Today I want to talk about something that might seem obvious to most of the people reading this post, but is something that most people actually don’t realize they forget, or forget unintentionally!
A lot of times what ends up happening is the couple begins to overthink where they look, where to put their hands, what their outfit is doing etc etc instead of focusing on enjoying the time they have with their fiancé! It’s totally not a bad thing to want the photos to look perfect – I’m not bashing that! – but my goal as your photographer is not to offer or deliver perfection, but to give you an experience that accurately represents your relationship to the best of my ability! But before I get ahead of myself, let’s get this party started shall we?
REASON #1: IT’S THE ONLY WAY TO ACHIEVE NATURAL AND AUTHENTIC PHOTOS
I have yet to meet a person who specifically asks me for stiff and posed photos. Let’s face it – I think everyone sees the value of having a candid and authentic approach, but not everyone understands the process it takes to get there! Let’s think for a moment and evaluate a scenario together:
WHO ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO FEEL RELAXED AND MOST LIKE YOURSELF WITH?
I could probably confidently guess you would say your closest friends and family right?
What about a complete stranger?
I can also probably confidently say you would say no to that one.
You feel the most comfortable with people you have an established connection with – people you trust. And choosing who is going to photograph your day (and be the person you spend 90% of the day with) is exactly the same thought process. From the moment of inquiry, you should feel like you’ve known this person for years, your values should align with theirs and you should be just as excited to have them photograph your day as they are to photograph it!
Why? Because that’s what’s going to make you feel natural and therefore produce authentic results. One of my favorite lines on my website is the one that says “because a friend notices the way your husband looks at you, they see the tear that’s about to fall before it really does” and that’s the kind of connection I strive to foster during our time together. Because those moments are priceless for you, and a good photographer should anticipate and deliver those priceless moments for you!
REASON #2: YOUR COMFORTABILITY
Most people don’t spend their days evaluating what makes them look/feel authentic and natural, let alone what makes them that way in front of a camera… but we as photographers do! I have constantly evolved (and will continue to) in how I can best create an environment where my couples feel comfortable and have also spent lots of time and money in the pursuit of that as well through outside sources. Part of our job is preparing for that time just as much, if not more, than you are! For me personally, I am constantly evaluating the session as a whole while photographing my couples. What’s the environment like? Is it helping or hindering the process of making them feel comfortable? What’s the lighting like? Is it going to provide flattering results for the couple? How are they feeling? Do they seem relaxed or tense? What prompts are working to help provide an environment they can feel comfortable in, and which ones aren’t doing that as well?
These are constantly things I am thinking about and tweaking as necessary in order to provide you with an exceptional experience where you feel like you can trust me completely! Otherwise, what ends up happening is photographers start to revert back to their go-to poses instead of feeding off the energy and creativity of the couple and the promptings. We are in the business of serving you and putting your needs first, so if you question our methods, we start to lose confidence in the process and have to fall back on poses that might feel stiff and unnatural. Just as any person at a job would thrive on encouragement and positive feedback, so do we as photographers! We love when you say that you’re having so much fun or that we are doing a phenomenal job at making the session fun and memorable. And if some of the promptings seem “strange” – just trust the process knowing that your photographer will produce beautiful art that represents you!
REASON #3: WE ARE THE EXPERTS!
One of the wonderful things about hiring a professional wedding photographer for your wedding and/or engagement is just that — the fact that they are professionals! They know (or at least should) the right angles, lighting, posing, clothing, options, settings etc etc that are going to make you look and feel good, but that are also going to make your final photos BEAUTIFUL.
Trust their judgment.
Trust the tips they give you when it comes to choosing outfits and/or picking locations.
Trust them.
Now with that being said, you need to do your research too! Trusting the wrong photographer can end up in disaster, so do you due diligence to make sure that what your photographer is advertising as their process and style is accurate. Check their portfolio. Read their reviews. See if they explain their process and values to you before booking — if they do, chances are they are a great person to trust. But if they make you feel like just another session, or like a paycheck, or even disinterested… I would listen to those red flags and evaluate other options!
It’s extremely important to me that I am constantly growing and learning how to be a better photographer for my clients. I am constantly pushing myself to be more creative, more artistic, more selfless, more caring, and more intuitive when it comes to your experience. And that’s something I will NEVER stop doing, even after years of photographing over 150 weddings!
As always, I never want these posts to seem like a “I am holier than thou” attitude because that’s not my heart at all. I genuinely just want to educate my clients in regards to what actually goes into photographing an engagement/wedding. Good photographers do so much more than just show up and click a button – and those are the photographers that are worth investing in.
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