I am always trying to figure out ways to elicit the raw emotion, energy and movement in my wedding photography. With dancers, we are used to expressing everything through our faces and bodies. Every gesture, every breath is purposeful and geared toward evoking some kind of emotion. When photographing really great dancers, all I have to do is wait and anticipate to capture the beauty. However, most of my wedding clients are not dancers and not used to wearing their hearts on their sleeves.Let alone being watched intently and photographed for 8-10 hours.
So here are some things I do and you can keep in mind when facing the “big day” or even your engagement session.
1. Choose a photographer who you resonate with. Someone you feel comfortable with and understands who you areas a person and as a couple. Being in front of a camera is weird enough, if you hate the person who is behind that camera, you are not going to cooperate or feel comfortable enough to let your guard down.
2. Look at lots of photos of couples and see what you like. Either look at fashion magazines or other wedding photographs. See what kinds of poses look cool, evoke emotion, speak to you on some level. You will subconsciously move into some of them and it won’t feel so weird when I suggest you move a certain way or try something new.
3. Think about how the two of you are when you are together. Do you constantly laugh? Do you like to snuggle? Do you love shopping together? If you can get involved in those activities while you are being photographed then you begin to forget about the camera.
4. Move. I can’t tell you how many times during the formal portraits I ask the couple to do something and once they are there they freeze. I do not want you to hold it. I want you to move through it. Go ahead lean in, give her a smooch and then maybe smile or laugh or tell her how dumb you feel. Walk toward each other and reach for his hand, pull her close or tickle her. The worse thing you can do is just stand there.
5. Talk about NICE things. Do not start talking about the seating chart or if uncle Ron remembered to pick up grandma. Think happy thoughts and happy thoughts will shine through. To invoke different emotions and expressions and even authenticity in who you are, I ask you to talk to each other. Tell her what you were thinking right before she tapped you on the shoulder or what you saw when the doors opened and she was standing at the top of the aisle.
It helps you let go of tension, brings you closer together, focuses your attention on each other and not on me.
6. Have fun. Laugh, joke, be over the top. Dance around, flirt with your new spouse, channel your best Tyra Banks next top model smeyezing. Breathe. I won’t ask you to be goofy unless you are being to stiff and most of the time I am not looking for the twirl but the reactions before and after that twirl.
7. Hire professional make-up artists, hairstylists and even stylists. Do you think models look as amazing in that print ad as they do in real life? They have professionals that primp, preen, dress, and stylize them to the nines before they step in front of a camera. So give yourself the opportunity to look amazing and I guarantee your confidence will sore. Haven’t you had those days where your outfit looks great and you glow all day?
