What kind of wedding photography is right for me? ............................................................................. 3

Traditional Wedding Photography ....................................................................................................... 3

Documentary Wedding Photography................................................................................................... 5

Editing styles .......................................................................................................................................... 7

Find my wedding photography style ....................................................................................................... 8

What kind of coverage do I want? ............................................................................................................ 9

I hate having my photo taken, how can I feel comfortable? ............................................................... 10

How to pose .......................................................................................................................................... 10

Holding each other ............................................................................................................................ 11

A cuddle from behind ....................................................................................................................... 11

Have some fun! ................................................................................................................................. 12

Walk away and walk towards .......................................................................................................... 13

Wedding photography shot list .............................................................................................................. 14

Engagement shoots .................................................................................................................................. 15

? If you’ve never hired a photographer before, it can be hard to know where to start, and terms such as ‘reportage’ and ‘traditional’, may sound completely foreign. Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life, and you will (hopefully!) treasure the photographs from it for years to come. From personal experience, it is one area I would highly recommend you don’t compromise on, as you can never re-capture that day. You should hire someone who you really click with, and whose work you love! Here is my quick guide to the most common types of wedding photography – and if you’re still not sure what is right for you, why not take the fun quiz!

When you think of wedding photos, you may picture (pun intended) the classic group shot, of the happy couple standing together surrounded by bridesmaids, the best man, and other family and friends.

These are the type of photos your parents and grandparents will probably love – and which they may well expect when thinking of your future wedding photos. It is how wedding photography has been done for generations – posed shots of the happy couple, family groups, as well as the traditional moments such as the first kiss, walking down the aisle, cutting the cake etc.

I suppose you could say traditional wedding photography is a ‘safe option’. You know what you will be getting, and your older relatives will probably be very happy with them. But they can often lack individuality, not look natural, and miss out on all the fun, the love, and the little moments of your big day which you may not otherwise remember. I am more than happy to take a few of the more traditional group and couple photos if that is what you want. They’re great to give to family members and put on the mantlepiece. But I try to keep them to a minimum and instead focus on capturing the true reality of your wedding day as it unfolds.

You may also hear this style described as ‘reportage’, ‘photojournalistic’ or ‘natural’. This type of wedding photography documents your day as it unfolds, without altering or fabricating events. Photographs will be candid, full of natural emotions, and hopefully there will be a few that will make you laugh out loud!

One bonus of this style is that your photographer will be more unobtrusive, not constantly moving you around or asking you to smile; you can enjoy your day relatively uninterrupted. This way you and your guests can relax and be themselves.

This approach to wedding photography is currently very popular and is more modern. It may not be popular with everyone, or what older relatives are expecting to see. But you will get a true retelling of your wedding day; a visual story which you can look back on and remember all the little moments you might otherwise forget.

Many photographers will adopt a hybrid of traditional and reportage photography, and I am happy to take this approach if that is what a particular couple wants. While some of my couples have asked for entirely unposed coverage, several have wanted a much more structured couple shoot; resulting in photos that have been posed but with a look that I have tried to keep as natural as possible.

There are many editing styles for wedding photography currently en vogue. Some photographers edit in a dark and moody style, which is currently very popular and can look awesome for autumn or alternative weddings. Others opt for bright colours, giving you images which pop! I edit in a light and airy style, keeping things natural but with a touch of vintage.

If you’re not sure whether to go documentary or traditional – or whether you’d like a mix of both! – why don’t you take the fun quiz on the next page?

?Now you’ve (hopefully) sussed out what kind of style you prefer, now you have the dilemma of how many hours you need a photographer for. Do you want to go all in and opt for the full day coverage, taking in everything from you getting ready to your guests getting down on the dance floor at night? Or are you happy with just capturing the ceremony and some family photos afterwards? Would you like a second photographer so both you and your partner can be captured getting ready, if this is in different locations? Have a think about which parts of your wedding day are the most important to you, and which you really want to have immortalised. Remember when thinking about timings to always allow much more time than you think it will take, as from my experience weddings generally run late.

?If you’re not keen on being photographed, I completely get where you are coming from. Your wedding day can feel like an alien experience; as though you have become a celebrity and your guests are the paparazzi, with everyone training their phones and cameras on you. So, if you’re camera-shy, how do you deal with this? One option is to have an unplugged day, where you ask your guests not to take any photos or videos. But if you don’t want to make everyone turn their devices off and are content to let them snap away, you can choose an official photographer who puts you (and everyone else) at ease, who is unobtrusive, and generally makes the day easier. If you really hate being the centre of attention and being told to pose for photos, perhaps opt for an entirely documentary approach and don’t do a couple shoot, or family/group photos (or keep the latter to a bare minimum). That way you can just relax and try and forget your photographer is there. But if you do still want to do more traditional photos, here are some tips which may help you feel comfortable and help the photos move smoothly and quickly.

1. Pick a photographer you feel comfortable with and try and get to know them a little before the wedding day (engagement shoots or pre-wedding consultations are great for this). If you can have a laugh with them during the shoot, it will really take the edge off your discomfort.

