Congrats on your engagement! We are thrilled that you have decided on an engagement session especially if you’re camera shy. You’ll feel awkward for the first few minutes, but trust us . . . it’s gonna be fun and your cheeks will get sore.
Two ways to make this work, for reals:
1. Be Yourselves
2. Be Relaxed
How much time should we plan for?
-An hour and a half-ish. If we’re gonna be outside, we prefer to shoot beginning about an hour or so before sunset (or after sunrise). That way we will get a variety of looks. Here are three pics from one session showing how we can play with light at this time of day. If this isn’t an option, it will still be just fine . . . we’re quite flexible.
Where should we go?
-We suggest you pick somewhere that is meaningful to you. A place where you two like to hang out. We have shot in people’s houses, their favorite bars and stores, public parks, on campus, and lots of places in between (like parking decks and alleys)! Picking just one or two main locations is optimal. The more traveling we do between locations, the fewer photos you’ll end up with. We can make any place look rather hip, so don’t overthink it or worry too much about getting “iconic” shots. We’ll get you some framers! Here are some examples . . . if, for example, you’re the track coach at Indiana University, perhaps you’d like pics on the track. Or, if you are obsessed with the Colts, perhaps you’d like a pic in front of the stadium. Or, if you just like an area, we can explore and find awesome, funny, and neat spots that you might have never thought would make a nice photo!
What should we wear?
-Comfortable clothes that are “you”. Oftentimes, we will be walking quite a bit, so wear comfy shoes even if you change into less comfy ones for the photos. We suggest bringing a second outfit to change into so these pics have a bit more of a life of memory instead of just one outfit/time/place. Some people will bring one casual outfit and one slightly more fancy, but this is up to you . . . just be yourselves. You’ll have wedding day pics in fancy garb, but that’s not how you’ll remember your everyday self in the future. We’d suggest that you do not dress matchy-matchy with each other, unless you do everyday, all the time (which would be weird, but kind of amazing!). Layers are good! It is a good idea to bring a scarf, hat, or jacket to change up your look, quickly and easily. If you’re a tie guy, rock the tie. If you’re a t-shirt and jeans guy, rock those.
Should we bring props?
-Short answer: probably not. Longer answer: only if it is something very important to you and rather “natural” feeling. Dogs are fun, but it’s best if they are not there for the entire session. Did you meet mountain biking? Then bring your bikes! Do you actually eat picnic lunches with your dog in your own backyard frequently? Then let’s take pics of that!
I’ve seen this cool idea online. Can we recreate it?
-Pinterest and wedding blogs are nice and inspiring, but there are an infinite set of options when it comes to photographs. So, don’t worry about thinking outside of the box. Let us know if you’ve got ideas even if they seem weird at first. These pics are about you two…because, you’re cooler than you probably even think you are. Getting inspired is fantastic. Recreating can be boring and impersonal. We’ll be in the moment…you never know what might happen!
We are nervous… we don’t photograph well…we’re shy in front of a camera…what should we expect?
-A fun and relaxed time! While we will help to “pose” in the sense that we’ll make the pics flattering, in good light, and with cool compositions. However, we’re intentionally rather hands-off when it comes to posing directions. We take this time to get to know you and read your interactions with one another. If you’re lovey-dovey and into PDA, go for it (we don’t judge). If you’re laughers, please laugh away. All we ask is that you come willing to smile and relax as much as possible. That’ll go a long way for super sweet pics.
So, let us know any questions or ideas you may have!
tl:dr = trust, smile, relax