When I was a young struggling photographer, I earned a little cash on the side by doing portfolios for strippers in London. They taught me so much about posing. The most important thing I learnt was about posture. There is not a single thing which will improve your looks as quickly as standing correctly.

Stretching your body and accentuating the S shape of your body will pull your curves into position. It will also smooth out lumps and bumps.

Very few humans have breasts which look good dangling down when you are on all fours. Maybe if you are wearing a push up bra it could work but if you are naked they tend to look silly. Instead lie on your tummy, support yourself on your elbows , bend your knees and cross your ankles. This is a very flattering pose and modest too.

Now we all hate wedding photographers. They are a pain on the day, bossing everybody around and telling cheesey jokes. They are often funny looking and nerdish and generally not considered fun. We do however want to see good pictures after we have not allowed them to photograph us.

I would like to build a case for the poor wedding photographer right around the world. Wedding photography is one of the hardest forms of photography. Your subjects are often not modesl, stressed, unco and uncooperative. You have very limited time and that is nearly always made even less on the day because clients run late. Guests with cameras often get in the way, the priest does not want to see you, it rains, you have to cover for the planner, they forget to feed and water you… you are expected to get result like images in magazines, images which require hours of work, you are expected to accomplish in half an hour.

I have already mentioned how important it is to keep baby well fed and rested on the big day. Mostly importantly taking their pictures as soon as possible before we have the usual baby wedding day stress melt down. But I have one other silly but effective trick to share. Make sure you wear an interesting strong bracelet. Particularly effective is a chunky charm bracelet. The younger the baby and the twinkilier the bracelet, the more effective it will be.

10. Good attitude

There is nothing uglier than a controlling, grumpy, sulky, spoilt brat of a bride who has forgotten the reason she is there in the first place. If you are relaxed and having a ball, you will see it in the pictures. You will radiate love if you concentrate on those feelings. Tension, stress and irritation all show up in photography. No one is gorgeous in these states of mind. Having a little trust in the people you have chosen to create you dream, will go a long way to improving your enjoyment on the day. And if you have fun, so will everybody else, and of course my job will be easy. Does it really matter that the ponies are a different pink? So many brides tell me, “it all has to be just perfect, I am a detail person.”

Well while those brides are checking up on the wedding planner (who is doing the 100th wedding) she is missing the best light and the party. You’ve got to let go! This is such a common syndrome among brides and I often work hard in the preparation to loosen them up. For their sakes and of course my own, I want the best pictures possible. So if you are a control freak, promise yourself (and me) that for just one day you are going to let go and enjoy. Or else what is the point of the party.

7. The security of Touching up

Now I don’t recommend completely changing the way you look. But I see no reason why brides should not enjoy the advantages supermodels have enjoyed for years. Just take a look at some of these before and after images to get an idea of what I mean.

So if you choose me to be your photographer, I recommend that you discuss with me any complexes or insecurities you have. The touching-up I do to your wedding photos is subtle, so you can’t recognise the changes unless you compare them to the original image. If you want me to do anything above or beyond this, e.g. removing the bump on the bridge of your nose, you need to let me know!

Long transparent gloves are ugly girls. So are big puffy skirts and bustiers don’t do anything for making us look skinny. Arms look bigger and even unfortunately even the skinniest of us all are prone to back fat.

A very long veil, I promise you, will only torment and torture you on the day. It will dust the town. Get hooked on the carpet as you walk down the aisle. People will stand on it and it will make you hot. Most brides spend hundreds on their veils, walk out the church and desperately ask me, “can I take this thing off now?”

Much to my delight the 1920’s have made a come back. This look is delightful and fun. And naturally very sexy. The part I like the best would have to be the hairstyles. I love 1920’s waves and hair up in delicious organic shapes. Round toed shoes and long strings of pearls. Cleavage and sequence with dropped waste lines. And it’s almost always a good idea to make the men wear complimentary outfits, like tuxedoes. Deco jewellery is also exquisite.

This must be the biggest request I ever get, “I am begging you, no profile pictures”. How sad that our society has so limited our concept of beauty. My husband Gianni loves people with less than perfect features. But be that as it may it won’t change the fact you hate your nose.

Have some portraits done where a perfect pose can be found to minimize the size of your nose. If you just have only reportage images there will loads of profile images.

I think it’s important o have an idea or a theme. Somewhere to start from. Lets say you love 1950 vintage. We go in with black and white in mind but we have an open mind. Because if there is a gorgeous colour image it’s a pity to turn it into a black and white images because it does not fit into how you think the structure will be. Often we start with one idea and find the images tell us how they would like to be put together. And the album turns out much better than if you try to control the whole process. Creativity is a process and has a life of it’s own. If you are an artist you will know what I mean. Personally I believe all humans are artists.

Then there are the speeches and first dance, which we recommend you do before the meal or after the starter. It will be so much prettier with the sunset in the windows or a dark blue sky instead of a black one. Recently a gorgeous couple I shot especially learnt to tango for their first dance and adored sparkling outfits. It was a great start to the reception and naturally made for great images.