2. During a couple shoot, look at your partner, not at the camera. Focus on them; smile and laugh, and try and forget the photographer is there, even though you are posing. It will fill the photo with natural emotions and hopefully put you at ease.

3. To minimise the stress and the amount of time you have to be in front of the camera during family/group photos, create a shot list and assign someone the task of rounding up the right guests for the right photos. That way it will run much smoother and be over faster. For more on shot lists, see later in this guide!

4. Learn how to pose! If you really want to do the traditional couple photos, having some ideas about how you’d like to stand and hold each other will make it feel much more natural, and the process will go faster. My guide to easy couple poses follows these tips.

5. Know your venue well. If you have had a look around and know where you’d like to take your posed photos, this will also speed up the shoot and make it feel more natural.

Personally, I am not a fan of taking loads of posed photos. However, there are occasions that require them, especially during engagement or couple shoots. So, if you have an idea of how you'd like to pose, you will probably feel much more comfortable about the process. Below are some ideas of how you and your partner could pose for your couple photos, but do have a think and come up with your own as well! These poses are applicable to opposite-sex and same-sex couples, most of the pictures just happen to show a lady and gentleman. In poses where you are standing in front of each other, just place the taller partner behind!

A nice easy, intimate pose for you and your partner. The taller person stands behind and the two of you embrace. Look at each other or look into the camera. Or else you can stand or sit side-by-side with your arms around each other.

Get close and have a laugh with your partner. Throw your arms around them from behind for a snuggle. You can avoid looking at the camera and just laugh and joke with each other. Try and keep the

positioning of your hands natural, but otherwise forget you are being photographed. This will give some lovely natural shots full of love and emotions. Experiment with different levels like in the photo to the right, especially if there is a significant height difference.

Lean your forehead against your partner’s and focus on each other – I know, not very easy when you have a camera pointed at you! Just try and be as naturally affectionate as possible, and if you feel comfortable enough, go in for a kiss!

!Don’t be afraid to be a bit silly with your new husband or wife! This is supposed to be the happiest day of your life, after all. Some things you could try include…

!Spin your partner around as though you’re having your first dance a little early. It makes for some great shots with movement and is a lot of fun.

!Whether you want to lift your partner bridal-style, do a piggy-back ride, or something different like in the photo to the left, have a laugh with some airborne shots.

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Make use of what’s around you for some creative shots. Reflections in mirrors, in water, playing with light and shadows.

!Dip your partner in a romantic pose, and go in for a kiss if you want to take it to the next level!

!If your furry friends are at your wedding, get them involved in your couple photos. The results are always incredibly cute and pictures you will treasure!

These are super simple, classic poses. Walking away is especially good for showing off the back details of a wedding dress, or a beautiful veil.

One thing that can make your wedding photography run more smoothly, if you are wanting some posed and classic shots, or specific detail shots, is drafting a shot list for your photographer. If you have a big wedding, or just a big family, a group photo shot list is especially important (take if from someone who has six siblings and a large extended family!). Before your wedding have a think about which shots are especially important to you, and if you want a lot of group shots, which combinations you want. It is also incredibly helpful to your photographer, and to the whole process, if you task someone with helping get your guests organised and the right people to the right photos. If you are someone who wants all the small details captured, a specific list for this is very useful. It is also vital to ensure you book your photographer for long enough to allow for these if, for example, you want lots of pictures prior to the wedding of your dress, shoes, accessories and so forth, as this will have to be done before you can finish getting ready. If you aren’t sure which shots you’d like, or how many, discuss it with your photographer prior to your wedding day! It is one of the reasons I always have a pre-wedding consultation with every couple, as it is so important to iron out all the little details, so you are 100% happy with the results.

So, you’ve just got engaged? Congratulations! An engagement shoot often isn’t something people think about, but I think they’re great. Here is why:

1. You get used to being photographed, something that is especially valuable if you are camera-shy. 2. You get to know your photographer and how they work before your wedding day, and thus you will

feel much more comfortable on the day itself. 3. You get some pictures of the two of you which you can use on your save the dates or other wedding

stationery, or even on your wedding website, if you are having one. 4. You get some romantic mementos – and who doesn’t love those!

Engagement shoots being very much like couple shots on your wedding day, it is not as easy to do them in a documentary style, so some posing is necessary. For tips, see the guide earlier on! However, I still like to try and keep as many natural emotions and as much fun as possible during these shoots. During my previous shoots, couples have brought their dogs and/or their kids, and these have added such a laugh! Do think about bringing along your little ones or furry friends if you are contemplating an engagement shoot. In terms of choosing a location, I suggest picking somewhere which has meaning to you. It can be as simple as some pretty woods you like to take your dog for a Sunday walk in, or perhaps the place you and your future spouse met or got engaged. I am always happy to offer suggestions, but in the end let my couples have free reign – it is your shoot, after all. Here are some recent engagement shoot photos to give you some inspiration!