photos you’ve pinned are from styled shoots, not real weddings so don’t necessarily give a true reflection of the raw energy behind a wedding day. Both technically and artistically, I won’t look to recreate someone else’s wedding but I will capture your day, your moments and your emotions with my artistic vision.”
This approach of using Pinterest as a starting point for your own plans rather than as place to grab ideas wholesale is definitely one that lots of photographers, such as Amy of Amy B Photography, approve of:
“Don’t try to simply replicate what you online. Allow yourself room to come up with your own personal touches and don’t get carried away with sending loads of photographs to your photographer – I’m always open to ideas but it’s important to put complete trust in your photographer and know that they will deliver what you see in their portfolio, not copy-cat images from someone else’s.”
Amy Fanton explains how to use Pinterest in a really helpful and constructive way:
“Pinterest can be invaluable, especially when it’s difficult to communicate ideas verbally. What one person might associate with ‘elegant’ or ‘rustic’ can mean something very different to someone else so Pinterest is a great place to start to get a sense of your likes and dislikes and the overall look you want to create but do discuss this with your photographer so you’re able to set reasonable expectations and have a better understanding of what is and isn’t achievable based on your particular situation.”
This is also a good time to remember that planning your wedding isn’t just about pinning the pretty on Pinterest, it’s about practical considerations too and getting the timings right for your wedding will make a huge difference to the running of the day itself:
“Loads of time equals little stress equals a happy bride,” says Pixies in the Cellar. “Early in your planning check with your photographer on your timings because the day will go so quick and there’s a lot to pack in. We’ve been to loads of weddings so know what works and what doesn’t – use your photographer’s years of experience.”
“I always produce a thorough itinerary for the day and confirm it with my clients,” says Steve from Mr Sleeve Photography. “It’s invaluable for me to have that as part of my brief but, for all the planning, it’s inevitable that timings may slip so my advice is to allow plenty of time between the end of the ceremony, drinks reception and wedding breakfast so there’s no pressure to rush the photos. It’s better to have too much time than not enough and it might help you feel more relaxed.”
You should also take some time to talk through the details of your day with your photographer before the wedding day. If they know what’s going on and what’s important to you, they can make sure that everything’s captured:
“Your photographer should talk to you before the big day to discuss the finer details of your photography requirements and the day’s proceedings,” advises Jemma from Pearl Pictures. “They should be asking you about anything that is specific to your day, so if a cousin has flown in from Australia or special grandparents going to be there, they know. They should also know about the entertainment throughout the day etc.”
At the end of all of this planning and preparation is the wedding day itself and your photographer will be with you for a huge portion of the day, from bridal preparations through to your first dance and even into your evening reception. So, thinking in advance will guarantee you great getting-ready shots:
“Get ready somewhere gorgeous and stress free,” suggests Claire Macintyre. “As much as possible, try to keep your location clutter and junk free so that you can get beautiful clean images. An unloved Sainsbury’s bag lurking in a corner can ruin a gorgeous shot!”
When it comes to your ceremony, all the advice is that you should definitely take you time and enjoy every minute of this momentous occasion as Gemma Williams explains:
“As you’re walking up the aisle, try to make sure there’s plenty of space between you and your bridesmaids so you photographer can get a clear shot of you and when you have your first kiss, hold it for a few moments so the photographer can capture it – just keep it decent though!”
“Please consider a camera free ceremony,” suggests Claire Macintyre. “I can’t tell you how many times photographers have wanted to cry when they have the most beautiful ceremony shot and Uncle Fred ruins it with his big old flash or cousin Jane kills the moment with an iPad. Trust us; we’re here to make your images gorgeous if you let us.”
Once the ceremony is over, it’s usually time to skip onwards to drinks, nibbles, mingling and the group shots. Some couples love them, others aren’t so keen but our photographers have plenty to say on the subject:
“I think there’s still a place for formal photographs and it’s something that most of my couples still want to have,” says Steve from Bridgwood Wedding Photography. “But the important thing to remember is that they don’t have to take up lots of your day. The trick is to be organised and supply your photographer with a list of group shots that you’d like and nominate someone in the wedding party to round everyone up for you – after all, your photographer won’t know who your cousin Claire is!”
