How to feel comfortable in front of the camera on your wedding day: advice from a camera-shy wedding photographer.
Wedding Photo Advice for Camera Shy Couples
Hi I’m Steph, a camera-shy photographer (the irony) from Belfast Northern Ireland. I have spent years hiding myself away any time someone takes out their phone or camera, so if you are camera shy I feel your pain! The thought of being photographed all day might be a bit overwhelming, especially if you’re an introvert, neurodivergent or body-conscious. I actually think being camera-shy is a bit of a birth right here in NI/Ireland, for the most part we aren’t an overly extroverted bunch! But there are a few things you can do in the lead up to your wedding that can really make a difference on the day.
1. Choose to wear a wedding outfit that feels like you
When you’re shopping for your wedding outfit i’m giving you the green light to ignore everyone else’s opinions. Don’t opt for the option that your mum or bridesmaid thinks is “most flattering” – choose something that makes you feel most like yourself. We’ve been conditioned to believe that flattering is the goal when choosing an outfit, but we’ve been sold a lie friends! Feeling most like you is the goal when choosing what to wear and when you feel confident and comfortable in what you’re wearing that will come through in your photos.
2. Fill your fyp with body-positivity
If feeling camera shy is related to how you feel you look, or the fear of others judging how you look, it can help to follow body-positive accounts online. Seeing people with different bodies of varying sizes being confident in their own skin can help reframe how we see ourselves.
If your body confidence issues run deeper consider a bit of self help reading on Compassion Focused Therapy or talking to a therapist about how you feel.
3. Practice taking photos in your own space
Try taking a few selfies or setting up your phone to take photos of yourself from lots of different angles. We often see ourselves from a few limited perspectives and sometimes it can be a bit strange when we see a photo taken from a different angle than we are used to. I loved my wedding photos, but did I love how I looked in every single photo of me that my wedding photographer sent? I did not. But, if you practice this advice you’ll care less about how you look and all you’ll see is the memory and the moment that was captured.
4. Consider a pre-wedding shoot
A pre-wedding or engagement shoot can be a really helpful way to ease any photo nerves. It’s like a practice run so you can get used to how I work as a photographer, learn what to expect, and start to feel more relaxed in front of the camera. After their pre-wedding photoshoot a recent bride to be said, “Thank you for making us feel so comfortable, we were both super nervous beforehand but it just felt like an evening walk with a friend!”.
5. Choose the right wedding suppliers
Choose people that feel like your kind of people. Having a team around you that makes you feel comfortable and at ease will help you have a relaxed day and keep the nerves and fuss at a minimum. Talking with your wedding vendors before booking them is a good idea to find out how they work with couples and what their approach is on the day. Having the right team around you helps you bring a relaxed and centred energy into your day which will come through in all your photos.
Final thought
While you might never be someone who loves having their photo taken, I can assure you that it won’t be as daunting an experience as you’re imagining. Lots of my self-proclaimed, camera-shy couples are often surprised to find that their couples portrait session was actually a painless and even fun part of their day.
