Wedding magazines are full of gorgeous brides looking relaxed and happy having their picture taken. But real life can feel very different. Craig McBeth addresses a common concern of brides to be: “There’s a lot of pressure particularly on the bride to look stunning. Second marriages often involve teenagers who are naturally self-conscious. Luckily, there are a few ways to address this issue.
Firstly, spend a good amount of time explaining your concerns to your photographer. For example, if a bride explains that she dislikes her profile, I’ll adjust the type of shots that I take. I’ll also take extra care processing any profile shots to ensure they are flattering. Secondly, jump at the chance for an engagement shoot. This is an opportunity for you and the photographer to get to know one-another and for you to get used to the camera. If a member of your family (e.g. teenage niece) is self-conscious, ask the photographer if they can be involved in the engagement shoot as well.
If you have some existing photographs of yourself that you like (or particularly dislike), consider showing these to your photographer so they can get an idea of your tastes. You can also agree with your photographer whether he/she should provide some direction to you (whereas many people prefer the unobtrusive ‘reportage’ style photography, others appreciate being told what to do for maximum effect!). You can try this out on the engagement shoot and you should be given the chance afterwards to provide some feedback to the photographer about which pictures you like, so that he/she can focus on your preferences for the main event. And finally, don’t be afraid to tell your photographer if you’d like more pictures of family and friends than the bride and groom.”
Do you have a photography-related query? Please get in touch.