How to Relax in Front of the Camera

This is kind of a touchy subject because it is nerve-racking being photographed, especially when you aren’t normally in front of the camera. And that's totally normal! It's not something that happens every day, and especially when it's your wedding day, there’s an added sense of pressure. Not only is it a big day in general, but there are also lenses in your face, and that moment they’re capturing will be the one that’s materialized forever. But no pressure, right??

So there are of course plenty of basic tips, like don't forget to breathe, get out of your own head, etc. I think that those kinds of tips are so commonly known and used by now that they’re almost obvious. So here are three new tips for relaxing in front of the camera on your wedding day.

Keep your Routine Normal 

I know it's not a normal day because it's your wedding day. It's not just a regular Saturday (or if you’re like me – a normal Thursday). But you should try to keep your as normal as possible! For me, when I get up, I'm going to wash my face, I'm going to put some dry shampoo in my hair, John and I are going to go get coffee together, and then I'm going to relax with my favorite people. I’m going to try not to think about the fact that I’m getting married that day, as if it’s some nerve-racking event. For us, it's not really going to be that different after we get married because we’ve lived together for so long, and hopefully it’s the same for you! So just keep your routine as normal as you can with your everyday life, while also having the understanding that it's not just a normal day, and that's okay. But the more normalcy that you can implement into your day, the easier the rest of the day will feel.

Distract Yourself

Yep, keep that little lizard brain of yours occupied. So for those who are getting hair and makeup done, that is a great way to distract yourself with something else going on, while there happens to be a camera in the room. This could mean playing music or Netflix in the background, you could play a brunch game with your friends, or you could do what John will be doing for our wedding and BBQ on the back porch. If your photographer or videographer is there during that time, those are the moments that are going to be captured, which is kind-of nice! But then you feel like your attention is focused elsewhere, so you're not focused on performing for the camera. So distract yourself! Whatever that has to look like is totally fine. For me, I'm going to be distracted with hair, makeup, and mimosas because of who I am as a person.

Hire a Photo and Video Team That you Trust

Yeah, you probably saw this one coming a mile away. If the person behind that camera is someone that you have even just a slight emotional connection to (like a friendship), you're going to feel so much more relaxed. I hear from my couples all the time that I made their wedding day so much smoother because I wasn't awkwardly standing in the corner with my camera, trying not to bring attention to myself. Personally, when I’m your wedding photographer, I’ll chat you up while you’re getting ready! It’s so much more awkward otherwise. I’ll ask you how your day’s going, what you’re most excited about, etc. Even if we haven't met before the wedding day, we're going to have some sort of relationship before I even show up, so that you feel relaxed. So, hire a team that you trust, that you get along with, and that you can talk to about literally anything else besides the wedding day itself.

Ready to have the smoothest wedding day ever with your favorite photog? Get in touch, and let’s get you on the calendar!