I'm a Camera Shy Bride, How do I Overcome my Fears Before my Big Day?

I have a huge fear of being on the other side of a camera, by that I mean the side that's in the photographs! My second shooter Theo will testify, when he wants to test out the light in a room I very quickly find a very pressing job in a room far, far away and he has to persuade an unwitting wedding co-ordinator or handy vase of flowers to help him out. Every now and then, when I don't think quickly enough he gets to work with the back of my head! (poor guy!)

I hear from a lot of camera shy brides, and grooms come to that.

I receive a lot of emails asking how to combat these concerns. Luckily, there are some great ways to ease your nerves before your wedding if you are camera shy, and talking to your wedding photographer is a perfect place to start.

When you're looking for a photographer mention the fact that you're not too confident in front of a camera; knowing how I feel about being photographed I would raise this concern with each photographer I was interested in booking, and see how each responds. A large part of feeling comfortable when being photographed is being at ease with your photographer. There may be one professional who resonates with you in their advice, go with your gut - if someone makes you feel more at ease in their approach to you then you are more likely to feel comfortable with them on your wedding day too.

Each photographer will have their own ways of helping you out, and talking about your concerns means they will be able to bear your camera shy nature in mind when photographing for you.

Another great way to feel less camera shy is to have an engagement shoot while you are planning your wedding. Whether you've chosen a wedding photographer or you're still deciding, an engagement or couple's shoot is a perfect way to get in front of the camera and have a 'practice run' at relaxing. AND you'll have even more lovely photographs of the two of you to show your friends and family in the run-up to your wedding. Some couples even like to use one of their engagement shoot photographs. We offer free engagement shoots in the Hebden Bridge area to couples considering our services and the response to them has been incredible; our camera shy couples have been glad to ease their concerns ahead of their weddings and love their collections of photographs.

When you receive your photographs you'll be full of confidence.

Because you will see how happy and beautiful you look.

You can get excited about your wedding photographs, relax and feel confident on your wedding day because you'll already know how lovely you'll look in your photos.

I hope these tips help to ease your wedding photography butterflies, you might never feel 100% at ease around cameras but try to relax knowing that, as wedding photographers we're here to capture you at your best, we choose photographs where you look radiant, in love, contented; we're with you to nab those moments you'll never want to forget so that you can relive them forever.