Engagement photos are quickly becoming more popular and are being used more creatively than ever! No longer is an engagement photo good only
for submitting to the local newspaper with your announcement. Aside from the obvious – getting some
beautiful photographs to help capture this exciting time and your love for one another – there are also a
number of other benefits to having a professional engagement session!
Number One: it’s a great way to get to know
(or possibly even meet) the photographer who will be shooting your wedding. It’s
always nice to spend some time with my brides and their partners, learn a little
bit more about them, and also see how they do in front of the camera.
Which
leads me to Number Two: it will help get you comfortable with posed portrait
photography and being in front of the camera.
For many brides, and especially their partners, this will be the first
time they’ve done any formal photography other than senior photos in high
school. And that’s ok! But being able to relax in front of the
camera will be a huge plus on the big day and an engagement session can be a
step toward achieving that.
What Can I DO To Prepare?
·
Drink lots of water in the days leading up to your session. Hydrated skin looks healthier!
·
Treat yourself. These photos will be something you treasure for a
lifetime so make sure you feel confident! Get a mani/pedi, facial or massage –
it will do wonders for your state of mind.
·
Let someone else do your hair and/or makeup. Not everyone wants a
stylist messing with their look, but if you don’t mind then it’s totally worth
the peace of mind and pampering!
·
Give yourself plenty of time on the day of your session. Plan your
outfits in advance and make sure to leave yourself time between that hair appointment,
fixing your makeup, meeting up with your partner and arriving at the location
on time. Being stressed out will reflect in your photographs and being late
could affect your lighting!
What Should I Wear:
- Wear clothes that you feel confident in!
- Be comfortable! If you want to wear a pair of gorgeous heels considering
bringing some flip-flops to change in and out of and just putting on the
heels for the shots. We could wind
up walking quite a bit and depending on the location you choose it could
be hard on your feet!
- Try to avoid all solid white or solid black because it
can wash you out and reduce detail.
- Try to avoid prominent logos or text on tops or hats,
unless it's a team mascot or something you are specifically trying to
feature.
- Busy patterns sometimes work on one person, but both
people wearing bold patterns will clash.
- Use bright or bold accessories and layers – shoes, jewelry, ties,
scarves, cardigans, hats. They usually look great and add interest.
- In the words of Stacey London from What Not To Wear: “It
doesn’t have to “MATCH” it has to “GO!”
Meaning you don’t need to wear the exact same thing (same color top, matching button
downs, t-shirt & jeans) but you want to formality of your outfits to match. For example, you in a cute cocktail dress and your partner in shorts and a hawaiian shirt would not “go”, whereas both of you a little dressed up or both
more casual would be much more cohesive.
- Bring two outfits! There’s no reason you should have to
pick just one. Many couples opt to bring both a casual and dressy option or
to do a plain outfit and and one that’s more of a statement – like wearing
the jerseys of their favorite sports teams.
- Incorporate the same color in a different way. Instead of both of you wearing turquoise,
why not have your partner wear a turquoise button down and you wear a grey
cardigan with a turquoise necklace.
How Do I Pick A Location?
Put some thought into this. Where did you meet your partner? What are your favorite
things to do or places to go together? Maybe you have a special fishing hole
that only you know about or a walking path that you two stroll on frequently
that we could incorporate into your session. We can even meet at your favorite
coffee shop if you want! Incorporating personal things into your photographs
will only make the experience more memorable and your photographs more unique!
Location Ideas:
- Parks or gardens
-The woods
-Open meadows and fields
-Downtown or Main Street
-Near old or restored cars
-Horse stables
-Carnivals and fairs
-By the river or lake
-Rodeo grounds
-The Palouse
-Neighboring towns such as Moscow or Pullman
-Coffee shop or restaurant
-Tattoo parlor
-Train tracks or station
Theme and/or Activity Ideas:
-Have a picnic
-Nerd out at the library
-Back yard camp-out
-Go retro
-Cooking together
-Fishing trip
-A date at your favorite bistro
-A day at the beach
-Patriotic
-Riding his motorcycle
-Walking your dog
Hopefully these tips have given you some ideas and direction for your upcoming session! But please remember - the most important way that you can make the most of your engagement session is to remember that it's supposed to be fun. So have fun and be yourself! Listen to your photographer, but also try to forget about the camera. Dance, wrestle, flirt, sing a song, tell jokes– do things that prevent you from feeling uncomfortable and you will ultimately love your photos!
