Our Approach to Photography: All Eyes Off the Camera

Ok guys, it’s time to get real about our approach to love story photography.

There is this weird phenomenon that goes on when people see a camera. It’s probably deep-rooted, as we’ve been told our whole lives to look at the camera and say “cheese”! To us, that’s exactly how that feels. Cheesy. And we are very anti-lame photography. 

When we are photographing a couple, we have a few goals in mind – our “words” if you will: authentic, intimate and natural.  We want our photos to show at least two of these qualities, preferably all 3, but that’s getting lofty. How do we do this?

Most of our couples have their first interaction with us during their engagement session and we talk about our approach a little more in detail then. Lately we feel like people come to us expecting that “look at the camera” type of thing, and that’s not us at all. We have a simple philosophy that we approach love story photography with, and it’s this:

 Your love story is between the two of you, not between you and our camera. 

What that means is that while we may take one or two “traditional” portraits where you’re looking at the camera, we actually feel like that’s a disservice to our job with you. We are here to document moments as they’re unfolding, not orchestrate them. Obviously that’s a little tougher during an engagement session, because it’s literally just us, there is nothing naturally happening unless we get it started. 

People come to us and say that they don’t want posed photos … I’d love to know who does??! Posed photos remind me of the matchy-matchy, in the studio, everyone cheese at the camera type stuff we grew up with. 

But guess what? We do pose you. We start by showing you exactly where and how to stand. Where to put your hands (for guys, if you need to put something in your pockets it’s thumbs only for us – we hate the whole “no fingers” thing), what side you should stand on, etc. From that starting pose, we talk to you and give you instructions from afar … usually to make you laugh, or smile, or kiss. We ask you to kiss, a LOT. Breath mints are probably a plus – and no garlic. 😉 All these photos below? They all started out in a pose. 

Most of our clients are naturally intimate and close with their partner. They touch a lot, hold hands as they walk, have inside jokes. They steal glances and speak a thousand words with their eyes. There is a power in being around them, you can feel how much they love, adore and respect each-other. 

But you know what? None of that would matter if you looked at us for every single photo. 

There is a certain smile that you reserve just for her. A twinkle in your eye that is only there when you’re looking at him. That perfect contentment that is on your face whenever you’re in each-others arms. And no matter what we did, we would never see that side of you if you were looking at our lens. 

This connection – these moments, the in between ones where you exchange more depth than any words you’ve ever said – these are the ones that drive us. The stolen kisses, the laughter over how dorky all this stuff is that we’re making you do, the experience of creating this memory together, this is our approach to your love story, because these are the moments you two are truly present together in the weight and beauty of it all. 

Authentic, Intimate,  and Natural.