you are engaged! Congratulations and welcome to the crazy world of wedding planning. First of all, take some time to soak it all in. Take all the ring selfies, make all the necessary calls and posts, and then get to it! ) first, but other couples want to schedule a shoot as soon as possible to commemorate the excitement of the moment. You want to make the most of it.
If you’ve never taken professional photos like this before, you probably have a lot of questions flying around your head. what are you wearing Where are you going? how do you pose? Difficult, isn’t it? Please relax. I spoke to her two wedding photographers to find out what to expect for your engagement photos and how to plan the ultimate photo session.
Mikel Woodruff
Luxury and Destination Wedding Photographer
Mikkel is an east coast based wedding photographer who specializes in celebrations from grand weddings to intimate runaways.
Eric Weinand
Small Wedding and Elopement Photographer
Based in Des Moines, Iowa, Erica puts real and honest photography at the heart of her wedding photography business that captures the personality of her clients.
Preparing Your Hands Before Engagement Photos
Like most things in wedding planning, engagement photography requires some prep work. Well, Mikkel Woodruff of Mikkel Paige Photography recommends taking care of your nails. “Your hands will be photographed a lot during the session,” she said.
Source: Erica Jane Photography
Why are your hands so well photographed? Rings of course! So you have to make sure it’s ready for close-ups as well. Woodruff recommends taking it to a jeweler before your session to have it cleaned and sparkly.
Consider a preshootogram session
When it comes to hair and makeup, having a professional finish can make a big difference to your shoot. Erica Weinand of Erica Jane Photography suggests having a professional take care of your hair and makeup for your session.
All of this can sound like a long list of chores when it’s not even the big day, but both photographers agree it’s worth it. nothing, but Feeling Your best shows in your photos,” said Woodruff. “Once I get my hair and nails done, my jewelry clean, and then I feel like a million dollars, I emulate it with everyone around me: my fiancée, photographers, cameras.”
Plan your outfit strategically
What you wear to your engagement photos is entirely up to you, but here are some tips to help you look your best. Woodruff’s advice: “Stay away from quirky patterns, clothing words, brand names, and anything else that’s too ‘picky’ that you might regret later.
How often you change clothes is up to you. “If you want the whole session to be cohesive, stick to one outfit,” he says Woodruff. “If you want two outfit options, I recommend one casual (something you’d wear on the weekends and hang out) and one ‘formal’ like something you’d wear to a nice dinner. .
As Weinand pointed out, there is no way to go above. Dress up in your fanciest formal wear if you like. It’s totally up to you!
Choose complementary colors (colors that don’t match)
Have you seen those funny memes of pictures of well-matched couples from the ’80s and early ’90s? You definitely wouldn’t want that in an engagement photo, but you want it to be cohesive. Should “complement each other but not look like twins”.
Weinand explained that choosing colors that are too close can actually clash on camera. For a better look, change the color of your clothes, but stick to the general color palette. Or, if you wear light-colored clothing, have your partner wear something a little more neutral.
Don’t forget your accessories
Shoes matter. Yes, your partner too. Weinand explained that wearing battered tennis shoes limits the angles and poses a photographer can use. Choose shoes that are clean and comfortable to wear. Otherwise, it will be seen on camera. To spice up your outfit even more, consider adding a hat, jewelry, or a bouquet of flowers to add some personality.
Source: Erica Jane Photography
CHOOSE A SPECIAL PLACE FOR YOU
place, place, place. Narrowing down the perfect location for your engagement photo can be difficult, but both experts agree that choosing the “location” is one of the most important considerations before a session. increase.
Woodruff loves that couples choose a location that is the complete opposite of their wedding. “So if their wedding is in the countryside, we’ll do the engagement in the city,” she explained. (Full disclosure: This is what my husband and I did and Mikkel was our photographer!)
Weinand, on the other hand, suggests choosing a location that makes sense for the couple. “Places can tell stories in ways that many things can’t,” she said. “If you and your partner are more relaxed and like a laid-back date night, a bookstore or park might be your style! If you like, breweries, downtown, and even activities like hiking and kayaking might be your style.
Take the world as an oyster and discuss it with your partner and photographer to find the best location for you. You can also shoot in gorgeous backdrops or in locations that become part of your love story.
Source: Erica Jane Photography
Plans for poses and candor
Having to pose for a photo can be a bit awkward, to say the least. Some couples are more natural in front of the camera than others, but it’s helpful to be prepared and have a few “staging” shots you want or ideal candid shots. Weinand has some go-tos when it comes to poses.
- Place your arms around your partner and kiss their whole body, not their mouth. This will make you giggle and smile every time!
- Hold each other’s hands and dance for one minute. This perfectly represents your personality.
- Run up behind them and twirl and rock them as you kiss.
Your photographer will guide you through your session, so don’t worry if you haven’t picked your poses beforehand! Most importantly, relax and have fun with your partner.
Have a backup plan
Unfortunately, you can’t control the weather, even on the day of your wedding or engagement photo shoot. But you can have a plan B, whether it’s the date of your backup or somewhere else.
For example, if an outdoor session is canceled due to rain, you can switch to an indoor weatherproof location instead. If the outdoors are out of the question, Weinand’s favorite indoor locations include breweries and coffee shops, homes and apartments, professional studios, and indoor gardens.
And if you don’t want to shoot indoors, you can always reschedule. “The nice thing about the weather is that you can usually predict rain about 24 hours in advance,” he says Woodruff. “Also, your engagement session (unlike a wedding) has flexible dates. We are ready for any scenario.”
Source: Erica Jane Photography
Feeling a little more prepared? All you have to do is enjoy!
“This is a great time fun As a couple and with your photographer, in a relaxed setting,” said Woodruff. “Don’t put too much pressure on your engagement session. Get great photos from this time in your life and know that you can look back on it years from now!”
