How I Capture Tears, Laughter & Hugs — and Why Poses Come Second

How I Capture Tears, Laughter & Hugs — and Why Poses Come Second

Every wedding photographer has a signature. Mine is simple: I don’t hunt for poses. I hunt for feeling.

After hundreds of weddings in Edmonton and beyond, I’ve learned one truth that never fails: the photographs couples love the most — the ones they frame largest, the ones they cry over on anniversaries, the ones they show their children — are almost never the perfectly lit, perfectly positioned, perfectly symmetrical shots. They are the ones where someone laughed until their eyes disappeared, cried without wiping the tears away, or hugged so tightly it looked like the world could end and they wouldn’t notice.

Here’s exactly how I capture those real, unguarded moments — and why I believe poses should always come second.

1. I Create Space for the Moment to Happen

The strongest tears, laughs, and hugs never happen when someone is saying “hold that pose” or “look at the camera.” They happen when people forget the camera exists.

So I do three things:

• I use longer lenses and step back (often 10–15 meters). When I’m not hovering in their face, the couple relaxes instantly.
• I give them simple emotional prompts instead of physical directions: “Tell her — out loud — the one thing you love most about her right now.” “Remember the day you realized she was the one — what did it feel like in your chest?” “Hug her like you just got the news you’ll never have to say goodbye again.”
• I wait. I don’t rush them to “smile” or “look here.” I let the silence, the whisper, the laugh build naturally.

When attention moves from “how do I look?” to “how do I feel about this person?” — the body softens, the eyes light up, and the real moment arrives.

2. Tears Are Not a Problem — They Are the Proof

I never say “wipe your eyes” or “let’s wait until you’re ready.” I celebrate the tears.

Why?

Because happy tears are evidence. They prove the day was bigger than anyone could prepare for. They prove the vows landed deep, the love was overwhelming, the moment was too powerful to stay dry-eyed.

When a bride covers her face because she can’t hold the emotion anymore, or a groom’s voice cracks on “I do” — that is the heartbeat of the wedding. Erasing it would be like erasing the most honest part of the story.

I keep every streak, every red eye, every trembling lip. Couples who once asked “can you fix that?” almost always change their mind when they see the final edit. They realize: the tear is what makes the photo feel alive.

3. Laughter Is the Soundtrack of Real Connection

Uncontrollable laughter — the kind where one person tries to stop but makes the other laugh harder — is pure gold.

It happens when:

• someone remembers a private joke
• nerves finally break and relief floods in
• a friend says something ridiculous during speeches
• the couple tries to “pose seriously” but fails miserably

I never interrupt it. I never say “hold still.” I just wait for the wave to crest — eyes squeezed shut, heads thrown back, shoulders shaking — and shoot through the whole thing.

Those shots are the ones couples frame largest. Not because they’re “pretty,” but because they’re proof they were truly happy.

4. Hugs Are Where Tension Disappears

The tightest, longest hugs usually happen right after:

• the first look
• the ceremony ends
• a parent or grandparent sees them married
• a best friend whispers something during the reception

I never ask couples to “pose for a hug.” I wait for the real one — the kind where arms lock around shoulders like they’re anchoring each other to the earth.

Those embraces tell the whole story in one frame: safety, relief, belonging, love.

5. Poses Come Second Because Feeling Comes First

I do pose couples sometimes — but only after emotion has done most of the work.

When they’re already laughing, already close, already soft — then I might say: “Stay just like that, but turn your faces toward each other a little more.” “Take one step closer.” “Lean your foreheads together.”

The pose supports the feeling — it doesn’t replace it.

Why This Matters More Than Technical Perfection

In 20 years, no one will remember whether your veil was perfectly symmetrical or your bouquet was held at the exact right angle. They will remember how you looked at each other when the world disappeared for a second. They will remember the hug that said “we made it.” They will remember the tear that proved the love was real.

That’s why I never prioritize pose over emotion. Because when the feeling is true, the photo becomes timeless.

If you want wedding images that will still move you — and your children — decades from now, images full of real tears, real laughter, real hugs — I’d be honored to be the one to capture them.