Over the years of meeting couples to discuss their wedding photography I have discovered that the guys seem a lot more shy about having their photo taken.

A key factor to having your pictures look great is to feel more comfortable in front of the camera and this is why I think pre–wedding shoots are really beneficial. It is great chance for the couple to feel more natural and relaxed with their photographer and I definitely feel that grooms benefit more from the shoot!

I have photographed many a groom who felt uncomfortable with the idea of a pre-wedding shoot before understanding the many benefits. Yes the initial few minutes of stepping out of your comfort zone can seem strange at times, but then you forget yourself and get lost in the process with the girl you love.

On the wedding day the groom seems to be more at ease with the camera and usually they get a lot more enthused after their pre-wedding shoot. Many grooms have told me after the wedding that they were glad of the pre wedding shoot as they benefited from the experience. I spoke to Andy Daykin who got married last summer in Cyprus and whose pre-wedding shoot I did in Edinburgh. He shared a few thoughts about what he got out of the pre-wedding shoot:

“I found it to be a great opportunity to build a relationship with our photographer. This made me feel more comfortable in front of the camera on my wedding day. It was good to nderstand what Donal was trying to capture in each shot and I  found it really helpful to see the results from the pre-shoot and select specific styles that you would like to replicate on the wedding day.”

Ultimately the pre-wedding shoot has given many grooms the confidence to look and feel relaxed in front of the camera,which equals more natural photos that look great!

You can check out Jenny + Andy’s Pre-wedding shoot  and check out their gorgeous wedding. If you would like to get the female perspective on why engagement shoots are essential click here.