Engagement Photos – How To Prepare For Your Engagement Shoot
So you finally managed to get all the big ‘must have’ things checked off your wedding planning list. Date, Venue, Photographer…. Now comes the fun part, a time to relax, have some fun and get creative. An opportunity to get some pictures without having to watch the clock, and for you to cut loose and be yourselves, letting me attune to you, your connection and energy.
The perfect opportunity to have some professional creative portraits ahead of your big day that will of course give some balance to all those wedding day pictures when they are finally in your hands.
We are often asked; “Is there any advice you can give me for my engagement session?” and the answer is, YES – boatloads!!! So get ready with copy and pasting, you’ll be wanting to remember these.
Outfits – What To Wear?
That’s the main question we get asked about engagement sessions! Obviously looking great and wanting outfits to compliment photos is a top concern. So this is what we advise. WHAT EVER YOU DO….DO NOT MATCH. Look to compliment each other using similar colour palettes, but try and avoid super bright colours or loud patterns.
Super bright colours often throw unnatural colour casts over your skin tones. It’s not a look to stand the test of time having a washed out yellow jaundiced look, or having a hint of green or purple in your cheeks. Loud patterns are very distracting within an image and draw the attention away from the subjects.
Lots of couples choose to bring two outfits to capture in the shoot, one smart and one casual. We usually recommend doing the smart look first purely so we can then kick back later in the shoot with you both feeling more comfortable in your casual gear. High heels, short jackets look great in pictures but mid winter it’s cold and impractical!
Making The Engagement Shoot Personal To You
Location
Choice of location is something we would love you to have a say with. Why? Well, if there is somewhere that means a lot to you as a couple – we want to be there! It could be a place you both enjoy spending time together, or the location where you proposed. It may even be the place you plan to propose (now that is an engagement shoot with strong direction). Any location will work, a bowling alley, a cafe, or walking through the countryside.
The whole reason you hired us was to capture YOUR story. So maybe think outside the box, either way, if nothing immediately springs to mind, we always have a million places we could recommend!
Most Importantly….RELAX!
I know it’s easy to say and no doubt we have all been told to loosen up and relax. Some of us are naturals in front of the camera, others not so much. Why do you think I picked up the camera in the first place? I’m definitely one to fit the later option. Getting the best experience and the best results from an engagement shoot will be easy when you see this shoot as simply, the two of you being wrapped in each other. Chilling out, enjoying the setting and on the whole not giving a jot about me or the camera!
It’s our first opportunity to go through a similar experience to the one that we hope for on your wedding day. This time you haven’t had the nervous energy, the crowd of guests or the adrenalin dump rushing through your body. It’s a gentle way of easing yourself into things, starting your relationship in front of a professional camera, knowing that come wedding day, you’re in safe hands and you know the results are going to be awesome!
