Below are my favourite ways how you can rock your pre wedding photo shoot. Enjoy!
Share it all with me!
Don’t hold back – be honest. Allow yourselves to be vulnerable, embrace laughter, rejoice in goofy moments, and share in your intimacy. By allowing me into your space I will be able to capture your true dynamic.
Dress for comfort
Before I asked you to be honest during your pre wedding photo shoot – this naturally extends to the choice of clothes you choose to wear. Whilst your clothing choice should reflect who you are, you should always aim to dress for comfort. If we have to stop between each shot to adjust your heels or fix your hair, the whole natural vibe will be thrown off.
Some couples choose to treat their pre wedding photo shoot as a rehearsal for their big day and dress up in their wedding gear. That’s fine also. If you choose to do this, why not time this with your makeup trial and make the most of it!
Choose a location that is meaningful to you
This can simply be somewhere that you love because of its beautiful aesthetic, or a location you have developed a connection with through past experiences. Whilst the pre wedding photo shoot is not about the location, your choice of location will affect your mood and therefore interactions with each other. Surrounding yourself with somewhere you love is therefore a key ingredient in rocking your pre wedding photo shoot.
Let the photo shoot naturally unfold
Let go of any preconceived ideas of what makes a perfect photo shoot! A big part of creating natural and authentic imagery is to embrace the spontaneous elements during the photo shoot. When photographing in Mother Nature, our control over our environment can be limited. Sometimes it rains, sometimes the wind will blow a gale and mess up your hair.
Rather than see these as hindrances, embracing these elements can allow for fun, unique and sometimes dramatic images. If it starts to rain, I’ll keep shooting and have fun with it! Who knows, perhaps a rainbow might magically appear on the horizon!
To prop or not?
To be honest, this is the only point I am in two minds about. Let me explain.
First of all, incorporating a prop into your pre wedding photo shoot can add a real ‘wow factor’ to your images. This can result in really interesting images, especially if the prop can better help tell the story between you and your partner. I love how the addition of the guitar really highlights the intimacy Moni and Honza share with each other.
There really is an endless variety of props that could used to help your rock your pre wedding shoot and get stunning images. However, in my experience, I have found that props can sometimes be distracting. They can sometimes direct the couple’s attention away from the present moment; exactly the opposite of what I want!
Lugging big bags around can limit your mobility, thereby reducing chance spontaneous elements. It is however those precious, unscripted, off the cuff moments that really make a photo shoot come to life.
So, to lug it or leave it? Ultimately, a pre wedding photo shoot should be about capturing the joy, love, intimacy and connection between two people. If you feel the prop won’t be distracting and will be easy to carry around or incorporate into the shoot, then bring it. If not, leave it at home.
But I don’t know how to pose
Don’t worry, you’re not alone! I hear this all the time from couples. However, I have good news; you don’t have to know how to pose! As a professional photographer, it’s my job to make couples feel comfortable in front of the camera. I will help guide you into simple and natural poses. I prefer to offer prompts to couples rather than place couples into static poses.
Most of the time, a little simple guidance is all that is needed to allow the couple’s unique magic to shine through. If you would prefer a clear set series of prompts to follow, then that’s fine. I’m more than happy to help you with this. Just remember, at the end of day, my aim is not to get model shots. I only want to capture the natural connection between that already exists between couples.
Thanks for taking the time to read my article about how to rock your pre wedding photo shoot. If you have any questions, just drop me a line here or email at samwyperphotography@gmail.com and I will get back to you shortly.
If you have recently become engaged and are interested in having Sam Wyper Photography photograph your pre wedding session, please get in touch here.
