Natural posing – what to expect from your couple portraits

Is ‘Natural Posing' even a thing? I have put together a few tips in this short blog post how to get the best out of your couple portrait session and engagement shoots and to put your mind at ease. 

A lot of couples bring this topic up at our first initial meeting: “We don’t like our photo taken” …Well, most people, including me don’t like having their photo taken. So I worked on my approach to make the couple portrait session as comfortable and fun as possible. “Posing” doesn’t need to be cheesy or unnatural. First of all, my top tips for couple photos and feeling like a natural in front of the camera: 

• Trust me/your photographer and let them direct you 

• It’s a chance to have some alone time on your wedding day (apart from me following you around!) – embrace it 

• It’s okay to be nervous, but I will tell you what to do and will be with you all the way. Plus you don’t need to look at the camera most of the time 

• Always be touching or giving each other attention! This is soooooo important – you need to connect with each other. Without connection there is no magic in the photos! 

• Keep moving, dance, paddle in the shore or just be be silly – it makes for beautiful natural images if you’re moving around 

• Don’t look at the camera (unless told!). We will take a full length portrait with you looking at me towards the end of the session. So we can see your outfits and makeup etc.

• Try and keep hands occupied – ideally touching and connecting with your partner. Believe me, hands are so important in an image 

• Get close, and be in the moment, you have just got married and it is fine to hug, kiss and get close 

• Schedule in your couple shots after dinner when you have had a few drinks or a second session

• Try to forget you are being photographed  

• Book an engagement shoot before your big day to learn how it feels to be in front of the camera and work with your photographer

• Have a laugh! 
  

It feels like a lot to take in right now, but believe me it will be easy. Here are a few of my ‘go to shots’ to give you an idea:

Walking towards me / Walking away

Heads together

Dance and Swirl, Pick Up

Sitting

Close Up of Details

Standing together looking away

Getting Close

Generally being silly - one of my favourites!

The landscape - aka tiny people

Classic Standing Together

Candid Shots during the day- definitely my favourite!

If you want to practise ‘natural posing’ please contact me for availability of a portrait session or engagement / pre wedding shoot. Let’s go and have some fun!

Cornwall Engagement Photography - Holywell Bay // Dan & Imogen

It was a pleasure to meet Dan and Imogen for their engagement photos a few weeks back. We went to one of my favourite local beaches, Holywell Bay. This beautiful Cornish gem is one of my top go to locations for photoshoots. Dan and Imogen don’t like their photos taken and wanted a bit of practice before their wedding in May. We had a great time and I’m quite sure they realised that it’s pretty easy to create some unposed, natural portraits… I can’t wait to shoot their wedding soon…

So great to meet you guys! Roll n May…

Why do I need Engagement Photos

Are you still wondering why you need engagement photos or if you should add an engagement shoot to your package? As a documentary /reportage style wedding photographer a pre wedding photoshoot creates a conflict as it obviously doesn’t fall in the ‘documentary/reportage photography’ category. It is more a planned photoshoot. Well, the couple portrait session and your family photos are the only part of the day which don’t fall under the documentary category. And I guess the couple portrait session is the most ‘feared’ part by people who don’t like their photos taken. However, I approach this shoot slightly different and you will soon see it’s nothing to be afraid of but rather to enjoy.

Most of my couples never had their photos taken by a professional photographer or hate their photos taken by anyone. Don’t worry, we keep the photos as natural as possible and you can get to see how to create beautiful portraits without posing. A great way to ease your nerves before the big day! It will be a fun and relaxing experience. One of the most important things to create stunning natural portraits is to be able to relax and be yourself. After all, engagement photos are meant to capture who you are as a couple, not just what you look like. During the shoot you will get more comfortable and relaxed at getting your photos taken. And the more relaxed you feel on the big day, the better your wedding photos will be!

