One of the biggest misconceptions about wedding photography is that amazing couple photos just… happen.
They don’t.
I can’t pull them out of thin air, and despite what Instagram might make you believe, there isn’t a secret pose or magical location that instantly creates beautiful images.
The truth is, the best couple portraits are something we create together.
Firstly, let’s get one thing straight. If you don’t want loads of couple photos, that’s absolutely fine. In fact if you don't want any at all, you don't have to. My style has always been documentary first, which means your wedding is about living it, not spending hours away from your guests. Some couples want ten minutes together, others are happy with thirty. There is no right or wrong answer.
But whatever time we have, we’re a team and what ever time we do have together, you need to be fully invested as a couple.
My job is to find the best light, the best backgrounds and to guide you into situations that feel natural and organic. Your job is much simpler. Trust me, be present with each other and be willing to go with the flow.
That doesn't mean pretending to be someone you're not. It doesn't mean forced smiles or awkward poses. It simply means being open minded. During those few minutes together, I'm pouring everything I've learnt from 11 years of photographing weddings into creating something that's authentic to you as a couple. But I can only photograph what's in front of me. The more you let yourselves relax, interact and simply be together, the more genuine interactions I'll have to work with.
But no matter how much experience I have, it’s always, always a team effort.
Sometimes I’ll ask you to walk together three or four times. Sometimes I’ll ask you to stop, cuddle in for a second or whisper something to each other. It might feel a little strange at first, but there’s always a reason behind it. I’m not looking for perfection, I’m looking for connection.
The couples who get the most natural looking photographs aren’t usually the ones who are the most confident in front of the camera. They’re the ones who trust the process. No couple has ever said to me, "We are amazing around a camera" I’ve photographed well over 500 weddings and I know what works. Sometimes I’ll ask you to stand in what feels like the most random spot imaginable because I can already see the finished image in my head or shot it several times before.
Other times I’ll ask you to move because the light changes every few seconds.
It’s all part of creating photographs that feel effortless, even though there is thought behind every frame. The biggest thing I ask from my couples is this. Don’t spend those ten or fifteen minutes worrying about whether you’re doing it right. There isn’t a right. What is right is what you have just done, married the person you will spend the rest of your life with, the person stood right next to you.
Just enjoy having a few quiet moments together on what is often the busiest day of your lives. Laugh if something feels funny. Hug each other. Talk. Take a breath. Those little moments are what make the photographs feel like you. Even the goofy one's.
The reality is that your couple portraits aren't something I do to you. They're something we create together. Because without you, they simply aren't you.
That’s when the magic really happens.
