Because really, how natural is it to stand in a garden/park/beach and be photographed? It’s not! So how do I get my clients to feel comfortable in front of my camera to produce natural images? I admit, this is a huge subject to delve into – but I’m just going to talk about how I approach a shoot and a few techniques I use to get my couples to warm up to my camera in order to produce engaging, natural images.

Have confidence.

This is the first thing to remember, and in my opinion will make or break a shoot! You need to be confident and direct in whatever you ask your subjects to do. For example, if I want my couple to walk over to a tree, I will say exactly that. I won’t say – “Okay, now can you maybe…umm, walk over to the tree… sort of to the left, and then maybe… walk back?” That will confuse anyone! It’s important to be direct with your couples so they will trust you. I have seen my couples visibly relax in front of my camera when they know I have their back.

Praise your couples!

Everyone loves to be complimented. I will frequently use words that uplift and encourage, and I’m not afraid of sounding ridiculous! If you are photographing in dead silence, your subjects will start to think something is wrong and they aren’t doing a good job – which will break their confidence. It’s such a vulnerable thing to be photographed and when you give constant GENUINE encouragement, it will inspire confidence and trust from your subjects – which will make for amazing, natural photographs!

Project what you want to receive back.

Over the years I have discovered that when I am photographing my couples, whatever I project – I receive back. For example if I laugh, encourage, and have fun with my clients, those are the types of images I receive – fun, happy and relaxed photographs, which in turn reflect my style and attract couples that are similar to me. You may not be an outgoing person, but you can still produce amazing natural photographs. It’s all about the tone of your voice, the way you carry yourself, and the way you approach a shoot that will determine the type of images you will get.

Have a plan.

All of my couples desire natural photographs and not posed ones. I totally agree, I want to produce natural images which reflect who they are as a couple. But as I mentioned, it’s completely un-natural to be casually photographed in a field/garden/beach or park so I will always direct my couples so they know exactly what to do, which inspires confidence, which then produces natural photographs. For example, on a wedding day I will often ask my couple to tell each other (or whisper in each others ear) their favourite moment of the day so far. It’s such a simple thing to do, but it always produces natural smiles and laughter. I always have a little list of the types of photos I want to achieve during the shoot. It’s easy to get overwhelmed sometimes, especially when you are pressed for time on a wedding day – but a little planning and preparation can make all the difference. For me, a wedding day is not a photo shoot and I never want to take the bride and groom and bridal party away from their celebrations for very long, so it’s important I know exactly the sort of photographs I want to achieve ahead of time.

Would you use any of these techniques? I really hope this might have inspired you for your next shoot! Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear from you. xx