Planning your engagement session

Engaged

Jan 13

Written By

As if you didn't already have enough things to consider with all the wedding planning, you've decided on getting engagement photos taken (which I totally endorse. In fact, if you're still on the fence about whether you should do an engagement session, give this a read). Now you have yet another thing to plan. But never fear, I'm here to help. These are some things you'll want to consider and some tips to make your photos go super smoothly.Probably one of the very first things you want to start thinking about is what kind of photos you want to get out of this session. Are you looking for a green park space, or more of a gritty urban area? Is doing a styled shoot something you're interested in, or do you want more natural shots of the two of you? Are there any specific places you had in mind, maybe somewhere that’s meaningful to the two of you? Figure out what sort of vibe feels right to you, and then work on getting a location nailed down from there. If you're picking a few different locations, make sure you figure in travel time (which includes circling the block for parking in some cases).You also want to think about when you'll be taking your engagement photos. You may have a particular season in mind (if your heart is set on snow, it narrows down when you'll be doing your session, especially this winter). But you may also have some outside factors that guide that decision making process - make sure to consider any hard deadlines that you have. If you're planning to use the photos for save the date cards, talk to your photographer about turnaround time so that they can get the photos to you, and you can get your save the dates ordered in enough time to get them shipped out to your guests.Speaking of your photographer, find a great one that you love. Of course you want to pick someone whose style is a fit for you. But having someone who you also get along with, who puts you at ease will make a world of difference in your photos. Find someone that you can communicate with easily, so you're not stressed out because you can't get in touch with your photographer the day of the shoot. You want someone that's going to work with you, to make sure you get the kind of photos you want. I'd recommend myself, but of course I'm biased.I, like many photographers, have mixed feelings on Pinterest. It can be a great tool for communicating what sort of shots you're looking for, because it can be hard for people to articulate that. It's much easier to point at a photo and say "something like this." However, finding a photo and saying "duplicate this exactly" is not likely to go so well (especially considering many of the conditions would be impossible to replicate - that exact outfit, in that exact location, in that exact lighting). Not to mention, you're asking someone to completely rip off another photographer's work. If you want to put together some kind of inspiration board, you can pull portraits, location shots, or even other media like paintings that have the kind of feel that you're looking for. Try to figure out what it is that you like about it, and you can work with your photographer to get a great set of photos that have that feel you want, but that are still unique to you.You can also use it to do a sort of mood board for wardrobe, accessories, or props you might want to use. There are a couple of things to consider with your wardrobe choices that aren’t usually an issue in your daily life, but can be when you’re being photographed. In general, very small patterns like tight plaids tend to photograph weird. Small details can also get lost, when shooting anything other than close ups (although, super fun for close ups). Usually I recommend people bring a second ‘look,’ to get more variety in their photos. Maybe a casual look and a fancier look, or a fancy look and an EVEN FANCIER look if that's your jam, but definitely things that you feel comfortable in. If you find yourself fiddling with your clothes before you've even left the house, it's probably not a great choice for your portraits. You'll just spend the whole time thinking about whether that damn collar is laying right, which makes it very hard to focus on having a good time.Also, accessories can really make an outfit and give your look a little extra something. You don't have to have Steven Tyler levels of scarves or anything, but give a little thought to your styling. Again, though, make sure it's something you actually feel like you'd wear, and that you don't feel self-conscious about. Same thing goes for props - if there's something that seems like a natural extension of the two of you, or if you have a particular theme you'd like to do (say, a picnic date), you can bring those things along with you. But if you're going to feel super dopey posing with your tennis racquet, you probably want to just leave it at home.Bonus tip for dogs: Bring along a dog wrangler. Their attention spans are not as long as yours (the dog's, not the wrangler's), and we'll likely end up taking some photos with them and some without them. Having someone to keep them happy and safe while you're otherwise busy makes for an easier shoot. Of course you'll need to make sure that dogs are allowed wherever we're shooting and, if you're planning any off-leash shots, that it's in an area that they'll be safe. But I will 100% totally take photos of you two with your pup.The best tip I can give you is to assume that things will take longer than you want them to. Assume that traffic is going to be the worst, that your hair will take longer to style than anticipated even though you do it that way ALL THE TIME, that there will be no good parking spots, that the company printing your save the dates will take a few extra days to ship. Pad your timeline a little bit to account for these kinds of things, and then you won't feel rushed. You get to show up to your session feeling nice and relaxed, and it'll totally show in your photos. The second best tip I can give you is to have a good time. I know, getting photos taken isn't everyone's favorite way to spend an afternoon. But if you can try to kick back and have a good time with it, you'll end up with natural looking photos of a super happy couple. And whatever location, or outfit, or theme you've decided on for the day, that's really the goal.

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