Connect before your shoot!
Sometimes life gets crazy, and we can get so busy with work, kids, whatever it is and we forget to connect with each other! This is super important before your engagement shoot! Take some time to slow down together. Get some uninterrupted time together to get your mind ready to take engagement photos, and put your mind in the mood to show how much you love each other!
Location! Location! Location!
Choosing the right location for your engagement shoot is another key piece to your story! This will also set the mood and comfort level during your shoot. Go somewhere you are both familiar with. That the style and setting fits you both! Your photos should tell the story of who you guys are as a couple! Couples often choose trails, schools, coffee houses, or other places where they like to go together! Take some time to sit down and talk with your significant other about what places you guys both like and would tell the story of who you guys are!
Outfits
This is the number one questions I get all the time! What should I wear?! I could give you a million suggestions on colors, and styles, and a dream photographers closet. Although I would love for you to wear these things, they aren't YOU! Your photos are a reflection of you and your fiancé. The most important thing about outfits, is choosing something that you are comfortable in! Make sure it's something you would normally wear for a night out, or a casual date night! Don't dress is. something that you would NEVER wear again! That's not you and if you aren't comfortable it will show in your photos!
Secondly, sit down and talk with your fiancé about what styles you want for your photos! Do you want to dress up? do you want to be more casual? Maybe both?! For couples who have an hour long session or longer I recommend two outfits! Usually I will say something dressy and something casual! But again, make it you!
Props
When the word "props" gets brought up I think it gets over thought as something that will be super posed and staged! That doesn't need to be the case! Bring some fun sunglasses, blankets for colder days, flower bouquets, maybe your pet (please consider an extra person to handle the pet for other photos), favorite sports jerseys? or my favorite for engagement shoots CHAMPAGNE!
HAVE FUN!
Sometimes this is the first time you are having professional photos done with your significant other and there can be some nerves around it! These are a great time to practice for the real deal on your wedding day! Most of the engagement poses that you will do we can also recreate during your wedding day. Let's get all the butterflies around taking professional photos out with your engagement photos! This is meant to be fun, so let your guard down, and show me how much you love each other!
