Excited about taking your wedding and engagement photos but worried about feeling awkward in front of the camera? Believe it or not…

95% of the couples I work with feel the same!

The best advice I can give my camera-shy clients is that doing an engagement session before your wedding is key for feeling comfortable with your photographer. 

This is why I choose to include engagement photo sessions in all my wedding photography packages.

It’s totally normal to feel nervous about getting your picture taken when you aren’t used to it. My goal is to help you feel fully present so you can enjoy your special day rather than stress about getting your photos “just right.” I want you to look back at your wedding photos and remember all the special little candid moments instead of wishing you had posed differently.

Your wedding day should be about presence, not just posing. 

Taking your engagement photos ahead of time with your wedding photographer in a fun and natural setting can help get out all your jitters and nerves and get used to the camera before your actual wedding day.

As a professional wedding and engagement photographer specializing in documentary style photography, I have found that the best wedding and engagement photos are often the ones that are not posed, where couples allow themselves to “go with the flow” and improvise. You don’t need to know exactly how to feel comfortable in front of the camera. Unplanned moments, unprompted laughs, and being genuine and fully present with each other always results in the most effortless, natural shots!

When it comes to engagement and wedding photography, I always emphasize capturing the essence and emotion of the moment over capturing the “perfect shot,” and I have several tips and tricks to help couples feel more natural and “in the moment” once the camera comes out.

How I Can Help You Feel Comfortable in Front of the Camera for Wedding & Engagement Photos

The “perfect shot” doesn’t exist. Once the idea of “being perfect” is out of the way, it makes the rest of the session 100x easier to get through! I prioritize helping my clients feel at ease by having fun and incorporating movement, conversation, and other methods that help ease any tension, awkwardness, or camera shyness.

Here are 6 ways I make sure you feel comfortable in front of the camera:

1. We’ll incorporate movement. 

You may hear me shout, “Hold hands and walk over towards the water and just hang out there for a few!” or “Get cozy on this bench and chat about what you’re most excited for on your wedding day!” or maybe even, “Okay, I want you guys to run that way and then pull each other!” 

I’ll keep the momentum going, keep you moving around, and get you outside your box. This eliminates any stiffness, awkwardness, or feeling like things are too forced or posed. Movement always makes for a cute wedding or engagement photo idea (which is the goal here!), but more importantly, it can physically shake out any tension or nerves that may come along with the idea of being photographed.

2. You’ll engage in conversation.

I always encourage my clients to chat and be themselves throughout their wedding or engagement session. 

This is a time to talk about your wedding plans and get excited about what’s to come, crack awful jokes and make your partner laugh and be silly, and talk about anything and everything, from the beautiful future you see together to something as trivial as what you’re thinking about having for dinner. Or, just enjoy the comfort you feel being in each other’s presence. 

The natural conversation will spark natural reactions and then pretty soon you’ll feel less like you’re in front of a camera and more like you’re just hanging out with the person you’ll soon get to spend the rest of your life with.

3. I’ll get to know you better.

During our session, the camera will be up basically as much as it is down. I love talking to my clients and really getting to know their story before and during picture-taking so that they not only feel at ease around me, but they can start thinking about some of their favorite moments together as a couple and why they fell in love to begin with, which will radiate through your wedding and engagement photos! 

I may give you a prompt, take a few pictures, give you some space, and then take a few more. Or, I might give you some conversation starters to help ease through any nervousness and get you thinking about your wedding, like: “Tell me how you first met,” or “What was your first date spot?” to “How did he propose?” and “What are you most excited about at your wedding?”

The key to effortless, genuine photos comes from letting your walls down and feeling comfortable with your engagement photographer, which will ultimately lead to even better wedding day photos once that day comes!

4. We’ll incorporate an activity.

Take some time to think about who you are as a couple, and what locations allow you to let your guard down and feel the most comfortable spending time together. What places really reflect your relationship?

Something as simple as getting an ice cream at your favorite ice cream shop where you went on countless dates together, ordering a coffee at that little cafe in NYC where you first met, laughing over a pint at your favorite local Boston bar, or even cozying up together with an at-home engagement session can help ease your nerves and give you something to focus on other than being in front of the camera. Plus, incorporating an activity in a familiar and meaningful setting really helps us lean into authentic, documentary-style photography rather than posed portraits. 

I talk about this more in my blog on how to take “not-basic” creative engagement photos. Check it out for some inspo!

5. We’ll structure our wedding & engagement photos with mindfulness. 

I take into consideration the flow and structure of each engagement photo session to make the process as seamless and as fun as possible while keeping the momentum going!

For instance, we can start out by taking some fun, free-flowing movement photos outside so you can shake off any jitters, tension, or nervousness and start to get more comfortable being in front of the camera. Then, we can finish off inside at one of your favorite spots, whether it’s your go-to date night restaurant or wine bar. All these little details allow for smooth transitions between settings so you feel more comfortable opening up and allowing yourself to be fully present in your visual love story.

6. I’ll encourage you to lean into the awkward feeling. 

Getting your picture taken can sometimes feel unnatural and a little awkward. But the more you can lean into the moment and accept that it’s normal to feel a little nervous or weird, the better your experience will be, and the better your candid engagement photos will turn out! 

I always tell my clients that the first 15 minutes can feel a bit weird because it’s all a new experience. Most people don’t have a camera following them and their significant other around! But after that 15-minute mark, you’d be surprised how much you’ll start to feel a sense of ease and even start to have fun with it!

Accepting the awkwardness can sometimes be the bridge between a stiff photo and a fun, memorable moment. 

Looking for Meaningful, Authentic Wedding & Engagement Photos? 

Your job isn’t to know what to do in front of the camera — that’s mine! 

My priority is to capture the energy and nostalgia so that you can look back on your wedding and engagement photos and feel all the happiness and emotions of the moment come rushing back. All you have to do is show up ready to have fun and enjoy being present with your loved one.

All of my engagement sessions are included in my wedding packages as a boutique service tailored to each individual couple. If you are looking for a Boston wedding photographer who can give you both a wedding and engagement photo session that feels natural, candid, and meaningful, take a peek at my portfolio and get in touch through my contact form today!

I can’t wait to help you capture your unique love story from the engagement through to the “I-do’s!”