How to overcome camera anxiety
Do you cringe at the thought of being in front of the camera?
Hide behind in group photographs?
Worry incessantly about having the right "look"?
In my line of work, I photograph lots of people. Some of them LOVE being in front of my camera. Others (like myself) prefer cowering behind. Some know how to "turn it on" and others (again, like myself) need, well...a little prompting. But regardless of where you perceive yourself to be on the photogenic scale, these seven short tips will ensure that with a little planning and practice, you will be very happy with your photographs!
1) Be comfortable in the clothing that you wear. f you’re more of a laid back person, don’t wear an evening dress with high heels for your engagement session. Most of my clients prefer blue jeans and tennis shoes--or bare feet! The point is, don’t try to be someone that you’re not. Just be yourself and have fun. Same for your wedding day: if you find yourself all wobbly in high heels, wear flats, especially because you’ll be walking around in them all day long. For your engagement session, PLEASE keep away from stripes, plaids and polka dots. You don’t have to be all “matchy-matchy” but try to coordinate your styles and colors. When in doubt, muted colors tend to keep the focus on you, which is where it should be!
2) Think of this as a planning process; an opportunity to test-drive your wedding photographer. You will have the benefit of getting to know and hopefully, establish rapport with him or her, as well as actually finding out if you “click”--(pun intended--lol!) in the resulting photographs. You have all the time in the world to discuss any concerns that you have prior to your session, and to make notes of what works for you and what doesn't. There’s no “right or wrong” here, just a healthy dose of collaboration on both sides. So, even if it’s not in person, a zoom meeting or talk on the phone can make a world of difference!
3) Choose a location that you’re familiar with. When I sit down with my couples, we talk about where they met and some of their favorite activities. When a place is special to you, it takes on a special meaning in a photograph, and isn’t getting photographs that you will cherish forever the whole point of hiring a professional photographer? Check out some of the locations below!
4) Use a prop. A prop is a great way to tell a story: think picnic basket ; wine glasses for a toast; a tandem bike, you get the idea. Some of my clients bring their pet, which can provide a welcome distraction to ease “camera anxiety” (there’s a reason for therapy animals!). And as you can see below, you can even have a theme for your session; in this case, Michelle and Jeff dressed in 1920's era clothing and brought a vintage automobile!
5) You will never look natural in tiff, formal poses. That's one of the reasons that working with your future wedding photographer can help you find the most natural way to stand, sit and interact with your future spouse. For your wedding, bring up any concerns about your formal sessions with your photographer. There are lots of ways to make your families and wedding parties look natural.
6) Make it a date! You might want to take a day off and enjoy your time together before the shoot. Enjoying each other's company throughout the day and doing things that you like to do will get you in the mindset for a fun activity; I can assure you that working with me will be a fun! Oh, and after the shoot, why not end the day sipping wine and enjoying a great meal at a fine restaurant? What a great way to end an amazing day!
7) Plan on arriving early. If you’re like most couples, you haven’t done this before--it’s all going to feel a bit awkward at first. So allowing yourself more time than you need will give you a chance to “warm-up” to the camera. By the time you’re finished, you’ll have a good idea of how your wedding photography will go!
