The Secret to Authentic Wedding Photos
One of the most common things we hear from couples is that they feel awkward and uncomfortable in front of the camera. We hear you, we have childhood memories of painful family photos and the fear of an unflattering photo being shared on social media is real, but fear not, you’re in safe hands - we will do our very best to put you at ease and hopefully reshape your perception of being photographed.
To help ensure this, we’ve pulled together some thoughts on what we have found can really help make the portrait time the most enjoyable experience. As a guide, one hour to an hour and a half is a really good amount of time to schedule for your portrait session, but we can work with less time if necessary.
This is our guide to getting amazing wedding portraits
Choose a versatile location
We have found that having time to relax and really feel comfortable is one of the greatest advantages when it comes to your portrait session. This often comes down to choosing a good location with plenty of options and not needing to do lots of running around. It's worth considering what kind of environment you would like for your portrait time and then chatting to your photographer about finding somewhere with a few different angles or backgrounds and different spaces within walking distance of each other. It’s always fun to choose somewhere that is a little unique too and not a typical go-to wedding photo spot. No need to stress about finding the perfect location yourself, you can definitely trust your photographer to scout a location for you, they will be able to choose the best location based on lighting, accessibility and variety.
Minimise travel time
This really comes back to choosing a good location and only needing to go to one or two places. It makes sense to choose somewhere nearby your ceremony or reception venues or in between, so that you’re not spending your wedding day stuck in a car. It's always a bonus if your ceremony and reception are in the same place and the venue has plenty of photo opportunities on site. The less distance to travel the more time to relax during your portrait session and the quicker you will be back partying with your guests.
Snacks
It’s quite possible that by the time you get to your portrait session, the last meal you ate was breakfast and if you were feeling nervous, you may not have eaten much, chances are you may be a little hungry and thirsty. It is a great idea to have an esky packed for you and your wedding party to have a little picnic, pop some champagne and relax when you get to your portrait location. This can really set the tone for your photos and help ease into things, you also get a moment to take in that you just got married and celebrate with your closest. There’s also a fun photo to be had if anyone wants to give that champagne bottle a little shake ;)
Just the two of us
Something really special about the portrait session is that it is often the first time a couple has a moment together to take in all that has happened and not be swamped by people wanting to congratulate, hug or take a photo. Time with just you and your love is so precious and important. Factoring in 10-15 minutes to breathe and have some time together, will really help you relax and allow us to create portraits that truly reflect you as a couple. We love getting any wedding party photos done first, then the rest of the time is for the two of you. You can even send your wedding crew off to join the cocktail hour, so they don’t have to wait around and won’t be heckling you while you’re trying to have a moment ;)
Simple portrait
We can get as creative and abstract as you like with photography, but there is one image we like to walk away with from every wedding. A simple and beautiful portrait, looking straight down the lens. It’s one that you may frame and definitely one that your parents or grandparents will love. It’s a simple and honest record of you on your wedding day, always a classic.
One thing to remember
If there was just one thing we could express to our couples, it’s that we want to create images that reflect who you are. There’s no pressure to be a model or perform for the camera, all we need is for you to be you and we will capture the two incredible people we see through our lens. Our heart is always for creativity and connection, honest moments, the imperfectly beautiful - images that capture who you are and how it felt on your wedding day.
