Wedding photography is beautiful , in part because you deal with regular people, not models who make a job out of posing. It can be an incredible feeling to capture someone’s happiness in an artistic way. Things aren’t always easy though. Part of what makes wedding photography different from other genres is the fact that your clients have little or no experience in posing, and often times can be very shy when you point you huge camera and lens at them. This can lead to tension and other unwanted feelings in the relationship between newlyweds and photographers. Here are a few tips to help you deal with a shy bride and groom.
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Have the couple facing each other with their eyes closed. Then, tell them to kiss. They will most likely miss and start laughing. Make sure you capture the moment.
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Ask the groom to nuzzle his bride’s neck, from behind. The tickling will make her laugh and it’s one more opportunity to capture a great image.
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You will quickly find that shy couples react very well when they have an intimate moment. The wedding day is a very busy one, and they rarely have time to spend together. Seize this opportunity and capture the romantic mood. You will most likely be ignored at one point, and that’s the golden time to do your stuff.
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Have them take a stroll, preferably away from you. This will relax them, take their mind of the fact that they are at a photo shoot and help you get some nice, candid images.
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Most of the times, in a romantic moment, the bride is by far the most photogenic of the two. Focus on her eyes and have the groom kiss her cheeks or neck.
The thing to remember about photographing couples, especially at their wedding, is that they need to feel as relaxed as possible. It’s often a challenge, given the amount of stress some couples put up with because of a more emotional personality. It’s part of your job to make sure everyone is comfortable in the little time you have for a creative photo shoot at a wedding. There will always ne external factor that will interfere with the how things go, but it’s something you will learn to accept with time. You will eventually be able to adjust your position and build a confident inner game, so to speak, that will also inspire confidence to the newlyweds. It has a lot to do with how you connect with people in the end, and, unfortunately, if you are a good photographer but not so good at communicating, the wedding industry might not be for you. It’s something I’ve said before, but the best way to understand the importance of your actions is to put yourself in the bride or groom’s shoes. Only then can you truly understand the pressure they are dealing with and find the best way to make them feel comfortable around you, so that ultimately the work you are there to do comes out exactly as it should.
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