You are engaged to the one you love with all your heart and have been planning your wedding for a few months now and things are starting to come together. Now it is time to meet with your wedding photographer and take your engagement photos. We reached out to awesome photographers to get engagement session tips for you to think about while getting ready to have your engagement session. Enjoy!
Brit with Brit Jaye Photography wanted to pass along her 5 tips for an epic engagement session. Here is what she had to say:
“Preparing for the engagement session can be a little overwhelming! Most of the time, this will be the first time you have your photo taken together as a couple by anyone other than your bestie. How do you even prepare for that? Here are 5 tips for the bride-and-groom-to-be to help prepare for an epic engagement session.
1. Treat yourself a little bit. Whether you shop for a new outfit that makes you feel like a million bucks, or hit the salon for camera-ready hair and makeup- a little pampering can go a long way toward your self-confidence! If you feel beautiful (or handsome), and refreshed- it will show in your photos! Take the time- it’s worth it. This tip is also good for the guys- treat yourself to a new outfit or accessory for the shoot.
I once photographed a groom-to-be wearing a brand-new watch that his bride-to-be had bought him as a gift for the occasion. He had a great time showing it off, and she loved how much fun he was having with it!
2. Try a hair & makeup artist you are considering hiring for the big day. Not only do you get to meet them and check out their work; but you also get to see how it looks in photographs before the big day!
3. Choose a unique location! You can take a traditional photo or two anywhere. The engagement session is a great time to show the world (or at least your family & friends) who you are as a couple. Talk to your photographer and ask for recommendations if you have a look or idea in mind that you don’t know how to accomplish. They are a fantastic resource for figuring out the perfect location for your engagement shoot.
4. Dress appropriately. Duh, right? I can’t tell you how many times I have had girls show up without a sweater or jacket when it is freezing out! Consider your location before you even start getting ready. Is it going to be cold? (Maybe?) Bring a jacket.
Will you do a bit of walking during your session? Bring a pair of flip-flops to throw on in between locations. A lot of times if you are suffering through the cold or feeling uncomfortable in your outfit, it will show on your face. It’s ok- you can’t help it. But you CAN prevent it.
If you don’t like how the jacket looks, opt for a blanket that will keep you both warm! This will allow you to really relax, have fun, and look amazing in your engagement photos!
5. Be ready to get outside your comfort zone! This is one photo session you don’t have to suffer through and figure it out by yourself. Your photographer may or may not pose you into uncomfortable oblivion. Or ask you to do things you would normally never do.
Who cares? Have Fun! Laugh at each other! If you can find that comfortable place with each other in the midst of that, you will have a great time and your photos will look awesome. At the end of the day, it’s that amazing connection that you want to capture!”
To see more work from Bit Jaye Photography, visit her website at www.britjaye.com or her SnapKnot profile here.
Here are some tips from Carolyn with Carolyn V Photography:
“My advice to a couple planning an engagement photo shoot covers a few areas. The first would be to think about what you want the end result to be in your photos. Would you want props or a particular type of clothing? Wear something that you’re comfortable in, something that flatters you the most.
The second … Do you have a favorite location … maybe the spot where the proposal happened. The third bit of advice would be to relax and just interact with each other (show the love they have for each other) and let the photographer shoot. Try not to even think about the person with the camera. This seems to bring out the best photos.”
To see more work from Carolyn V Photography, visit her website at www.carolynvphotography.com or her SnapKnot profile here.
Here is an engagement session tip from Don with Bliss Imagery:
“Don’t be afraid to come up with unique ideas. Tram and Huy wanted to do a shot poking fun at the “runaway bride” theme. So we thought to ourselves… why not run away with a moped?”
Adrienne with Adrienne Maples PhotoStudios has this tip for engaged couples taking their engagement photos:
“I encourage my engaged couples to plan their session like a date & pick a location or an activity that might be special to them. Their engagement session should be an opportunity to show their relationship in the early stages when everything is exciting & fresh. I encourage playful interaction, jokes & silly stories. This can really help a couple relax & show their true selves.
When planning your outfits, coordinate together but don’t get too ‘matchy-matchy’. Show off your personality with fun accessories & things you can play with on the shoot like sunglasses, scarves, hats & boots.”
Here is a great tip from Ashley with Ashley Marie Photography:
“Engagement sessions can be nerve-wracking and intimidating for a couple. They have to reveal an intimate part of themselves (while looking good in the process, lol). The best engagement photographs are created when the couple feels relaxed and comfortable. I try to create this type of environment by having the couple engage and be in the moment with each other rather than “performing” for the camera.
Also, I ask them a series of questions about how they met, their current lives together, and their interests. I encourage them to choose a location that has meaning for them. If they don’t have a meaningful location for their photo session I try to make it meaningful by including other personal touches.
Teara and Jocara Sr. met at Frostburg State University where they both played on the basketball team. The game of basketball was significant for them when they first met and continues to be to this very day. They were pretty nervous, so I planned to have them just play around on the court for the first portion of the photo session. They forgot about the camera in a sense and were focused on having fun with each other.
Later when I started giving them more direction the photos had a more natural feel to them since they were already comfortable and relaxed. Here are a few of my favorite photos from my Love & Basketball Engagement Session.”
Here is another engagement photo example from Ashley Marie Photography where the couple was nervous and had to overcome those nerves during the session. Ashley said:
“Lauren and Josh met for the first time in college. They reconnected later on and have been together for 4 years. They are from New Hampshire, however, their relationship has transitioned to a long-distance one while Josh is attending the police academy in Washington, DC. Lauren is very supportive and proud of Josh’s decision to become a police officer, so it was important for her to incorporate that into their engagement session. Josh was the one who felt a little nervous and uncomfortable at the start of the session.
Throughout the shoot, I just asked them to talk, laugh, and be in the moment with each other. Here are a few of my favorite photos from my D.C. session.”
To see more work from Ashley Marie Photography, visit her website at www.ashleymarie-photography.com.
We hope these engagement session tips have been helpful to you. If you have other questions or concerns about your upcoming engagement photo session, be sure to talk to your wedding photographer… they will be able to help you out and answer any questions you may have.
Also, be sure to read these 10 posing ideas straight from the photographers themselves and check out our very own engagement posing guide to help give you some other great ideas.
