People often think as a photographer you should have a long list of quick witted gags up your sleeve, ready to make people laugh when they’re having their photo taken. But I think when it comes to the images of the two of you as a newly married couple when you don’t want to look back on your photographs and remember some bad Dad joke I told just to get a giggle. Now that isn’t to say as a photographer, I don’t believe in making people laugh, of course I do, group photos etc sure, just not when doing the images of the two of you.

A lot of the articles I’ve read in various magazines/blogs dealing with “how to nail your wedding photography” often talk about how you pose/stand and how you should practice and maybe watch a few episodes of Next top model or whatever. Really how and where you stand should be down to the photographer. This is related to composing the image and how you as a couple fit within the image frame.

I believe the best way to get an amazing image is to say to a couple very simple instructions. At the start of the shoot I explain, I’m going to pose you in so far as tell you where to stand and roughly how to be, facing each other etc. Now once you are in the pose, I want you to feel free to be together. Laugh, talk, hold each other, really enjoy the moment together.

I might give a few a posing tips, such as try and bring that arm down, or adjust the angle which I’m shooting from to make it more flattering etc. It’s my job to make sure you look as a good as possible. As a couple this is where you should have confidence in the ability of your photographer, that they can make you look your best. You shouldn’t have to worry that you have a double chin, or this angle makes you feel yuk, because your awesome photographer has seen that and corrected it so before they’ve even pressed the shutter so you are looking your very best. If you feel uncomfortable say something.