Hate having your photo taken? How we make your wedding easy

If the thought of being photographed all day makes your stomach drop, you’re in very good company. Most of the couples we meet tell us, usually in the first five minutes, that they’re “awful in photos”. Almost none of them are. They’ve just never been photographed by someone whose whole job is to make it feel like nothing is happening.

So here’s how we approach it, and what you can do to make the day feel easy.

Why people feel awkward in front of a camera

It’s rarely about how you look. It’s about not knowing what to do. Someone points a lens at you and suddenly you don’t know where to put your hands, whether to smile with teeth, or how long you’re supposed to hold it. Your brain goes into “performing” mode and your face follows.

The fix isn’t learning to pose. It’s taking away the moments where you’re left standing there wondering what to do.

How we work on the day

Most of the day, we’re in the background

The vast majority of a wedding doesn’t need any direction at all. Getting ready, the ceremony, the drinks reception, the speeches, the dancing: we document what’s actually happening, from a distance, and let you get on with it. Couples regularly tell us they forgot we were there, which is exactly the point.

When we do direct, it’s prompts, not poses

For couple portraits we’ll give you something to do rather than a position to hold. Walk together and talk about your favourite moment so far. Whisper something ridiculous. Have a slow dance with no music. You react to each other, and that’s what we photograph. It looks like you, because it is you.

We keep portraits short

Nobody wants to disappear from their own wedding for an hour. We usually take a few short sessions rather than one long one: ten or fifteen minutes after the ceremony or drinks, then a few minutes later on when the light gets lovely. You’re back with your guests before you’ve had time to feel self-conscious.

Two of us, one calm presence

Because photography and film come from the same team, you’re not being pulled in different directions by two sets of suppliers who’ve never met. We plan where we’ll each stand, stay out of each other’s shots, and keep things relaxed for you.

What you can do to feel more relaxed

• Talk to us beforehand. A call or video chat (or just emails if you hate calls, we get it) means we’re not strangers on the day. It makes a bigger difference than anything else on this list.
• Tell us what you’re worried about. A side you don’t like, your smile, being looked at by a crowd. Once we know, we can work around it quietly.
• Keep the group photo list short. Long, formal lists are where the “stand there and smile” feeling creeps in. Pick the groups that really matter and we’ll get through them quickly.
• Hold onto each other. If you don’t know what to do with your hands, hold your partner. It solves almost everything.
• Look at each other, not at us. Some of the most natural portraits happen when you forget there’s a camera and just pay attention to the person you’ve married.
• Don’t schedule portraits at the last minute. Rushing makes people tense. A little breathing room in the timeline helps you relax.

What about the film?

Being filmed can feel even more nerve-racking than being photographed, because you imagine having to “act”. You don’t. A wedding film is built from real moments: the ceremony, the vows, the speeches, the way your friends react to them. We don’t ask you to recite anything or walk up and down for the camera over and over. If we need a shot of the two of you, it happens during the portrait time we already have, so there’s no extra hour of filming.

Audio is where a lot of the magic is, too. Your vows and the speeches carry the film, and you don’t have to perform for any of it. You just have to be there.

A quick note for the camera-shy partner

Often one of you loves photos and the other would rather be anywhere else. That’s completely normal. We pay attention to who needs a bit more space, keep the direction gentle, and lean into the moments when the shy one forgets themselves, usually when they’re laughing at something their partner just said.

We barely knew they were there most of the day because they made us feel so at ease!

Jordan + Dani

The bottom line

You don’t need to be “good in photos”. You need a day you’re enjoying and people behind the camera who know how to stay out of the way. Look after the first part and leave the rest to us.

If you’re nervous about it, tell us when you get in touch. It honestly helps, and it’s one of the most common things we hear.