How to look good in wedding photos – Tips from a destination wedding photographer

It can be overwhelming and for people who aren’t comfortable in front of the camera.  It can be painful if you hate your picture being taken. 

I’m here to help.   You see that’s one of my superpowers.  I have the ability to help people feel calm and themselves, all while I capture gorgeous images.

Here are some tips to help you look your best and feel comfortable and YOU on your wedding day:

This is not the day to try out super dark lipstick or go supernatural if you glam it up every day on the norm.  Accenting your best features and minimizing what you don’t like. This makes you look like you, but on your best day!

Makeup artists know how to do this, especially if you choose a wedding makeup artist!   A makeup trial is the best way to test out the makeup.  It will look a bit darker than what you wear out in the day, but it shouldn’t look like someone else.

That’s why all my wedding packages include an engagement session.  The time we spend together on your engagement session helps you to feel comfortable.  I’ll take you through simple poses that I’ll describe and show you.

I often photograph couples when they are going into a pose or taking action, so that your body naturally does what it normally does.  Then you’ll get natural looking images.

For couples that are outside of California or the country, I would do a Facetime or Zoom call.  We can chat so you don’t feel like I’m a stranger.  Then I’d arrive early on the wedding day and build that trust during getting ready images.

Why do you look uncomfortable or fake in images?

When taking portraits on the wedding day, I often ask my couples to take a big breath and relax the shoulders.  You see as humans, we tend to ‘puff up” and slightly lift our shoulders.  This makes the image unnatural.  By taking a deep breath and relaxing the shoulders while you blow it out, your body is more natural.

Another thing humans do (and women hate these images), is we naturally raise our chin when taking a picture.  You will hear me constantly say, “lower your chin a bit”.  This allows for a prettier jaw line and more natural image.

When you are enjoying yourself, you’ll forget about the camera and those are the images that everyone loves the most.  You are in love and marrying your best friend.  Take that in and enjoy the party (the wedding that you spent countless hours preparing for)!  

If you are an organized detail oriented person like me, this may be difficult.  My suggestion is to have a desinated person to tap you on the shoulder every hour and have you take a look around.  You will be making memories of everyone there and what’s happening at that time.  

If you have any pointers, I’d love for you to share them below.

7 on 7 Photo Project

I belong to an amazing group of photographers.  Each month, we write blog posts and share them.  Take a minute to visit my friend Kim Thompson Steel to read her blog post. 

Getting Married or Know Someone Getting Married?

If you are getting married and don’t have a photographer, I’d love to chat with you and see if we’re a good fit.  BONUS:  If you are getting married in Hawaii, Greece, or Italy, and you are the first to contact me, I will photograph your wedding for nothing, and you just have to pay for the travel expenses.  YES that’s right, you heard correctly.  I’m so focused on photographing a wedding in those areas that I am doing it for FREE.