We personally love engagement shoots, we find it’s a great opportunity for you to get comfortable in front of the lens before your wedding day. We understand how intimidating the thought of “posing” in front of a photographer with a camera pointed in your face can be, all while trying to look and feel natural. But don’t worry, that’s what we’re here for.
Here are some of our top tips to make the day feel relaxed, fun and run smoothly.
Choose a location & activity that’s true to you
We always tell couples to treat their engagement shoot days like any other regular weekend day. Try to participate in an everyday activity or treat it like you would a date day. Whether that’s taking a hike up a mountain or making pancakes in your home, we want you to do you, while we sneakily follow you around and document it. Taking part in an activity that you typically do and enjoy together also creates a sense of comfort and helps you forget there’s a camera around.
Outfits
Of course, you want to look and feel your best! Especially in photographs that you’ll probably show your children one day. So, by all means, wear something that you feel good in, but again try and stay true to who you are.
If you’re a flip flops kind of gal, don’t feel the need to scratch to the back of your cupboard to find the pair of stiletto heels you’ve never before worn. It’s also good to be practical, so if you decide you’d like to get some shots in the mountains, wearing wedges is probably not ideal. You want you to feel comfortable in your photos, so wear something that you feel good in, but still feel like yourself.
Focus on each other & don’t be afraid to feel awkward
Sometimes it’s an automatic response to look straight at the camera when it’s pointed at you, but try and focus on each other instead. Looking at each other will also help you feel calm and giddy, and these are the emotions we want to capture. We will always give you guidance and some direction on what to do, but don’t be afraid to move around on your own. If you have an urge to give your partner a bear hug, you sure don’t need our permission. There are bound to be some awkward moments, where one of you goes for a kiss on the head while the other heads for one on the cheek. Embrace these awkward moments that usually end up in heaps of laughter. It’s all part of the fun!
Timing
The best time to get beautiful soft images is early morning or late evening. Having a look at sunrise and sunset times beforehand will help you out. Around an hour after sunrise or an hour before sunset is usually the perfect time to get that golden light. You also don’t want to be hiking up a mountain mid-Summer at noon, only to reach the top with sweaty faces and squinty eyes.
If you’re looking to capture your engagement or just wanting to document a couple session, head over to our contact page
We’d love to hear your story and how we can be a part of it.
