“But I Don’t Like Being Photographed.”

When I was a teenager, I hated having my photographs taken. In the 90’s, my mother had already moved to Canada for work while I stayed in the Philippines with my Aunt. We didn’t have the Internet to use Skype or Facebook back then like we do now. My mom could not afford to come home often to see me. So to make sure she didn’t miss too much of me growing up, my Aunt would regularly take photos of me in different parts of the house wearing different outfits. It was pretty much like a “fashion” shoot. And I hated it.

I don’t know about you, but my teenage years were the most awkward years in my life. I had a misconstrued image in my head about what I looked. I thought I was fat, had bad skin. And posing like I was in a lineup with other criminals, well, it wasn’t flattering. It wasn’t until i got to my 20’s that I felt comfortable enough being in front of the camera that I actually learned how to smile in photographs.

So when a client tells me they don’t like having their photographs taken, I could totally relate. I was that person once. But what should you do if you feel awkward in front of the camera but still want nice portraits of the two of you?

Here’s what you should do.

1. Invest in a professional wedding photographer.

Most people who say they’ve never really liked the way they looked in photos have never been photographed by a good professional photographer before. Professional wedding photographers know how to take flattering portraits of people without them looking stiff or forced. It is in our skills set to read people so we can make our clients’ experience with us memorable and fun.

Also, it’s not just the pose and expression that dictate whether a portrait is flattering or not. It’s also about the light. Professional wedding photographers know how to look for good light or create it if it’s not available. We know how to use light to make you look slimmer, to make your skin look flawless, or make sure you don’t have shadows under your eyes. There’s really more to our job than just pressing the shutter.

And if you’re wondering, it’s not because we have good cameras.

It’s because we have good (trained) eyes.

2. Get an engagement session done.

An engagement session is a great practice for you if you don’t like being photographed. For me personally, I use engagement sessions to get to know my couples better —- what makes them laugh, what angle looks better for them, what poses work and what doesn’t. This process is important for me as I don’t normally have two hours on the wedding day to figure that all out. If I know beforehand what works for you, it makes the flow of the wedding day easier.

I also use the engagement session for my couples to get comfortable with me. If we already have a rapport before the wedding, I feel that you’ll less likely feel strange having someone with a camera follow you the whole day.

3. Book professional hair and makeup artists for your engagement session and especially for your wedding day.

Women are all beautiful in our own natural way. Makeup and good hair just enhance what we already have. So take advantage of that.

Take my friend Vicki for example. I took a portrait of her a couple of months ago. The before and after is pretty dramatic I’d say.

When you see the transformation in front of you, to see for yourself that you are beautiful, it’s a huge confidence boost. So if you’re hesitant to have your portraits done because you may be feeling a little insecure, have your hair and makeup done professionally. Not only for the photos but also for yourself. You deserve feel beautiful too.

 

So there you go! If you find this article helpful, please feel free to share it on social media by clicking on the icons below!