"We're too awkward for normal engagement photos." SO?!? let's get REALLY awkward

It's Time to Turn Camera Shyness into a Comedy Bit for your Engagement Photos

Let's be honest: for most of us, standing in front of a professional lens feels about as natural as doing taxes in a swimsuit while other people offer "helpful" suggestions.

You've seen the Pinterest boards: the flowing dresses, the soulful "forehead-to-forehead" stares on a Whiteface Mountain peak, the serene smiles that somehow convey both "I'm deeply in love" and "I definitely didn't just step in dog shit."

And you think: "If I tried that, I'd look like a glitching robot having an existential crisis." The "Wedding Photographer Industrial Complex" has spent decades trying to convince you that looking "photogenic" is a skill you're supposed to just have. If you feel stiff, they tell you to "relax."

(Which, as we all know, is the fastest way to make a human being more tense.) Here's my theory for your engagement photos in the Adirondacks: If you can't beat the awkward, let's lean into it so hard it becomes your superpower.

Why "Perfect" Engagement Photography Is Actually Boring as Hell

Here's what I've learned after over 15 years of photographing people who swear they're "not photogenic": The couples who think they're too awkward for photos end up with the best, most authentic engagement photos.

Why? Because they've already stopped trying to be perfect for the camera. When you tell me "We're so awkward, we don't know what to do," I don't see a problem to fix. I see an opportunity to create something awesome! Because awkward people are real people. And real people take the best photos.

The Secret Pinterest Doesn't Tell You About Engagement and Wedding Photography

Most photographers will hand everyone a list of generic poses, they use at every couples photoshoot and tell you to "act natural." (Which is like telling someone to "act spontaneous", good luck with that.)

I do something completely different. I like to give you direction that's so catered to you, you can't help but feel free to be yourselves.

Maybe I'll have you do the "American Gothic" stare: standing side-by-side with zero expression, staring directly into the lens like you're defending your farm in the 1800s. If that is something you, as couple needs, I'm down for it!

Maybe we'll recreate scenes from your favorite show whether that's The Office, Handmaid's Tale, or that weird indie film only you two understand.

Maybe we'll build poses around your shared obsessions, your inside jokes, or that thing you do that makes each other laugh until you snort.

The point isn't avoiding direction. The point is giving you direction that feels like play instead of performance.

Why Your Adirondack Love Story Isn't an Instagram Ad (And That's Perfect)

Your relationship isn't a filtered Instagram ad. It's messy, it's loud, and sometimes it's socially clunky like a teenager at their first school dance.

Your engagement photos should reflect that beautiful connection

When couples say "We don't know what to do with our hands" or "We always look weird when we smile," I get genuinely excited. Because that means we get to create something completely unique to you.

Whether we're hiking near Lake Placid (and you're secretly dying but trying to look "outdoorsy") or hanging out somewhere cozy in Plattsburgh where you actually feel like yourselves, my job isn't to make you look like models. My job is to give you direction that's so perfectly tailored to who you are that the camera becomes invisible.

How I Turn Your "Awkward" Into Art

Here's the thing about being camera-shy: it's not actually about the camera. It's about feeling like you have to perform a version of yourself that doesn't exist. So we throw out the generic performance entirely.

Yes, I'll direct you. But instead of always telling couples to "tilt their chins down and look lovingly into each other's eyes," I'll give you something that actually makes sense for who you are together.

Instead of trying to look like other couples, we lean into what makes you specifically, uniquely, beautifully weird.

Maybe that's building poses around your favorite book series. Maybe it's incorporating your shared love of terrible reality TV. Maybe it's just giving you permission to be as goofy and ridiculous as you are when no one's watching.

Because here's the secret: The best engagement photos are when you're too busy being yourselves to remember you're supposed to "look good".

And ya, maybe you're a little awkward. Hell, aren't we all! BUT, YOUR LOVE is absolutely worth documenting. Especially in this season of your lives!

Think you're too awkward for great engagement photos? Perfect. You're exactly who I'm looking for. Send me a message, let's create fun engagement photos together.