ITS A PHOTOSHOOT!!!
Ok now let's talk about Engagement Photoshoots!!!
This is definitely one of the most important sets of pictures you will take during the whole Wedding timeline outside of your Wedding photos of course haha. Normally these are the pictures that end up being sent to family and friends in the form of Save The Dates and also keepsake photo albums for you and your fiancé.
With that being said, here are a few tips that will make your Engagement Session with us be spectacular!
It’s not only an opportunity for you to get some lovely, professional photos of you and your fiancé, but also a chance for us to work together and for us to get to know you both better before the wedding!
Discuss with your fiancé what you want out of your engagement session and prioritize that list. Consider what places mean a lot to you both, what outfits might complement those locations. Think about if you want to have a theme-based shoot that highlights some of your favorite activities/hobbies together or if you want to incorporate any props/pets, etc.
In regards to overall time of the session, we recommend roughly 1-1.5 hours per location and outfit. This is only a rough estimate, and will vary depending on a number of variables (the location itself, commute to the other places, if we’re incorporating any props, etc.).
Depending on your engagement session package, sessions tend to be roughly 2.5-3 hours, which allows us to visit 2-3 locations. It’s always a balance of spending just the right amount of time at each place. Just note that the more locations and outfits we have, the less time we’ll get to take photos at each place and more than likely the more time we’ll spend driving and changing.
Consider your engagement session more like going on a date to some of your favorite places rather than a photo shoot. We want you to be relaxed, excited, and ready to have a great time. While driving out to the first location and meeting with us, think back to your proposal, maybe relive how you met one another and your first date! Nothing gets us more excited than capturing a couple that’s more in love than they’ve ever been!
When choosing locations, consider not only aesthetically pleasing spots, but also ones that have a special meaning to you both. Are you into nature and love the outdoors? Do you like the modern/urban feel of the downtown area and the skyscrapers? Are you off to the beaches every chance you get and want to have the ocean as your backdrop? Perhaps you want to incorporate your favorite interests/hobbies into your session, such as traveling, cooking, sports team, etc. Maybe going back to where you got engaged, your first date, where you met, or even places you’ve always wanted to visit? The options are nearly endless and we’ll work together to find a few locations that fit your personalities!
Most engagement sessions start roughly at the hour of sunrise or 2-3 hours before sunset, i.e. the “golden hour”. This provides us with the best quality of light and thus the best photos. Generally in the Fall or Winter time, the session will be from roughly 2:30-5:30PM, and in the Spring or Summer time, from about 4:30-7:30PM, depending on the number of hours booked and give or take half an hour. We’ll definitely know what times “golden hour” is on your day and will help you plan accordingly.
For brides (and even grooms too!), we recommend using your engagement session as an opportunity to do your hair and makeup trial session with your stylists. Just be sure you let your hair and makeup artists know when you absolutely need to be done by, so you have enough time to change and be at the first location on time.
Don’t forget to bring lots of energy and love! This may require grabbing a bite before the session (even if it’s a light one). We’re going to be every active and having an absolute blast, so it’s very important we don’t do that on an empty stomach or tired mind/body.
As far as outfit suggestions, such as to wear something formal, casual or somewhere in between, we suggest wearing whatever you’re comfortable with. What do you normally wear if you’re going to the beach? To somewhere nature-ish? Going to see some artwork at a museum? Or a dinner and a movie outing on a Friday night? When it doubt, we recommend dressing up a tad bit. It never hurts to pull out that fancy dress, heels, or suit & tie (that you’ve been wanting to wear for a while, especially if we’re going to some classic/modern metro/urban-type places. We want you to not only complement one another, but also stand out from the surroundings! The only real suggestion that we have is to try and stay away from plaids and other thin-striped patterns.
It’s also a good idea to wear colors that don’t blend too much into the background. For example, if where we’re going to take photos at a location that has a lot of trees and greenery, it’s best to stay away from too much green or brown. Also, as much as we love the holidays, such as Christmas, Halloween, and the 4th of July,it’s a good idea to avoid color combinations that represent those days as to not give the wrong impression of the meaning of the session (unless you really like fireworks and sparklers, of course).
In regards to providing directions and guidance, we’ll give as much as you need and like while keeping the poses natural. We’ve had couples that couldn’t get their hands off each other throughout the shoot and couples that were very nervous and seemed to be timid. The wonderful thing is we all have our own special ways of showing our love and affection towards each other, and that’s what we’ll aim to bring out. No matter what, rest assured we want you to be comfortable and completely yourselves!
From looking at the camera and smiling , holding each other closely, walking down the street, gazing into each other’s eyes; from sweet, relaxed, serene, silly, and even semi-serious; to artsy, creative, editorial, and traditional images, we’ll be getting a wide variety of styles and looks! We take a lot of photos, so always feel free to relax any tense muscles, blink when you have to, and even relax the cheek bones from smiling all the time.
More than anything, don’t forget to be relaxed, have fun, and completely be yourselves. We’ll take care of the rest!
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