"We're not photogenic": how to feel at ease in front of the camera on your wedding day

Insights · In front of the camera

"We're not photogenic." We hear it from almost every couple at our first meeting. And almost always, when they see their photographs, the same people can't believe it's them.

If you feel awkward in front of the camera, you are not alone. In this article we explain why it happens, why it doesn't matter at all for your wedding photographs, and what you can do to feel at ease.

Contents (7)

1. Why we feel awkward in front of the camera
2. The truth about being "photogenic"
3. How we work
4. What you can do
5. Especially for grooms
6. And on video?
7. Frequently asked questions

Why we feel awkward in front of the camera

Most photos we have of ourselves are selfies or pictures where someone told us "look here and smile". We put on a smile, hold our breath and wait for it to be over. No wonder we don't like the result: it isn't us, it's a pose.

And there is something else. When we know someone is watching, we start watching ourselves too. We think about our hands, our profile, our smile. And the more we think about it, the less natural we become.

The truth about being "photogenic"

Being photogenic is not about perfect features. It is about feeling at ease and being completely in the moment. A real laugh, a look that lingers on the person you love, a tear when your father sees you in your wedding dress. Nobody poses for these, and they are the photographs you will still be looking at in twenty years.

That is why your wedding day is perhaps the easiest day of all to be photographed. You are so full of emotion that, after a while, you forget the camera is there.

How we work

We don't ask you to pose. We ask you to live your day. We are there to tell its story, the way someone who loves you and noticed every detail would tell it.

• We get to know each other before the wedding. We talk, we learn your story, what you love and what makes you nervous. On the wedding day we are not strangers.
• We don't say "smile". Smiles come on their own when nobody asks for them.
• We guide you gently. Where needed, we tell you where to stand or walk so the light is beautiful. The rest you do yourselves, just by being together.
• We're there, but you barely notice us. In the most important moments, we keep our distance and let the moment happen.

What you can do

• Look at each other, not at the lens. Talk, tease each other, say something only the two of you understand. That's where the most honest photographs come from.
• Have a photo session before the wedding. A pre-wedding photo shoot is the best rehearsal. You get to know us, you get used to the camera, and on the wedding day it feels like being photographed by friends.
• Leave time in the schedule. The pressure of the clock shows on faces. A few extra minutes for your photographs make a huge difference. See how to plan your wedding day schedule.
• Wear something that feels like you. Clothes and shoes you feel comfortable in help you move naturally.
• Trust us. You don't need to check how you look. That is our job. Yours is to enjoy the day.

Especially for grooms

Often the most nervous person in front of the camera is not the bride but the groom. "I don't know what to do with my hands" is one of the things we hear most. The answer is simple: you don't need to do anything. Hold your wife, walk beside her, tell her a joke. The rest comes on its own.

And on video?

The same goes for your wedding film. You don't need to "act" for the camera. The film is more beautiful when you are yourselves: when you laugh, when you are moved, when you dance as if nobody is watching.