We understand – you’re not professional models. You may well feel awkward and uncomfortable in front of the camera, particularly when there’s smooching to be done! It’s ok. We’ve seen it all before and we know how it feels.
Some people are naturals in front of the camera. They’re confident and love nothing more than when the spotlight is on them. Most of us are more shy and it suddenly becomes very difficult to know what to do with your whole body! Our job is to minimise the difference between those people so it’s comfortable and everything looks natural. Here are a few tips to familiarise yourself with before a video shoot.
Connect with each other
I personally feel like I want my couples to enjoy a shoot rather than feel like they’re working for a videographer. It’s an opportunity to really connect with each other in a romantic and beautiful setting. In a lot of ways, it’s good to just forget there’s a videographer there, and just concentrate on each other. Laugh, smile, cuddle, caress and kiss. Make good memories and just be in the moment. That will always produce great looking video footage.
Try not to talk
When you feel awkward, it’s natural to fill the silence with words, but this doesn’t make for good video footage. Video is often slowed down to create a more dreamy look and slow motion talking just looks weird. If you need to speak, whisper in each other’s ear. That looks really nice on camera and often elicits nice reactions. Not talking also actually helps you connect with each other more romantically!
Always be touching. Always be moving.
Since this is video, not photo we’re talking about, you don’t have to hold still. It’s encouraged to keep moving. If you feel able to connect to each other, doing what comes naturally to you as you’re affectionate with your partner is always great to shoot. You’ll have a little direction, but if you can relax and connect, whatever you do will look good. Just keep connected with your partner and don’t be afraid to move! By that I don’t mean taking steps around necessarily, but sway, move your heads, hands and feet, kiss, cuddle and caress. It’s good to be as natural as you can within the directions the videographer is giving.
What about my hands?
Guys – if you’re not in a full hold, just put one hand in your pocket. That’s ok. Otherwise you’ll be holding your partner.
Girls – play with your hair – that always looks lovely. Or rest your hands on your man. It’s fine to let your free hand rest on your leg. If you can think of a good prop, that also helps. Flowers, for example.
What about facial expressions?
Well it goes without saying that you should relax and enjoy it. But if in doubt, you can’t go wrong with smiling! Laughing is also great – so make each other laugh. A serious face is also sometimes perfect as directed by your videographer. Just try not to talk whilst the camera’s rolling.
Ask to be shot from further away
A lot of times a videographer will start by shooting you from a distance. This has the effect of letting you feel like you’re alone and allows you to get comfortable with each other. If you’re feeling kinda awkward, just ask if he/she can do that.
Got any moves?
If you’re taking dance lessons for a first dance, or you’ve got a few ballroom moves, now’s a great time to dust them off. When you don’t know what else to do with your body, dance really helps.
If you’ve got any ideas about how to make a video shoot more fun and less awkward, drop them in the comments!