“People are their best when they can be themselves, and that’s the hardest thing to do as photographers”

PLATON

Friend, I don’t know about you, but have you ever felt like you keep using the same old genetic prompts and poses EVERY TIME?

Are you exhausted with feeling like it’s all up to you, to ‘get that emotive shot’ and feeling burned out and performing for your clients?

Getting the guy on board is a real struggle, and those deep, jaw dropping intimate moments are not just happening for you?

Yeah, I’ve been there.

Creating a space where couples can let their guard down, be themselves and truly connect is probably one of the biggest gifts we can give our clients!

I LOVE that our job as photographers, is about so much more than creating beautiful imagery, but we get to give the gift of memories – we contribute to our client’s legacy.

But how? How do we facilitate those real and truly candid moments.

How can we as photographers move away from fake and fabricated moments to creating a space for honest side-splitting laughter and tear-jerking intimacy?

Well, before I dig into the practical – I need you to realize that one very important thing

It’s not up to you.

You can’t fake your way into an authentic moment, you can only invite a space for it – the rest is up to you client.

So take the pressure off.

Showing up to a photoshoot knowing – it’s about them, their rich history, love, and connection sets you up to see them for who they are, and to truly serve them with a rich experience.

“I never think about a shoot before I do it, that way I might miss a gem or a jewel that the person is offering me”

– PLATON

Empathy is at the heart of it all.

Seeing them for who they are, allowing them to be themselves.

Your mindset matters

I have found that some of the most epic experiences happen when I hold space for moments. It’s about inviting moments of connection in through your directions and prompts.

I don’t believe in generic prompts (although I know they might evoke emotion – I don’t want to fabricate or fake anything for the sake of a photo)

I want to draw on the connection of the people in front of me, to help them remember how much they love each other, how far they’ve come and communicate their feelings for each other, and I want to centre the whole experience around their story and connection, so that when they look back at their photos – they remember how they felt.

“They might not remember what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel”

3 prompts that help to facilitate connection- and create real moments.

• WRITE A WORD THAT DESCRIBES HER CHARACTER ON HER CHEEK

Use your nose to spell a word on her cheek that describes her (can be a characteristic or physical trait)

PRO TIP

Giving them permission to do it slowly – and giving good instructions help them to see that it’s not about the actual prompt, but about their connection. For example, lead up your instruction by saying: We are often so busy in our day to day lives, that we don’t always take time to tell our person how we feel about them, or what we appreciate about them, and I want to give you a chance to do this in a fun and unique way —-

• “WHO IS” QUESTIONS (this is a great way to bond with them, and allows them to tell their story and also helps you to connect with them)

The aim is for them to see that you care about who they are, and for them to reminisce and reflect on their journey – and it’s honestly so much fun.

Direct them how you would like them to stand/hold each other, then lead with the questions.

Types of questions to ask:

• Who is more adventurous?
• Who is more likely to get lost?
• Who made the first move?
• Who is more romantic?
• Who takes the longest to get ready?

There are tons of these you can ask, people love talking about themselves, and you can sit down and write down a few of your own (you can make them as deep or as lighthearted as you like, and you can adjust them according to your couples’ personalities)

• MEMORIZE HER (INCLUDE SENSES)

Let’s just be real – wedding days can be chaotic (there are many distractions and worries) and some couples really struggle to be in the moment.

One of my favorite things to do, is to invite in moments of stillness and presence, so they can really take in the day.

Something as simple as ‘memorizing the moments’ or ‘use your hands to trace her face, and.

Memorise the way she looks, smells and feels’ is a great way for a couple to forget about everything that is going on, and to truly connect with each other on one of the most epic days of their lives.

Creating space for real emotion and epic moments, is something I love dearly, which is why I created a whole course about it.

Want to find out more?

Learn more about inviting real emotion and connection into your shoots.

It’s transformed not only my work, but just read the reviews of my past students to see how transformative it truly is.