“Group shots should be absorbed into your photographer’s brief for the wedding without too much disruption and without them having to be the main focus of the photographic element of the day,” explains Steve from Mr Sleeve Photograph. “I try and make the group shots fun and relaxed for all involved and try and work through them fast so that guests aren’t kept waiting around.”
In addition to the group shots, the couples or portrait shots are often another element of the day that can be a daunting prospect but with a slight switch in the way you look at them, you’ll see a whole new opportunity opening up before you:
“Enjoy the time you spend away from your guests for your couples photos,” says Amy from Amy B Photography. “Relax, take a breather and remember you just got married and this is what really matters. Lots of laughs and giggles are always lovely to see but embrace the creative direction from your photographer and don’t be afraid to get close with your other half and if this means a quiet embrace or a laugh out loud moment, let it go and enjoy yourselves.”
“Wedding days go by so quickly,” agrees Charli Photography. “These moments as newlyweds are magical so those couples portraits you’ve been dreading, well they’ve just turned into some alone time for your both and that sounds much more relaxed doesn’t it?”
In fact, if this suggestion appeals, you might like to work with Fiona Kelly who always recommends two portrait sessions during the day:
“I like to do one during the drinks reception so the couple can have a few moments alone and we can capture that exciting time just after the ceremony and I also love to do an evening session, trying to co-incide with the sunset. Not only does this give us beautiful light but it’s another lovely opportunity to escape the hustle and bustle of the day and have a little more time, just the two of you.”
“I consider it part of my responsibility to create an environment that enables my couples to be close, safe, happy and confident enough to show that they are madly in love,” says Faye from Faye Cornhill Photography. “By doing this, they can shun any feelings of nervousness, embarrassment and embrace the moment.”
Now I hope you’re feeling much better about your wedding day but I also know that sometimes, it’s the things that you can’t control that cause the most worries in the run up to the wedding day and the weather is often top of the list.
“Forget about the uncontrollable,” says Catherine from Lily & Frank Photography. “If it rains, it rains. No-one can do anything about it, just be super organised and prepared. Have a plan B but also stock up on pretty umbrellas so we can still venture outside. The most important thing, always, is that the ceremony happens and you marry your soul-mate. The rest is a bonus!”
Staying relaxed, whatever happens, and being yourself is certainly the key to great wedding photos and although it might be a cliché, it’s also true to say that happy people are always beautiful as Amy Fanton says:
“Enjoy your wedding! Authentic emotion can’t be faked and if you’re having fun and enjoying yourself, it will come through in your images. So have a glass of champagne, soak up your moment and take it all in – your images will likely reflect what was going on inside!”
“The one thing that will make you really love your wedding photos will be you loving and being comfortable in yourself and who you are,” says Kari Bellamy. “That type of confidence shines through in photos. I truly hope that when my clients look at their photos, they see the moment, the smiles and they cherish the moment that’s been captured rather than worrying about how they look.”
I hope, more than anything that this feature will have given you new confidence about your wedding photos or put to rest some of those worries that you might have. Professional photographs taken by a photographer who cares about you and your wedding are unbeatable. Photographers understand all the fears and hopes that you have for these images and they absolutely know how you feel. Trust them, let them do the job you’ve chosen them for and you’ll be rewarded with images that you’ll treasure.
I’ll leave you now with a few lines from Ryan at Shutter Go Click Photography and I hope they make you smile…
Ninety percent of the fantastic humans that I’ve had the chance to work with have never had a photoshoot of any kind so you’re not alone. Let me let you into a secret; you’re going to enjoy every minute. You see, when you take away the posh cameras, the lighting and the fear of the images, photographers are storytellers. We’re not just there to record the day as it happens, but to live the day with you as we see it. And that’s what it’s all about – so relax, smile, laugh and embrace the moment – your moment, because it’s by far the greatest love story of all.
I hope you’ve found this second in our ‘Little Book For Brides Experts‘ series useful.
Have a lovely Sunday everyone,
Love Tamryn x
