As a Los Angeles wedding photographer, one of the things my clients don’t like to ask (but want to know) is how to look good. As someone who spends a LOT of time behind the camera, in front of the camera, and behind a computer going through thousands of photos, I have a few tips on how to look great.

Hire a Good Wedding Photographer

Half a photo is the person taking it. I make dozens of decisions on height, angles, and light. That’s not even counting the technical decisions like lens length, aperture, shutter speed, etc. A good photographer can make art out of almost anything. A bad photographer can make even the most beautiful scenarios look like crap. Even if they have a good camera. I taught high school photography and let amateurs use my camera a lot. Take it from me. It’s not just the camera. For example, these are two photos of the same girl, using the exact same equipment, in the same location. One was taken by a student, the other was taken by me. Beyond the obvious differences, I made several choices on the second photograph to emphasize specific features, focus on her face, light appropriately, and use my settings to showcase her face and take out the obnoxious red walls.

Hire a Wedding Photographer Who Has People like You in His/Her Portfolio, and WEDDINGS in particular

A lot of my tips come from friends who got stuck with a bad photographer. So I have a friend who got married to a BEAUTIFUL girl in the mountains of Oregon. Perfect scenario, right? But when they got their photos back, they were dreadfully disappointed, to the point of tears. They weren’t good, at all. When they came to me asking what happened, the first thing I asked for was the website of this photographer. When I looked at her work, it was actually quite good. The couple hadn’t made a poor decision. Her pictures were beautiful. But as I browsed I realized she didn’t have ANY photos of people over a size 6. She also only had one wedding.

Wedding photography is an art. It’s the art of being versatile, being able to change situations and still get good photos. To look at light, backgrounds, detail, and emotion; and grab the best out of all of them.

All this being said, if you have particular features that might be challenging, make sure you see people like you in your photographer’s portfolio. I personally could care less if you are a size zero. Some of my favorite weddings ever have been with bigger brides. If you’re sweet and in love, you deserve photos that show it.

Relax and Focus on Your Feelings

I love capturing moments, and one of the keys to being “photogenic” is to relax and forget I exist. I’ll coach you if you need it, and move around to get the best angles, emotions, and lighting. That’s what I can do. And if you just forget I’m there and focus on the powerful step you’re about to take, that’s perfectly fine with me. The photos I value most from my wedding are the ones where I’m just chilling with my friends or we’re looking excited together. Feel free to be excited, nervous, or loving, and the pictures will come out amazing.

I’ll add to this as I think of things, but that’s it for now! Love kindly!