-How to have an awesome engagement session, and get images you’ll love-
It’s engagement session season. The weather is warming up, and we are scheduling sessions for couples getting married this year and next. We often get asked about what couples should wear, how they should prepare, props to bring along, and many other things. We are going to address all of that and more in this post. Going into your engagement session with a plan is a great way to enhance the images and overall experience. We will start with the most popular question.
“What should we wear for our engagement session?”
Let’s start with what you shouldn’t wear. We recommend that couples avoid clothing that they feel they are “supposed to wear”. You want to avoid atire that you are not confident in. Your engagement session is likely the first time you are having pictures done professionally, so wearing clothes that you are confident in is a good starter. Next, don’t wear anything that would be a distraction to you as a couple. What I mean by this is that you want people to notice “you”, not what you are wearing. You should wear clothing that enhances you in a subtle way. Many photographers recommend that you avoid whites and blacks, but we like to deal with that on a location to location basis. There are some scenarios where black and white are great options. Next, we recommend layering and accessorizing. This will take your images from good to great. It is sometimes the little things that complete a picture, so girls, wear some jewelry, a hat, or any seasonal accessories that are fitting. Guys, bring along a hat, messenger bag, or any other items that are “you”. In regards to layering, be intentional. This can be as simple as wearing a coat or sports jacket, etc. It will build up the whole feel of the images. We also encourage couples to bring along a change of clothes if they are trying to get several looks/styles from their shoot. Talk with your photographer, or leave us a comment below if you have any questions on how to dress for your session.
“Where should we have our engagement session?
This question may be more fitting before the previous one. This is something to discuss with your fiance. Each and every couple has a different idea of the “feel” they want their session to have. Do you want an urban look? A country feel? Images in the woods, or by a stream? A mix of locations? Once you have an idea of that, your photographer can give you several options that satisfy what you are looking to do. We love to give our input to couples regarding locations, but we want to know a little bit about what they want before we do. We don’t want to trek to center city Philadelphia if you were looking to have a countryside engagement session. We sometime recommend that couples use a city location if they are having a country wedding, or visa versa. This can really be a case by case decision, so take some time to think about it after you schedule a date with your photographer.
“Should we bring anything with us?”
Props, when used the right way, can enhance the images greatly. One of the things we often recommend couples bring along is a blanket to lay in the grass. This can make sitting images look more natural, also can keep the couple clean and dry if there are elements to deal with. Some couples use signage to help tell their story or get their message across. If you are using your images for “Save the date” cards, a guest book, or your invitations, props can be very helpful. Some couples also want to get images of their pets. This can be a lot of fun, but we always recommend having them there for a short period of time so that they don’t become a distraction later on in the shoot. If you want to bring them along, talk with your photographer ahead of time to get some ideas on how to make that work the best way possible.
“How else should we prepare for our engagement session?”
As I said before, this is often the first time couples are having professional images taken. It can be a little overwhelming if you tend to be shy, or think you aren’t photogenic. We work hard to make sure you become comfortable with us during the entire process. We have techniques that we use to help you ease into the session. One of the things we do is position you, and your finance 100 feet or so away from us, have you embrace, and then slowly approach you. That way we aren’t up in your business right away- which can really freak people out. We have a handful of other ways we work with our couples so that it is as natural as possible.
“Do you have any other tips for our engagement session?”
Have fun, relax, breath, be yourself!
If you would like to know more about how we do engagement sessions, or would like to schedule one with us, CONTACT US. We look forward to hearing from you!
By Nathan Desch