If you’re still to book your wedding photographer, this is for you! The wedding photos you’ll love most will be relaxed, natural images of you and your guests. You’ll adore the ones where your smiles look natural, where your glances are genuine, and the ones which remind you how fun and full of love your wedding day was. And if these are the kind of images you’re looking for, there’s one simple but crucial rule: always choose a photographer whose portfolio is full of beautiful, unposed images. Expert advice and inspiration comes from Mark Battista, a wedding photographer in Cumbria.

Choosing a wedding photographer can be overwhelming, as you look through other real weddings from your venue, and find photographers whose look and approach you love.

Focus on finding a photographer whose images look natural.

You’ll know when you see their images of couples looking at each other, walking, and laughing, that you’ve found the right kind of photographer.

You’re looking for real moments, not couples staring down the camera lens or posing awkwardly with fixed grins. “The best wedding photos aren’t about perfect poses – they’re about capturing real moments between you and your partner” – Mark Battista

Here’s five essential tips for getting natural wedding photos

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1 Focus on each other: try to forget about the camera

Easier said than done, but if you have a pre-wedding photoshoot you can get some practice in. How to do it: talk. Hold hands. Think about the moments you’ve loved, talk about the ceremony, who’s scrubbed up surprisingly well, who cried most, who laughed loudest… memories will make you smile. Chat will help you forget your photographer is even there – and they’ll get amazing photos that capture the moment.

2 Explore and enjoy your surroundings

You’ve chosen the perfect spot for your wedding, so go and enjoy it. Think of that little snippet of time you’ve allocated for portraits as your chance to escape. Spending time away from the crowds can be so special. Don’t worry about the photos, just enjoy being together for those moments (no matter there’s a photographer with you!)

Enjoy how it feels to be married. Enjoy the view. Gardens, a lake shore, a quiet space outside your venue – they’re all for you to just relax and take it all in. Have a little walk and trust in your photographer to get some great photos while you do. Bonus points if you’re out for a few minutes at golden hour – the light before sunset is perfect for natural wedding images.

3 Gentle direction can really help

Your photographer might make little suggestions as the two of you spend time together. Perhaps a gentle hug, a natural gesture or a whispered conversation that only you and your partner can hear. Trust your photographer’s ideas and these tiny things might just elevate your images – without feeling awkward or posed.

 

4 Include personal touches for wonderful memories

What makes you smile most in the world (other than your partner!)? Perhaps you have little ones, and they’d like to bring their favourite toy for all the photos. Embrace that: your smiles will be genuine. If your dog will be at your wedding, make sure they’re with you for some of the photos too. There’s nothing like the warm and fuzzy way you interact with your pet – that affection and joy will shine from your images too. Personal touches that bring emotion into your images also look wonderful.

5 Laugh and the world laughs with you

You can’t plan perfection, and it’s those moments where you miss a step, turn the wrong way and end up laughing together that will make the best wedding photos of all. “Some of my favourite shots come from moments that didn’t go exactly to plan… those imperfect moments make your album feel real, alive, and timeless.” – Mark Battista

The more you can relax for your wedding photos, the lovelier your images will be. It’s all about enjoying the day and letting your love shine through. “With a little planning, the right timing, and someone who knows how to guide you gently, your wedding photos can feel effortless, full of life, and completely true to who you are.”

 

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Mark Battista is a Lake District and Cumbria wedding photographer. His style is typically unobtrusive, photographing your day as it naturally unfolds, anticipating those meaningful moments that you’ll look back on and love. Mark works with his couples to create those natural photos very easily without images feeling staged and without you feeling awkward. Mark says on his website that, “whilst I can’t promise that sticking a camera in your face won’t initially feel weird, I can promise that it won’t feel this way for very long and that we will get those natural photos that you will love, and what’s more, that you will actually enjoy the process!”