What to Expect at an Engagement Photo Shoot
Like never before planning a wedding, most of my clients have never had professional photos taken of them before. So they have no idea what to expect or what the process is like. In this article, I explain the happenings of a typical engagement session with me, Chelsey.
Pre Session Questionnaire
Two weeks before our scheduled session I will be requesting you complete an online questionnaire. The questions included are the love story basics like how did you meet, how did you get engaged, etc. This allows us to bypass these subjects and dive deeper during the session. It is really important that we get to know each other as much as possible as the more comfortable you are with me the better the images become. The questionnaire also helps me figure out how best to document you so that it is an authentic representation of your relationship. If you’re the type of people who are off the wall silly it’s kinda ridiculous for me to ask you portray a stoic attitude, you know?
Chatting and Getting Comfortable
When we meet up we won’t immediately just jump into taking photographs. It’s important for us to get that much more comfortable with each other first. Like I mentioned above, the better the bond the better the emotions. We build trust with each other so we can drop our defenses and let the vulnerability and silliness flow. So first we walk and chat for about 5 – 1o minutes.
You Don’t Need to Smile
Never feel like you have to have a permanent smile on your face during a session with me. I should be doing my task of getting you two interacting in a way that is natural. If something isn’t making you smile or laugh don’t feel like you have to. I promise I’ll do my best to embarrass myself and say ridiculous things to get you both laughing naturally. Let’s be honest, it’s quite easy to tell the difference between a real smile and the “Say Cheese” grin. I know it’s a fact of life that parents drill into you to smile in every photo but during these, it’s break the rules time.
Posing
When it comes to wedding or engagement portraits there’s always a little bit of posing going on. However, I like to consider what I do gentle direction. Because I’m a documentary photographer I won’t give you a pose and then adjust every aspect of it until I consider it “perfect”. I try to be as vague as possible and say something like wrap up around her shoulders from behind or let’s sit here and get in close and toss your legs over his. To be honest, I think if I asked a couple to go frolic in a field and do their own thing I would be able to see the dread and confusion flash across their faces. I know if someone asked me to do that I’d probably have a panic attack. That’s why I’m here to suggest multiple ways to embrace. Also, by being more on the vague side everyone interprets the direction a little bit differently, leading to authenticity.
Pro Tip: Imagine this: You are looking at a photo of two people kissing. Their bodies are a few inches apart and their arms are hanging by their sides. Does this image say romantic to you? How about this: You are looking at a photo of two people kissing. Their bodies couldn’t possibly get any closer. She has one hand in his hair and the other on the back of his neck. He has his arms wrapped around her lower back bringing her even closer to him. Romantic now? The secret is to connect everywhere. When a hand is dangling it breaks that intimate and attentive bond. It’s impossible to deny that two people are into each other when they’ve got their hands all over each other.
Prompts
By this point, you have probably heard me talk about prompts. I use prompts in every aspect of a wedding day and throughout an entire engagement session. But what exactly are prompts? Well, I prompt you to talk about specific topics and moments in your lives or prompt you to do a particular action or movement. I start the session off with the sillier prompts because laughing helps us all shake off the nerves. As the session progresses and our friendship grows I start using prompts that may have you getting emotional in the best way.
Examples of prompts:
- Whisper in their ear in using your most seductive voice the names of as many cereals you can think of.
- Imagine you could travel back in time to one hour before you met. What would you tell your past self about the course your life was about to take?
- Think of a time you were most proud of your partner. Communicate this moment using just the way you touch your partners face. When you feel they understand how proud you were whisper in their ear the time you were thinking of.
Be Yourself
I think the most important thing to know is that there are no wrong moves. This session is about capturing your relationship accurately. Don’t hold back who you are! Does your man love to tickle you? He should do that! Also, I encourage you to let me know if something’s not jiving with you. Not quite feeling natural anymore? Let me know! Communication is such a huge part of the process. I really appreciate the honesty so we can get back on track portraying the true nature of your relationship.
“But my partner is so shy, self-conscious, reserved”
Do you think your partner may hold back smiles or refrain from being silly because they’re so nervous? It’s ok! I’m shy myself and there’s nothing wrong with that. You’ve accepted your partner for who they are and I will too. In this situation, you are my best ally. You know your partner in and out and exactly how to make them giggle. While it may be true that working with a subject with low self-esteem or shyness can make my task harder it’s often more rewarding. When I finally break through and get that awesome grin or moment of vulnerability I feel like superwoman. I love knowing that they’re starting to lower the wall for me because I know how hard it can be for some people to do that. If you know that your partner might be closed off during our session please let me know so that I can work extra hard for their trust. Additionally, if you have any tips for me about how to break the ice with them, I’m all ears.
Delivery
The turnaround time for an engagement session is 2 weeks. You will receive your images via an online gallery which you can also share with friends and family. Remember to download at least one batch of the full resolution images. Once you have done that back them up to 3 places to ensure that they will never be lost.
I hope this article about what to expect at an engagement photo shoot has put you at ease and prepared you fully for what’s to come. If you have any questions at all, email me.
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