Wedding planning tool
How Much Do You Hate Having Your Photo Taken?
Be honest. If a camera makes you forget how your face works, you're definitely not alone.
Start the testFor couples who say “we're awkward”
The “I hate photos” test.
Most couples tell us some version of this before the wedding: “We hate having our photo taken.” This very scientific test measures your photo avoidance level, prescribes the correct dose of terrible Dad jokes, and reminds you that you are completely normal.
Question goes here
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Contacting the O'Neill Awkwardness Institute...
Craig thinks you're normal. Sarah agrees.
Official diagnosis
You scored...
Would Rather Be Behind the Camera
You're almost exactly like most of our couples.
Here's the funny thing...
95% of our couples tell us they hate having their photo taken.
Seriously. We hear it almost every wedding.
The couples who score highest on this quiz are often the same people who tell us afterwards...
“That was actually fun.”
You don't need to know how to pose. You don't need modelling experience. You just need a photographer who knows how to help ordinary people relax and enjoy the moment.
Your prescribed photo treatment
The funny thing is, the couples who start by saying “we hate photos” often end up surprised by how relaxed it all felt.
Why this matters
Feeling awkward in front of a camera is completely normal.
Although this quiz is designed to make you laugh, worrying about having your photo taken is one of the most common concerns we hear from engaged couples.
After photographing more than 200 weddings around Dunedin and Otago, we've learnt that couples who describe themselves as awkward, camera shy, not photogenic or terrible at posing often end up with the most natural photographs.
We don't photograph models.
We photograph real people. Instead of asking you to pose stiffly, we give you something simple to do — walk together, talk, look at each other, or laugh at one of Craig's terrible Dad jokes. Before long, most couples forget the camera is even there.
“We were dreading the photos... but that was actually one of our favourite parts of the day.”
Relaxed wedding photography in Dunedin & Otago
If you're looking for a Dunedin wedding photographer, Otago wedding photographer, or someone who specialises in helping ordinary couples feel comfortable in front of the camera, that's exactly what we do.
The best wedding photographs happen when you're enjoying each other — not thinking about the camera.
Common questions
For couples who don't love being photographed.
Is it normal to hate having your photo taken?
Yes. It is one of the most common things couples tell us before their wedding. Most people are not used to being professionally photographed, so feeling awkward, self-conscious or unsure what to do is completely normal.
What if we're awkward in front of the camera?
That's exactly the kind of couple we work with all the time. We do not expect you to know how to pose. We use simple prompts, movement, conversation and humour to help you relax so the photos feel natural rather than forced.
Do we need to know how to pose?
No. We'll guide you through it. Most of the time we'll give you something easy to do, like walking together, looking at each other, talking, or laughing at something ridiculous. The goal is to help you forget about the camera.
Can wedding photos still look natural if we feel nervous?
Absolutely. Some of our most natural photographs come from couples who started the day saying they hated photos. Once people relax, move and stop worrying about where to look, the real expressions usually appear.
How do you help camera-shy couples relax?
We keep things calm, friendly and lightly directed. We use relaxed prompts, gentle guidance, movement, conversation and occasionally Craig's terrible Dad jokes to break the tension.
Do you photograph weddings in Dunedin and Otago?
Yes. O'Neill Photographics is based in Dunedin and photographs weddings throughout Dunedin, Otago and the lower South Island. Our local experience helps us plan relaxed timelines, useful locations and realistic photo sessions for couples who want natural wedding photography.
Our approach
We don't expect you to know how to be photographed.
Most people feel a bit strange when a camera points at them. That's normal. We usually start by giving couples something simple to do: walk together, talk together, look at each other, or laugh at one of Craig's terrible jokes.
The best photos often happen when you stop thinking about the camera at all.