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How To Look Your Best In Your Wedding Photos
Yes you could be surprised by the figures I’m about to show you. To be honest you could have already glanced down at the figure. 40% of brides having regrets with their wedding photos. It’s shocking, right? We’re going to dive in to why this is and why it is my mission to help all couples to love their photos and have no regrets.
Grab a cheeky glass of wine/ or tea and let’s dive in …
WHY CLOSE TO 40 % OF BRIDES HAVE REGRETS
Being able to look back on your memories, of the best day of your life, should be filled with heart clenching emotion. All the love, laughter and happiness captured authentically so generations to come can look back and love them too.
Unfortunately I have heard on many occasions of couples feeling let down by their photographer because they didn’t share the same vision. Resulting in unflattering photos because of the poses they were asked to do. Picture this you two hugging around a tree – cheesy right?
What a dissapointment!
Sadly, a lot of photographers don’t understand that it’s not just about the the beautiful compositions, backdrops, and even moments. Though those are all important, it is an absolute necessity to be a master in the art of posing to ensure the bride and the groom look absolutely dazzling on the best day of their life.
SO I DECIDED TO DO SOME RESEARCH
And I came across this study that mentioned that close to 40% of brides had regrets when it came to their wedding photos.
“Wow!” I thought to myself.
I couldn’t believe that percentage was so high!
I started digging deeper to really see the reasons why these brides we’re unhappy, and this is what I found…
1. “Our photographer got drunk, and you can see the photos in the gallery getting blurrier and blurrier as you scroll through.”
2. “They just really didn’t seem to know what he was doing! He didn’t guide us during the portrait session and we we’re just standing there awkwardly!”
3. “They only captured moments of my husband and I, but not of our close friends and loved ones. That was really disappointing.”
And that was just the tip of the iceberg …
I take pride in my work, and after seeing almost half of brides out there being extremely unhappy with the results they were getting from other so called professional photographers, I couldn’t help but be extremely proud of what every single one of my couples have said about me.
Like Rebecca and Jordan who said – “Would highly recommend Jake; great photographer, makes you feel at ease when taking photos. Really pleased with how each photo turned out, I can say on behalf of Jordan and myself we really enjoyed ourselves, thank you 🙂 5 star.”
HOW TO LOOK YOUR BEST IN YOUR WEDDING PORTRAITS
Posing is an ART. But understandably it’s an art that a lot of couples are nervous about, and SADLY that a lot of so-called “professional” photographers actually don’t know how to direct correctly.
Personally I can understand why posing is hard to master, until I found a way that suited both me and my couples. Keep this hush 🙂 But I use pictures as guides to help us get fantastic images.
So if you happen to have a photographer who doesn’t know how to pose you with expertise and intention, what are a few things you should remember?
Here are a few pointers. I call these THE BASIC ART of posing:
1. Imaginary String:
First off you want to ensure that your spine is straight, but NOT stiff and unnatural. I often ask my couples to act as if there is a string on the back/top of their head that’s being pulled up like you were a string puppet. But basically this means having a straight spine and natural curve in you lumbar (lower back). Stand tall and proud.
2. Shoulders:
Push your shoulders 1 inch back. This will further bring confidence and beauty in your pose.
3. Weight Distribution:
You want your weight distribution to be uneven or else your pose will look unnatural. There are two ways to do this. Either cross one leg over the other or put more weight on your back leg with a slight bend in the front leg.
WEDDING POSE MISTAKES TO AVOID
Most wedding pose mistakes come down to couples acting stiff and unnatural. That’s why wedding photographers tell couples to pretend they’re not there – but that’s easier said than done. So what are some easy fixes to pose naturally with cameras snapping?
Close eyed kissing: If in doubt kiss it out. Not always the way to go about posing but can sometimes work. If you are kissing don’t do it with your eyes open – it isn’t really natural (just think would you normally kiss your partner like this).
Keep it clean: That said, you’re not here just to make out with each other. When you kiss we want neat and clean kisses. Also a little tip, turn your head slightly so you’re not pressed up against each other squishing your partner’s nose. If it feels like you’re squishing, you probably are.
Slow it down: Honestly slowing everything down can be one of the best things you do. Nice and relaxed. Walking photos can look absolutely amazing when done right. So think I’m not on an all out sprint but a marathon or maybe even ultra marathon (I’m a little running obsessed so you might get a few running related references) and relish this moment with everyone.
Don’t over practice: Don’t over do it, with too much practice it can look forced and not natural. Yes I know you want it to be perfect but here is one of those moments where less is more.
Speak up: If there are certain things you are unsure about don’t hold back, ask why are we doing this or if you prefer a certain side. Remember these are your memories that you want to look back on. Tell your photographer everything!
Wow this was a long piece to chat about, I was going to include so much more but you might end up drinking a whole bottle of wine whilst I waffle on. So I have broken it up into another blog to, The Art Of Posing Natural. Go Check It Out Here – How To Look Your Best In Your Wedding Photos
P.s. let me know what your favourite wine or tea is – drop me a message at hello@jaketimms.com