How Can We Look Natural in Our Wedding Photos?
It’s one of the most common questions we hear from couples:
“We’re awkward in front of the camera… how do we look natural on the wedding day?”
If that sounds like you—don’t worry. You’re not alone, and more importantly, you’re not doing anything wrong. Feeling unsure about being photographed is completely normal. You’re not actors or influencers. You’re real people in love.
At Smiling Tiger Studios, helping couples look and feel natural in their wedding photos is at the heart of everything we do. Here’s how we make that happen (and how you can help yourself feel more relaxed too).
Choose a Photographer You Feel Comfortable With
This is key. You’ll be spending a big part of your day with your photographer, so it’s essential you genuinely like and trust them.
Look for someone whose energy matches yours—calm, kind, reassuring, and able to make you laugh. That comfort will show up in your photos, every time.
A good documentary photographer won’t direct you constantly. They’ll observe. Anticipate. Blend in. And when they do speak, it’s gentle, helpful, and never staged.
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Want to see what this looks like in action? View our real weddings for honest storytelling at its finest.
Forget the Posing—Just Be Present
Instead of worrying about how you look, focus on how you feel.
Be in the moment with your partner. Hug them. Laugh with them. Walk slowly. Whisper something cheeky. Do what feels natural to you.
The more you connect with each other, the more natural you’ll look on camera—because the moments are real.
Have an Engagement Shoot (Seriously)
We covered this in last week’s blog, but it’s worth repeating. Engagement shoots are the ultimate confidence booster.
They give you the chance to:
- Get to know your photographer
- Get used to being in front of the camera
- See how easy and relaxed it can actually be
Couples always tell us, “We were nervous at first… but that shoot made the wedding day feel so much easier.”
Trust the Process
You don’t have to worry about posing, angles, or smiling for the camera.
That’s our job—to find the light, composition, and emotion without making you feel watched. You just need to enjoy your day.
We’ll be there, quietly catching the glances, the hand squeezes, the deep breaths before walking down the aisle.
Natural Doesn’t Mean Perfect—It Means Real
Some of the best wedding photos aren’t the “picture-perfect” ones. They’re the in-between moments:
- A belly laugh during the speeches
- A wind-blown veil on the hilltop
- A quiet look exchanged during the vows
That’s what our couples love most—and why they chose documentary wedding photography in the first place.
Want Natural Wedding Photos That Feel Like You?
Let’s make that happen. We specialise in relaxed, storytelling-led photography that captures you, as you are.
Let’s Make Choosing Easy
At Smiling Tiger Studios, we help couples feel relaxed, seen, and celebrated. We offer documentary-style wedding photography in Dorset and across the UK, specialising in real, unposed storytelling that captures your day exactly as it felt.
