All About Engagement Shoots!
Being in front of the camera can make taking engagement photos stressful, especially if you're not used to it. We want to offer the advice we've learnt over the years to help you feel comfortable and succeed in your engagement session, whether you're already engaged or you believe the big question may be on the horizon. Before your upcoming photo shoot, keep these eight things in mind, from what to wear to where to go!
The benefits of taking engagement photos
There's a strong probability that if you're reading this, you've already made the decision to take engagement photos. But it's okay too if you're still debating. There are several benefits to taking engagement photos, including getting to know your wedding photographer, having images for save-the-dates and invites, and the fact that you can look back on them in the future.
1. Don't forget to dress comfortably.
This is unquestionably the most crucial advice we can provide you. You might spend the entire session plucking at your clothes or hiding yourself if you wear them too tightly or clingily. Consequently, it's important to dress in a way that makes you feel like a million dollars. If you buy anything new, test it out before using it—hello, excuse for a date night—leaving plenty of time to wash it before your session in case of spills or other accidents. Additionally, consider how it will appear in photographs taken during your session.
Skip the suit and wear that band tee you adore if you never wear one but are considering it for your engagements because that is what you have seen. You should feel and look like yourself because these images are a reflection of your own personality.
2. Before wearing the clothes, steam or iron them.
In relation to what you are wearing, make sure to iron your clothes before the session. Can you just Photoshop that out later? is a photographer's pet peeve.It often costs more each image to have things like wrinkles removed from your photos. By taking care of that beforehand, you can spare yourself the stress.
3. For your shoot, think about using professional hair and makeup.
Before your engagement photos, you might want to stop by the salon if you've never done makeup for pictures or aren't sure what to do with your hair.
In order to avoid looking washed out in photos, your makeup should be slightly more saturated than you may be used to. This could be a fantastic opportunity to book your hair and makeup consultation with your wedding day stylist if you haven't already done so. With one cosmetics brush, you can kill two birds with one stone.
4. Create a Day Around It
Make your engagement session a part of an all-day date—it's one of the best pieces of advise we've ever heard. Starting your day with this attitude not only gives you plenty of time for photos without feeling rushed, but it also makes you feel closer to your spouse as you enter the photo session. Invite your photographer to meet you for brunch or coffee at your preferred location to start the day so they can take a few pictures before you move to a new location.
5. Prepare the Scene
Before taking your engagement photos at the local park, consider what you two really enjoy doing together and what locations best capture it. An at-home session can be ideal for you if you enjoy brewing coffee together and watching Netflix together. Consider snapping pictures in the forest or mountains with your hiking gear if you and your significant other are an adventurous couple who enjoy trekking on the weekends. Include your favorite activities without fear.
Or you could just pick a location with lovely views that somehow captures your identity as a couple, such as an adventurous mountain range, a glittering city skyline, or a serene beachfront (perhaps a good justification for a quick weekend getaway?). In either case, be sure to pick a location where you can easily engage with others while laughing, snuggling, and overall enjoying yourself.
6. Plan the session to coincide with the sun
The gorgeous period of the day immediately before the sun sets is known as the "golden hour," if you're not familiar with the term. If you want that warm light in your images, this is the time to shoot. Utilizing your weather app to check the time of sunset in advance will give you plenty of time to take photos before the light fades.
Schedule-wise, the early afternoon may seem like a wonderful time taking photography, but bear in mind that the light is significantly harsher because the sun is directly overhead at this time. If you're a morning person, think of arriving at your first site just as the sun is beginning to rise. Early morning light can also be spectacular.
7. Employ a qualified photographer
It should go without saying that hiring a professional to capture your engagement photos will result in the best pictures. You deserve to remember this brief but memorable period of time in your relationship and life by taking lovely pictures of one another.
We strongly advise scheduling your engagement photos with your wedding photographer, if at all possible. Prior to your big day, this gives you the chance to get to know and feel at ease with your photographer, which will result in even better wedding photos.
8. If in doubt, just kiss it off.
If you haven't spent a lot of time in front of the camera (and who has, let's face it? ), you might feel a lot of anxiety or stiffen up. Going in for a kiss is a great technique to quickly relax while still capturing fantastic pictures. Your relationship with your partner will improve as a result, and the resulting images will be more authentic.
You're now prepared for pictures! We assure you that if you unwind and enjoy yourself, your engagement photos will turn out beautifully. After tackling the picture challenge, it's time to take on the realm of wedding planning.
