The concept of posing for photos taken by a professional can sound very nerve-wracking. On top of all the wedding day nerves you already have, adding a photography session in can be a lot of pressure. Most importantly, relax, and remember these are your photos and no one else’s. Although it’s totally valid to feel nervous, here are five reasons why you shouldn’t be nervous! 

1. Your photographer should be someone you already trust 

If you saw my last post on why you should fully trust your wedding photographer, you’ll know how important it is to hire a photographer whose work you admire and who you trust. Having someone you trust and vibe well with is the easiest way to be more comfortable in front of the camera. It also helps your wedding party have a good time because if you guys vibe well with your photographer, your friends will too!

If you feel like you aren’t fully at the point of being able to completely trust them or you haven’t gotten to know them well enough yet, do a trial engagement session to see how you vibe! Personally I’m always cracking jokes and like to think of the session as just the three of us hanging out and chatting while taking a few photos. Treating it like you’re just hanging out makes everyone more relaxed and it’s easier to form a connection between you and your photographer, which will show in your photos! (Peep me with the bridesmaids goofing around during this wedding day!)

2. You have your partner there with you 

You’re not alone in this! You have your partner right there with you to laugh with you and help you relax. Just enjoy each other’s company and be yourselves and you will do just fine! Whatever you two are feeling in the moment will be great! If something comes to mind that feels natural to you, try it! You know yourselves best and you want to have your true personalities captured! 

3. Most of your images will not be looking at the camera

While you’ll definitely have a few photos where you’ll be looking at the camera, the majority will be of you and your partner looking at each other! That will make both of you look and act way more natural. Try to act how you do when it’s just the two of you and pretend your photographer isn’t even there! They will worry about moving around and making you two look amazing, so you can focus on each other. 

4. Don’t worry too much about what to do with your hands

When in doubt, just put your hands on your partner! Put them around their waist, on their chest, hold their hand… wherever feels natural! Your photographer will make you look good as long as you are in the moment and focused on your partner. 

5. Your photographer will walk you through the poses

A good photographer will always give you direction and help you pose! If you’re still feeling nervous, don’t be afraid to ask your photographer for more guidance. I do a mix of posing and prompting which means I ask my couples to do silly things to draw out real emotions and big laughs for all the fun candid images you want! For the more posed images, I explain step by step how to position your body, where to put your hands and how long to hold the pose.