You will also get to know your photographer and I get a chance to get to know you. In some cases there will be bit of guidance by me such as “hey guys, having a hug over there would be great” or “ run down the dunes holding hands’ or some general guidance on how or where best to stand for a good photo. Or some nonsense which usually comes out of me and hopefully makes you laugh! You will see the way I work ‘posing’ will be fun.

Because we can be flexible on a date, we can choose the right weather and location. You can add some beach photos to your woodland wedding and vice versa or we can get some sunset photos which might not happen on your wedding day as you can’t plan the weather ahead. I don’t know how many times I get asked about including sunset photos for beach weddings and I’m always worried for the couple that the sunset might not be as great as imagined or non existing on their wedding day. Maybe you want to visit the place you got engaged, even better, I love it if the location has a special meaning for you. You can also bring your dog(s) along, or are you more of a cat person, they are welcome too. I haven’t photographed a horse during an engagement shoot yet, if I could, this would make my day! Or bring your children along and make it into a mini family session. So many options, just give me a shout and we can discuss ideas.

With a relaxed, enjoyable engagement shoot you can create a series of gorgeous images to last a lifetime.

They also make great invitation cards or you might want to integrate them in your wedding decoration.

I believe so strongly in the benefits of engagement photoshoots that I include them as standard in my top full day wedding package.

And for any other full day packages you get a massive discount!

Oh and you can of course book a pre wedding shoot with me if you haven’t booked a wedding package. Maybe you’re visiting Cornwall and want some awesome photos of the two of you but your wedding is already booked elsewhere with another photographer. Not a problem, you can still book with me for some pre pre wedding photos. There are some stunning locations here in Cornwall, beautiful beaches, little rocky coves, cliff tops, ancient woodland and old mine buildings…the list goes on, I have a list of stunning locations for you to choose from.

Please contact me for availability and pricing

Engagement Photo Session Perran Sands Cornwall // Neva & John

I had the pleasure to meet the lovely Neva and John for their engagement photo session back in September. They were on holidays here in Cornwall and stayed near Perranporth. They wanted to organise a photoshoot whilst in the county and had chosen the Perranporth area for it. We decided to head to Perran Sands as the beach there is usually a little quieter and it’s one of my favourite locals. I’m super pleased we were blessed with a beautiful golden evening light too. Here is a little teaser!

Family photography Cornwall // Treyarnon Bay

Kadi and Ainsley supposed to get married this October at The Green in Cornwall. Unfortunately due to current restrictions they had to postpone their wedding to next year. So instead they came to Treyarnon Bay for a mini break in Cornwall and asked me to take some natural family photos on the beach. We met at Treyarnon where they stayed in a beautiful house overlooking the beach.

I had so much fun with these guys playing in the shore break and in between very stormy and rainy days we gladly picked an afternoon where the sun came out. Perfect for a beach family portrait photoshoot.

I can’t wait to photograph their wedding next year, but for now, here are my favourites form our family mini session in Treyarnon Bay…

I have an offer on for Family Mini Sessions at the moment, so please contact me for further information

Engagement Photoshoot at Godrevy Beach Cornwall // Karinne + Tony

I was supposed to photograph Karinne and Tony’s wedding at Tredudwell Manor in Cornwall this August but due to COVID 19 restrictions they decided to postpone till later on this year.

So we met at Godrevy, their favourite beach in Cornwall for an engagement photoshoot instead.

Here is a mini preview

If you’re planning to add an engagement session to your wedding or if you want to swap your pre wedding photoshoot to a family photography session, please contact me for further details

Family Portrait Photography Godrevy Beach Cornwall

A few weeks ago Katie asked me if I can take some family photos while they are visiting Cornwall. They wanted some more positive memories than the hard times they just went through. Ruby was diagnosed with cancer only 2 years old. I can imagine how devastating these horrible news were with my own mum terminal sick from it. I truly believe that times like this make you a stronger more compassionate human. Ruby’s charisma is beautiful with a strong light shining in her. The strong bond this family has is amazing and I feel privileged they asked me to create some memories on their break here.

