With most of my couples, at least one of the partners thinks they’re going to feel camera-shy and is maybe even dreading their wedding photoshoot. Fear not! Here, I’m going to share three secrets on how to smile in your wedding photos.
1. Practise Your Smile In Selfies
‘Smiling with your eyes’ sounds clichéd and cringe-worthy but I’m going to show you how to achieve this, and what an enormous difference it can make to your photos. As you’ll find, the key to making this work is your thought process. So, grab your phone, tap the camera app and let’s get started!
Action 1: You’re going to capture two selfies here…
For the first one, smile into your phone’s camera and think of a few things that make you feel a little uncomfortable, such as your phobias. Maybe that’s finding a spider on your pillow, or turbulence on an aeroplane. Or having your photograph captured by a professional photographer! Okay, smile and grab the shot.
For the second selfie, smile into your phone’s camera and fill your mind with things that you love, or things that excite you. Maybe that’s an enormous slab of salted caramel cheesecake, hugging your fur baby, or stepping off the plane somewhere warmer than Scotland at the start of your honeymoon! Or how amazing it’s going to feel to have all your friends around you at your wedding! Okay, grab the photo.
Let’s look at the two selfies. Here’s what I expect you to see…
In the first one, I think you’ll see a smile but it’s going to look a bit half-hearted; there’s not going to be any genuine emotion behind it. In the second one, I think you’ll be beaming. You’ll have a bigger smile and we’ll see it on your lips and in your eyes.
Lesson learned!
During your photoshoot, don’t think about your overdraft or the fact that you might be making a speech an hour later. Park those thoughts. Instead, think your happiest thoughts and feel those cheerful vibes in your wedding photos every time you look at them!
2. Tell Me What Makes You Laugh
Okay, so we’ve nailed how to smile in your wedding photos. But, for a few shots, I’d love to go a step further and get you laughing!
You don’t need to share the details of your couple’s ‘in jokes’ or reveal your innermost self. I just need you to tell me a handful of words that are guaranteed to get you laughing. I’m not here to judge! I won’t be offended if it’s mildly distasteful. Let me know what makes the two of you laugh and if there are key words for each of you.
Action 2: Hit the button below, remind me of your wedding date (so I don’t get in a muddle), and tell me what makes you laugh.
If all of this is out of your comfort zone, then one option is to fake laugh really hard, which will then probably lead to natural laughter.
(By the way, is there any scenario in life that doesn’t have a ‘Friends’ GIF to match?!)
3. Get To Know The Human Behind The Camera
If you’ve booked me as your wedding photographer, then I’ll be only too delighted to get to you know better. Building up a rapport before the wedding will help to put you at ease on the day, and I swear this will come across in the images.
I’m still hanging out on Facebook more-so than any other platform. So, if you’re on there too…
Action 3: Please send me a friend request on Facebook
If social media isn’t your thing and you’d like to get to know me a little better, then here are some random facts…!
I live out in the countryside with my husband Mark and our two guinea pigs. I love my home life but I’m truly at my happiest when I’m out and about having an adventure in the Highlands and Islands. Caravanning is my favourite topic of conversation! Cycling, walking and landscape photography help me to switch my brain off. The Western Isles are my favourite place in the whole world (specifically Harris; I even got married on the beautiful beach at Luskentyre). Oh, and my fantasy dinner party guests would be Barack Obama, John Lennon and Lisa Simpson!
I’d love to hear some random facts about you. 🙂
So, there we have it! Now you know how to smile in your wedding photos! Think super happy thoughts; tell me what makes you laugh; and get to know your wedding photographer.
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