The best images on my website are the best because I was given time to work. The more time I am given, the better the pictures will be. It’s simple, the more one shoots the better the odds of great images. This does not mean that you have to take the biggest package but rather that you give your photographer at least 30 to 40 minutes to do portraits and half an hour to do groups. It’s just not possible in any less.

We adore light shows and design, especially in a beautiful garden. When one has the aperitivo (don’t you love that word) on the terrace and you walk to the crypt afterwards they often give divine lighting shows to the dizzy wandering guest. And if there is time to take a few quick photographs, you will get images that few others have. Below I have included a few images of the use of truly breathtaking lighting.

11. Not buying a white umbrella…it means it will rain
12. Being late – instead of being relaxed and enjoying your day, you will spend your day trying to catch up.
13.Organising your ceremony and reception venues in different locations. Try not to take a car on your wedding day, as soon as you and your guests have to travel time is wasted and people get tired, hot and stressed. (And car sick if you are marrying on the Amalfi coast)
14.Have a list of groups which exceeds seven or so groups. Your guests will hate you for it and your album will be full of dull pictures because you photographer was shooting boring groups while all the juicy stuff was going on in the good light.
15.Let your happiness depend on the perfection of the day. Nothing is ever perfect and you will only set yourself up for disaster if your mood depends on the sunshine.

1. Not having something warm to put on on your day (for just incase)
2. Not having a pair of chic slip ons for when your feet hurt
3. Getting drunk (I have seen some scary things – once a bride tried to get it on with my hubby because she was drunk, yes on her wedding day)
4. Taking tranquilizers and then thinking you can drink (you won’t remember a thing)
5. Asking a friend who drinks too much to be your maid of honour or best man (you have seen the movie – I have seen it in real life and it’s very embarrassing).

A second meeting can be good just before the wedding to go over details and reassure clients. I like to send off a wedding form to each couple a few weeks before their wedding. I ask them to list the most important details like venues address, group photographs required, styles they enjoy etc. This form is very important because I could never remember all the details mentioned at a meeting. I do over 60 meetings a year and it’s impossible to remember everybody’s details. This way I have everything on the form and I am able to discuss finer details like timing at this second meeting.

The best solution is a nice long chin wag on the phone before actually booking me. I am not everybody’s cup of tea. A quick phone call can establish if there can be magic between us. Clients don’t realise that often it is me who is interviewing them and trying to decide if things will work between us. If there will be any magic.

2) Although you won’t have formal speeches to prepare, think in advance of your vows and include the special words, thoughts, poems, or even music which are personal to you both. So you don’t have the big wedding party or guest list, but emotion will still catch up with you on the day, so it pays to be a little prepared with words.

I smoke but I personally try not to have photographs taken of me with a cigarette. It’s quite ugly a bride and groom walking in the street with cigarettes in their hands. While one or two fun 1950′s style smoking portraits can be done, I don’t recommend smoking while you are having your picture taken. We can have ‘no shooting smoking breaks’ if you are a chain smoker. It’s not too difficult to go a few hours at a time without smoking.

I also recommend mini mints like tic tacs. Beware of gum especially if you are having video or mostly reportage photography. You will be horrified to know what we look like when we chew… And again smokers get red eyes, so have those drops ready.

It’s also important to go for a teeth spring clean before your big day. You will take years off your appearance instantly. Be careful not to over bleach teeth since you will look like I have been over zealous with the touching up.

If you answered yes to any one of yesterday’s questions, there is a possibility that you might be a Bridezilla.

What is a Bridezilla?

• A Bridezilla is a person who is almost impossible to keep happy on the day.
• She is irritable and neurotic and often childish.
• Sometimes her wedding day is just a challenge to show off to her friends.
• Sometimes a perfectly lovely girl will turn into a witch just because of the extreme stress.
• Most Bridezillas fantasise about their day for years and want the reality to match their dreams.
• Bridezillas don’t believe that people respond well to praise but rather respond well to criticism.
• She looks for faults and does not notice the hard work the professionals around her put in.
• She wants to fit a weeks worth of partying in 6 hours… she wants the impossible and she wants it fast.
• She is not interested in the difficulties or feelings of others.
• Above all a Bridzezilla is a control freak and a perfectionist.

Capturing those delicious moments, forever

Your wedding is one of the most treasured and special events in your life, filled with emotional, meaningful and candid moments. Yet this day often slips by so quickly it can seem like a blur. Professional wedding photography can help keep the memories fresh and allow you to travel back, at any time, to the magic of that day. It can even capture the moments you missed. At JoAnne Dunn Photography, we will: Treat each wedding as a unique commission tailored to your unique desires and needs. Capture the spontaneity, emotion and detail of your wedding using a mixture of reportage photography and portrait style. Work quickly and unobtrusively to allow you to enjoy your day. Use modern, top of the range digital retouching to bring out the best in your photographs. Bind your most treasured memories into a luxury album that, one day, you can show your grandchildren.

Joanne Dunn