How to feel comfortable in front of the camera (even if you think you're awkward)
- Mary Heaton
- Jun 1
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 2
If you're searching for tips on how to feel comfortable in front of the camera on your wedding day, you're certainly not alone.
If I had a pound for every time a couple told me “we're so awkward in photos", I'd have a rather successful side-hustle. Truly though, nearly every couple says this!
Being photographed isn't something most of us do every day, never mind being photographed professionally, and it’s completely natural to feel self-conscious when a camera appears, especially on a day that's already filled with so much emotion.
You’re trying to feel relaxed but inside you’re thinking, am I holding myself correctly, am I smiling enough, what do I even do with my hands!?
But here's something I hope brings a little reassurance:
You do not need to know how to pose perfectly.
You do not need to perform.
You do not need to be naturally confident in front of a camera.
The most meaningful photographs rarely come from perfect poses, they come from genuine connection, quiet glances, and those beautiful moments which unfold naturally when you're surrounded by those you love the most.
One of the Best Ways to Feel Comfortable in Front of the Camera
When we become aware of being photographed, it’s like an out of body experience and we become hyper focused on every detail. This makes us feel wooden and unnatural.
The moment that happens, things can start to feel a little forced.
Instead, try bringing your focus back to the person standing beside you.
Talk about the mornings you had
Share an inside joke
Tell them something you loved about your ceremony
Reminisce about your first date
These moments don't just help you relax, they create photographs that feel authentically yours.
The camera becomes far less important when you're focused on the connection you share.
These two told me they were 'terrible in photos' before we started!
Why Movement Creates More Natural Photographs
One of the quickest ways to feel awkward is standing completely still and wondering what you're supposed to do next.
Movement creates natural interaction and takes away some of that pressure.
Walk hand in hand
Pull each other in close
Sway together
Brush hair away from their face
Whisper something that will make the other person laugh
Some of my favourite photographs happen during these in-between moments. The moments where you're no longer thinking about being photographed and are simply enjoying one another's company.
Build in Enough Time
One thing I think often gets overlooked is time.
When a timeline feels rushed, it's difficult to settle into the moment.
You're thinking about where you need to be next, whether guests are waiting, or if you're already running behind.
It's hard to relax when you're watching the clock.
Giving yourselves a little breathing room allows you to slow down and actually enjoy this part of the day.
Wedding portraits don’t eat into your day by any means, but having enough time set aside means we can wander, chat, and pause to create photographs that feel natural.
Some of my favourite moments happen when there's space for them to unfold.
The gentle walk between locations.
The moments alone after the emotional peak of the wedding ceremony.
The WE DID IT smiles.
When you're not racing the clock, it's much easier to forget the camera, soak in the surroundings that you have envisioned for months, and to be calm and present together.
Trust Your Photographer
Part of my role isn't simply taking photographs.
It's creating a space where you feel comfortable enough to be yourselves.
You don't need to arrive with poses saved on your phone or spend the weeks before your wedding practising smiles in the mirror.
My role is to gently guide when needed, offer prompts that spark natural interaction, and step back when a moment deserves to unfold all on its own.
Some couples need a little more encouragement, others settle into things straight away; both are completely normal.
There is no right way to be in front of the camera.
The only thing I ever ask is that you show up as yourselves.
Everything else can be figured out together.
Remember That Your Wedding Day Isn't a Photoshoot
This is so important. Your wedding day is a celebration.
It's a day spent surrounded by your favourite humans, filled with happy tears, big hugs, slightly wonky dance moves and memories you'll carry with you for years to come.
The photographs are there to preserve all of that.
When you focus on living the day rather than performing for the camera, something lovely happens.
You relax.
The moments become more genuine.
And the photographs reflect exactly how it felt to be there.
Consider an Engagement Session First
When I was planning my own wedding, my husband and I divided and conquered the to-do list. Between wedding planning, business building and everyday life, we often found ourselves talking logistics more than anything else.
Looking back, I wish we'd carved out more intentional time together during that season.
That's one of the many reasons I love engagement sessions. For many couples, it's the first time they've had professional photographs taken together, but it's also an opportunity to slow down, reconnect and celebrate this chapter before the wedding arrives.
By the time your wedding day comes around, you'll already know how I work, what to expect, and just how natural being photographed can feel.
And as an added bonus, you'll leave with beautiful photographs from this season of your story too.
Give Yourself Grace
As a newlywed myself, I completely understood the desire for everything to feel perfect.
We spend months, sometimes years, imagining how this day will look, feel, and unfold.
But perfection isn't what creates photographs you’ll treasure.
Connection does. Presence does.
The images you'll find yourself returning to years from now are often the ones you never planned for.
The way your partner looked at you during the ceremony.
The laughter during the speeches.
The squeeze of a hand.
The tears you weren't expecting.
These moments don't need direction; they simply need space to happen.
A Little Note From Me
If you're worried about feeling awkward in front of the camera, please know that you're in very good company.
Almost every couple I photograph says the same thing as we begin, and twenty minutes later we’re usually laughing about how worried they were in the first place.
The goal isn't to create photographs where you look like somebody else.
It's to create photographs that feel like you.
The quiet moments.
The joyful moments.
The beautifully imperfect moments.
The moments that will matter even more twenty years from now than they do today.
An Invitation
Planning a wedding can take up so much space in our minds and hearts, and as a newlywed, I know just how much thought goes into every decision.
If you're looking for someone to document your day whilst cheering you on from the sidelines, I'd love to hear from you.
My inbox is always open.
A small word of warning though, I am prone to voice notes, obsessing over all the details you’ve curated, and becoming deeply invested in your love story. If that sounds like your kind of energy, come and say hello!
Camera-Shy Couples: Frequently Asked Questions
What if we're both awkward in photos?
You're not alone. Almost every couple tells me this before we start. The good news is that natural photographs don't come from knowing how to pose, they come from feeling comfortable enough to be yourselves.
How long does it take to feel comfortable during a photoshoot?
Most couples settle into things within the first 15-20 minutes. Once the focus shifts away from the camera and back onto each other, nerves tend to disappear surprisingly quickly.
Do we need an engagement session before our wedding?
Not at all, but it can be a lovely way to become familiar with being photographed and get to know your photographer before the wedding day. Often my couples have been engaged for months, but this shoot serves as an important and special moment in their wedding journey.
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