Your engagement photography session is actually the most important part of your photography experience, because it allows us to really get to know one another AND it allows both of you to get familiar with the way that I work! This is so important because this is the SECRET to creating a ton of gorgeous, genuine portraits on your wedding day! Once we are done with your engagement session, you will BOTH be pros at this! You may not believe me now but just you wait!
As you prepare for your engagement session, here are some resources and pieces of advice that will come in handy! :
1. CLEAN YOUR RING! : I will be photographing your gorgeous diamond or gem! This means that this would be a perfect opportunity to have your ring cleaned so that it’s clear of dirt and other build up that may be visible through a macro lens!
2. HAIR & MAKEUP : Splurge a little! If you were considering getting your hair and makeup done, this is the perfect opportunity to treat yourself! You will cherish these images forever and so investing in professional hair and makeup can be an extra fun way to celebrate the occasion and allow you to be extra confident during your shoot! Tip: If you’re worried about looking tired or just want a little something special for your portraits, getting false lashes will make the most impact in your portraits! There are all types of lashes that range from looking completely natural to looking like Beyonce! I would lean towards the natural end of the spectrum! 🙂
3. THE TIMELINE : I am always a few minutes early to engagement sessions so that we can scope out the location and find light that will be flattering on our couples! Because we are racing the sun and cannot shoot after it has set, we recommend leaving 15-30 minutes earlier than you originally planned just to be safe!
4. HAVE A PREVIEW PARTY : In the past we have found that it is incredibly helpful for our brides to sit down and have a little preview party with their groom before their engagement session. Take ten minutes and sit down together to scroll through 2-3 of your favorite engagement sessions on pinterest or through my portfolio. This will allow your groom to be prepared for what he is about to experience!
5. TAKE A DEEP BREATH! : You’re going to be amazing models! We always tell our couples that the BEST models are the ones who have never modeled professionally before! And we mean it! The couples who are usually most nervous are the couples who totally rock their session! So be encouraged! We have worked with EVERY personality type and EVERY body type, and we always create images that our clients love!! Get excited!
OUTFIT INSPIRATION: We recommend a maximum of 2 outfits for your engagement session to ensure that we have plenty of time to capture both looks before sunset! During your one outfit change is when I will photograph your rings while we wait!
If you’re in need of some outfit inspiration we recommend the following for your engagement session attire:
– Neutrals such as blush, tans, link pinks, faint blues and teals, creams, grays and whites will always result in more of a light and airy look to your images. These colors photograph softer and more romantically!
– If you’re really looking for a soft, feminine look, I recommend a flowing, maxi-length dress or skirt! The movement of this type of fabric photographs beautifully!
– We recommend a more formal outfit and a more casual one, so that you have plenty of variety to choose from later!
– The goal is COORDINATING outfits instead of MATCHING! We also recommend avoiding both of you wearing WHITE as a top. White doesn’t allow for any contrast in your images.
– Guys, we recommend that you avoid patterns that are smaller than a dime! These small patterns can create strange visual effects in a digital camera. Close-toed shoes photograph well, and we recommend avoiding graphic tees and tennis shoes!
– Gals, we recommend that you wear something that flatters the parts of you that you love the most and also allows you to be extremely confident! If you are uncomfortable when you look in the mirror (having to suck in and only like the way you look from one angle), then that probably isn’t the best outfit choice for you. We want you to be really confident in your outfit, because we know that you will love your portraits so much more if you’re not worrying about how your clothes fit!
If you are looking to book your Edmonton engagement photography session, contact me to set up a complimentary phone consultation and lets plan one! I can’t wait to see you through my lens.
