Engagement Sessions | Planning and getting the most out of yours!

Locations & Setting

What are you looking for? Country, City/Urban, Scenic. Do you have a particular theme or location in mind? What do you love to do, if you’re a fishing/camping type of couple, is a city theme right for you? Do you have a favorite spot that holds a special meaning to the both of you? Choosing the right scene for your session is as important as choosing the right clothes. It has to fit, be comfortable and above else be a reflection of who you are!

Outfits

Once you decide on the setting we can narrow down the locations and THEN decide on outfits! When choosing outfits, try to narrow them down to no more than 2. You want to spend more time getting photos, not changing.  Usually 2 outfits work great! Avoid logos, words, crazy patterns, and clothing that doesn’t “fit” you. While I love bold colors, be sure to use bold colors as accents versus an entire ensemble. People love to match when they have their portraits taken but instead of matching, coordinate! So instead of everyone being in blue shirts and khakis, select a color palate and put together outfits within that palate!  And always remember that you want to be comfortable, so remember to wear clothing that fits you comfortably and that compliment your body and frame. Try on an outfit and sit in it, try a couple traditional poses to see how you feel. And always remember to bring a pair of walking shoes, like flip flops or easy slip on shoes. Heels are awesome, but not on hiking paths.

Props

A lot of couples want to use a few photos from their e-session for Save the Date cards. This is a GREAT idea! When planning to use your image(s) for Save the Date cards, think of some props that you’d like to bring. Does it tie in with your theme? Also think of how you’re going to create your card, do you want something written in the photo (ie. on a chalk board, frame, etc), or are you a DIY’r and want to build a banner or a sign? One thing to keep in mind is to BRING your prop and not write your Save the Date message on public/private property. In most cases, a Save the Date message can easily be photoshopped into your frame or onto a building if you’re not using a pre-designed card template.

Also, when planning to use the images for your Save the Date cards, be sure to allow yourself enough time to get the images back from your session and sent to the printer! This will vary as some couples like to send out the cards up to a year in advance, and some only 4-6 months out. So be sure to plan your engagement session 4-6 weeks before you need the card to allow for processing and turnaround.

Scheduling – What time is best 

I prefer to shoot in the late afternoons. I just love how soft and forgiving the light can be just an hour or so before the sun sets. In winter it’s a bit more “brisk” than the summer but it’s still a beautiful time for pictures!  Typically in the winter sessions may start as early as 3pm and in the summer as late as 6pm.  Also keep in mind that during peak wedding season you may have to schedule your engagement session during the week as weddings are typically scheduled Friday-Monday.

And before this one slips my mind. Please remember to NOT get a fake tan or make any drastic changes to your hair style (cut or color). It takes time for these things to settle and for you to get used to the new look and if you’re not used to it, it’s going to show in your images. Plan these changes at least a month out, this also goes for your wedding day!

What to expect.

During your session I like to ask questions about your story, your wedding, plans, family dynamics and also to do “test shots”, yes, yes they really ARE test shots to get our settings, but what we’re also doing is getting you warmed up. Like stretching before putting you on the treadmill! We want to get you loosened up, relaxed, and showing us your REAL personality and those real smiles! We want you two to snuggle up close, we want you to laugh, we want you to be yourselves. Ahh but we’re sneaky ninjas! We’re also reading your body language, are you a “we can’t keep our hands off each other” couple or a “Ummmm… you’re in my bubble.” couple? What side do you favor, how does your hair naturally part (yes we look for that too). And sometimes we’ll just ask, “Hey, are you comfortable doing this?” Some people are very photogenic and some are not, that’s fine! It’s our job to figure out what will work for you so that when your wedding day arrives we’re not asking you to get all kissy kissy when you’d rather just hold hands.

After your session.

After your session is when we really get to work! We’ll go through your images, tossing out any bloopers and keeping the best of the bunch! Generally this can take up to 2 weeks for the editing process to be complete and a gallery set up for you.  Galleries are emailed to you and from there you can proof your images, select your favorites, ask for additional touch-ups if necessary, and then you can order prints and share your kick ass photos with your friends to remind them yet again how amazing the two of you look together! If they start puking rainbows, it’s a good sign.

And finally, just have fun! There is absolutely no pressure at your engagement session, it’s just the two of you, alone in a park with some lady and her camera, totally normal. :)

Ready to book? Let’s do this!