If you've ever told someone "I'm so awkward in front of a camera," you're not alone. It's one of the first things almost every couple I meet tells me. And here's what I want you to know: the couples who say that almost always end up with my favorite galleries. Not because they figured out how to pose, but because they stopped trying to. Feeling natural in your wedding photos has almost nothing to do with how photogenic you think you are, and everything to do with who is behind the camera and how they make you feel.
In this article
Why do so many couples feel awkward in photos (and is it actually a problem)?
Most people have had exactly one experience of being professionally photographed before their wedding: school photos, a LinkedIn headshot, or someone at a family event pointing a camera at them and saying "smile." None of those experiences teach you how to be yourself in front of a lens. They teach you to freeze, to perform, to produce a face you think looks right.
That stiffness is not a character flaw. It's a completely normal response to an unusual situation. The couples I photograph who feel the most relaxed by the end of the day are rarely the ones who arrived relaxed. They're the ones whose photographer gave them permission to stop performing and just exist together.
When a photographer's job is to direct every pose, the couple spends the day thinking about their hands, their chins, where to look. When a photographer's job is to follow the story of your day, you forget the camera is there at all. That's the difference between photos that look like a wedding and photos that feel like your wedding.
St. Augustine Wedding Photography
Documentary-and-editorial coverage for couples who want to feel genuinely seen, completely at ease, and beautifully documented.
Starting at $1,800
What does a documentary approach actually feel like on your wedding day?
Here's the honest version: you will barely notice me. I move through your day quietly, staying close enough to catch the real moments without being close enough to interrupt them. I'm watching for the way you look at each other during the vows before you even realize you're being photographed. The tear your mum wipes away before she thinks anyone is watching. The moment you two finally get a second alone and exhale.
For the portraits, I don't put you in a spot and tell you to stand there and look at me. I give you something to do. Walk toward that light. Tell each other something you haven't said yet today. Look at what's behind me, not at the lens. These aren't tricks. They're just invitations to be in the moment rather than perform for it. Within a few minutes, most couples forget I'm there entirely.
I also work with your timeline rather than around it, building in portrait time in a way that feels natural to how your day flows. The goal is always that you get to be present at your own wedding, with your people, not pulled away for photos. We'll figure out what works best for you when we plan your timeline together.
How do you prepare to feel like yourself on the wedding day?
A few practical things make a real difference:
- Talk to your photographer before the day, not just over email. A call or two where you actually hear each other's voices changes everything. By the time I arrive on your wedding morning, I want to feel like a friend walking in, not a vendor.
- Share what makes you nervous. If you hate having your photo taken from a certain angle, or you feel self-conscious about something specific, tell me. I can work around it, and knowing about it means you won't be holding tension about it all day.
- Don't give yourself a "photo face." The couples whose galleries I love most are the ones who stopped thinking about what they looked like and started thinking about each other. Your real expressions are always better than the ones you plan.
- Build buffer into your timeline. Rushing is the enemy of natural photos. When there's time, everything feels easier, softer, and more like the day you imagined.
- Do the engagement session. More on that below.
Is an engagement session really worth it?
Yes. Without question. Not because the photos are beautiful (they are), but because of what happens to you in the hour after you arrive.
You show up a little stiff. You're not sure where to put your hands. Maybe you laugh nervously at first. And then, somewhere in the middle of it, something shifts. You stop thinking about the camera and start thinking about each other. By the time your wedding day arrives, you already know how this feels. You've done it before. That familiarity is worth more than any posing guide I could give you.
It also gives me something invaluable: I learn how you two move together. What makes you actually laugh. Whether you need five seconds of quiet or a bad joke to reset. I carry all of that into your wedding day.
St. Augustine Elopement Photography
For couples who want an intimate, intentional day. Just the two of you, the light, and portraits that actually feel like you.
Starting at $800
What are great wedding photos actually made of?
Not perfect lighting. Not a perfect pose. Not a couple who look like models.
The photos couples cry over when they open their gallery are almost always the ones they didn't know were being taken. The way you leaned into each other during a long hug. The look that passed between you two in the moment after you said your vows. Your grandmother watching you dance. These are the images that still feel alive ten years later, because they were.
The best thing you can do for your wedding photos is hire someone whose presence makes you feel relaxed and trusted, plan a day that has enough breathing room in it, and then let go of the rest. You don't need to be photogenic. You just need to be present. I'll take care of everything else.
I deliver sneak peeks within 24 to 48 hours, so you don't have to wait long to see how it all came together.
Frequently asked questions
What if I really am not photogenic?
"Not photogenic" usually means you've seen unflattering photos of yourself taken in bad light by someone who wasn't paying attention. Documentary wedding photography works differently. The camera is catching you mid-real-moment, not asking you to perform one. In my experience, the people who are most convinced they're awkward in photos are often the ones whose galleries are the most alive.
How do you help couples who are nervous about being photographed?
I start before the wedding day, with a conversation where we actually talk through how you're feeling and what you want. On the day itself, I give you low-key prompts rather than formal poses: walk here, whisper something, look at what's happening over there. Within a few minutes, most couples settle right in. The goal is always for you to feel like I'm not there.
Should we do an engagement session if we're already nervous about photos?
Especially if you're nervous. The engagement session is really a rehearsal: you get comfortable with me, with being in front of the camera together, and with the whole process. By your wedding day, it all feels familiar rather than strange. Most couples tell me it was the thing they were most glad they did.
How long does portrait time take on a wedding day?
It really depends on you as a couple. Some people want a longer portrait session and love having dedicated time together away from the day, while others prefer to keep it short and sweet. We'll talk through what feels right for you when we plan your timeline, so you get exactly what you're after.
Do I need to practice poses before my wedding?
You don't need to practice anything. Arriving with a list of poses in your head usually makes couples feel more self-conscious, not less. What helps far more is arriving rested, with some buffer time in your timeline, and with trust in your photographer. I'll handle the rest.
How soon after the wedding will I see my photos?
I send sneak peeks within 24 to 48 hours so you get something to hold onto right away. Your full gallery follows after careful editing. The timeline for the full delivery is something we'll talk through when we connect.
Ready to feel completely at ease on your wedding day?
I have limited dates remaining for 2026 and 2027. Let's find out if we're a great fit. No pressure, just a real conversation.
Sneak peeks delivered within 24 to 48 hours. St. Augustine, FL and Northeast Florida.