I think I mentioned this before, I’m not a fan of studio portraits, I rather go for a walk with you and capture the essence of your family in natural non-staged photography. If you’re after some candid shots with your family, please contact me for more information

We had a fun evening at Godrevy beach, here is a selection of some of my favourites…

If you are looking for natural family portrait photography in Cornwall or Devon, please email me for further information

Engagement Photos - reasons why to have them...

I have recently written an article about engagement photoshoots and the reasons why to have them for Lusty Glaze Beach Weddings

For a lot of couples, the term ‘engagement photo session’ doesn’t sound appealing because it sounds more like a posed photoshoot and I usually get booked for my natural un-posed and canid style of photography. We can argue that this is true and we are meeting for the purpose of taking portraits so it’s not really reportage style or documentary photography, but it doesn’t mean that we can’t take candid photos during a pre-wedding shoot. In my opinion Engagement Sessions should feel like you’re going for a walk with a friend who happened to bring a camera along.

More and more couples are choosing to have an engagement shoot with me as an opportunity to get to know me and my ways of working and for me to get to know them. It’s also a great way to prepare themselves for the big day, and to get used to the camera. 

I’ve had great feedback from all my couples who booked pre wedding photoshoots, as they said they didn’t expect it to be so much fun it was a great way to ease the nerves before the big day.

Have a read through the advice to help make your mind up about whether an engagement photoshoot is worth it…

here is the link: Engagement Photoshoots - are they worth it?

I’m currently offering the biggest discount ever on engagement and family photoshoots.

Contact me for further info

Engagement Photography at Lanhydrock, Cornwall // Leanne + Ross

Leanne and Ross are getting married at the Green Cornwall next year. They came down for the weekend to go to a taster session there to choose their wedding meal. Exciting times!

So we met up at Lanhydrock for a coffee to go through their wedding day and for an engagement shoot. Leanne and Ross don’t like their photo taken, like most of the couples who book with me. Do they decided to book a pre - wedding photoshoot with me to see how I work and to get used to be behind the Lens. We sat in the cafe and were waiting for the rain to ease off a little to venture out for a stroll in Lanhydrock’s woodland. They brought their adorable cockerpoo ‘Ruby’ with them. I wish she could come to the wedding, but only 1 year old she is very excitable and Leanne is worried she might jump up her dress with her muddy paws. I still hope they change their minds and bring her along for their special day, she would look too cute with a bow tie on!

So here you go, I picked a few of my favourites from the day, I just wish I took more of Ruby, but she was too busy messing in the undergrowth and getting herself muddy...

If you are in two minds if you should book and engagement photography session with me, maybe this article ‘engagement photos - are they worth it?’ I wrote for Lusty Glaze will help you to decide.

To book an engagement session with me just contact me for further details. If you have a wedding booked with me I can even offer you a discount.

Engagement Photoshoot on Perranporth Beach // James + Rachel

I can’t tell you enough how much I’m looking forward to shooting Rachel and Jame’s wedding at Tenderway Farm next year! It sounds like just the kind of wedding I love photographing so much, a relaxed style weekend with friends and family in Cornwall. This venue has also been on my bucket list since quite a while, so extra bonus! I met the two for their pre wedding consultation in Perranporth. Jame’s grew up here, so they wanted a few photos on Perranporth beach to ease their nerves before the big day. We were so lucky as it was a sunny day sandwiched in between all the rain we had here recently in Cornwall. The late winter light is super special on a sunny day this time of year. I would say this shoot was literally cast in gold!

Here you go, a few of my favourite photos from this session

If you are in two minds if you should book and engagement photography session with me, maybe this article ‘engagement photos - are they worth it?’ I wrote for Lusty Glaze will help you to decide.

To book an engagement session with me just contact me for further details. If you have a wedding booked with me I can even offer you a discount.