Engagement Session
PREPARE FOR YOUR
What to Expect
Your engagement session is a big moment in your relationship and you really should utilize it as a time to capture your true personalities and your love for one another! Over the years I have fallen in love with the engagement session, it is such a pivotal moment in client / photographer relationship and it really helps me understand who you guys are and what you like so when the wedding day comes I know all there is to know!! It is also a perfect way for us to become friends and really get to know each other beyond just client / photographer relationship!!
Here are some of my best tips and pieces of advice that will help you and your fiancé absolutely NAIL the engagement session and get some bomb ass photos!
Make it Personal
Do whatever you can to make the session really SCREAM you guys! If you are the outdoors adventurous couple then lets find an amazing scenic location, set up a tent and build a campfire! If you the lay at home and lounge around type then lets hangout at your house, make a pizza, have some wine and cozy up on the couch!
What I am getting at is that I want the session to be so much for than just pretty photos at a park! I want you to look at these photos and I want it to speak volumes about your relationship and your personalities!
Some of my favourite Ideas:
-
Go to a carnival or the PNE - ride rides, play games and eat cotton candy
-
Built a little tipi fort at home with string lights and have a campout
-
Bake Cookies, drink wine and cuddle on the couch in your house
-
Build a campfire on the beach at a lake
-
Take a helicopter up to the top of a mountain and explore
-
Walk around the city all fancy and act like a celebrity
-
Go to DISNEY WORLD!!!
-
Wash your car in your driveway and have a water fight
-
Take a picnic to the beach and play in the water
Try
an Activity
one of my favourite ways to making an engagement session feel less like a photoshoot and more fun is to plan it into some kind of activity! Then outside the box, no your shoot doesn’t have to be in a field somewhere! It can be at home, baking cookies and drinking wine and dancing in your living room, or it could be at a carnival riding rides, eating cotton candy and playing ring toss! I always say when you have an activity to do in front of you it makes it feel more like a documentary style session of your life, your love and it will make you feel more comfortable to open up and have a good
time which will result in real genuine reactions and interactions! The activity doesn’t need to be extravagant or involved, it could be as little as a picnic at a lake or heading to your favourite coffee shop in town or eating pizza and beer! The possibilities are endless, try and think of something you guys would do together as a couple on a date night, the bring me along to capture it! If you want to dress up in your fanciest gowns and black ties and run around the city and act like celebrities on the run from paparazzi lets do that too!
NOT
what to bring
FRUSTRATION
1.
When it comes to your engagement photo session, I understand that it can be challenging when things don't go as planned. I want both of you to feel at ease and truly enjoy the experience, which is why I encourage you to approach it with an open mind.
Instead of getting frustrated if things don't go smoothly, try to embrace the moment. Avoid any tension or pressure that might detract from the experience. I want you both to feel comfortable and have fun, so we can capture genuine moments that reflect your relationship. I believe in letting the session unfold naturally, allowing you both to be yourselves. This way, we can capture authentic emotions and create beautiful memories together. So, let's embrace the spontaneity and make the most of this special time in your lives!
2.
PERFECTION
As I've mentioned before, engagement sessions aren't about stiff poses and perfect appearances. We're going to focus on interaction and genuine moments, using games, activities, and prompts to bring out your natural connection. Don't worry about perfect hair or immaculate clothing—our focus will be on movement and authenticity. Think of perfection in terms of capturing the essence of your relationship, rather than meeting a physical standard. It's about portraying your unique bond, not just smiling at the camera. So, let's embrace the spontaneity and joy of this session, and create images that truly reflect your love story.
3.
BAD VIBES
I understand that life can be hectic, but let's try to leave any negativity at home for our session. If you've had a tough day or feel rushed, take a moment to reset and come with a positive outlook. Your mood sets the tone, and if you're feeling down, it can affect the experience. Let's aim for a great session by bringing positive energy and excitement!
What the Hell do I Wear?
-
Neutral Tones
-
Earthy Colors
-
Small Pops of Color
-
Accessories
-
Hats (not ball caps)
-
Layers (jackets, cardigans etc)
-
Small, Simple Patterns
DO's
-
Neon/Bright Colors
-
Clothing with Logos
-
Matchey Matchey
-
Running Shoes
-
Ball Caps
-
All Black outfits
-
Restricting Fabrics
DON'Ts
Some really important things to consider when planning your outfits are:
-
Your Home Decor - consider where in your home you are going to want to display these
-
The Season - Dress for the season and the matching vibe of the weather
-
Location - Take into account the location you are going to be in and dress accordingly
Just go ahead...
Style Me!
If you want even more help with planning your outfits, you can utilize my FREE platform called style and select! You can click the button below, enter in the style code and then it will ask you some questions regarding how many people are in the session, genders and your preferred colour pallet! It will then hand pick suggestions that you can browse through to make a gorgeous color coordinating decisions!
It will take you one step farther to even email you when you are done with ALL the links of where to buy those items of clothes you picked! If you don't want to do that then you can take your favourite choices with you as a guide of what to buy!
**Also keep in mind - it is TOTALLY okay to come to the session with tags on the clothes if you plan on returning the items - in fact I encourage it as a way for you to style yourselves but FOR FREE!
STYLE CODE - JDP1555
get pampered...
Along with dressing up… many of my brides have decided that this is a perfect time for your hair and make up trial with your other vendors and I completely agree! Getting all dolled up will help you feel your best and will obviously add that extra level or importance to the shoot!! It also takes the stress of you to make sure your hair and make up are perfect while you're in your bathroom freaking the fuck out.... trust me, I'm married I know what it looks like!
Most Importantly...
Trust Me!
Try your hardest not to worry about the way you look during the shoot, my job is to pose you and make you look bomb AF!! YES you heard that right…. you do NOT have to come up with the posing you're going to do throughout the session! I always hate that there is at misconception out in the universe that the clients are going to have to come up with the posing! You hired me and you damn well better believe that I got all the tricks to make you smile, laugh and be intimate with each other! Do not stress about how you’re going to look or what you’re going to do! Come with an open mind and the session will be perfect!!!
I am very prompt forward kind of poser when it comes to my photographs, I am in LOVE with movement so you wont be standing like still mannequins because thats boring as shit! I want movement and playfulness and hair in the wind!! I will give you little games and prompts to play with each other to being as much life to the session as possible!! However don't be afraid to make a pose or a prompt your own, its what you do with the poses I'm giving you that make the session personal!
LOCATION
location
LOCATION
In order to properly gauge timing of the session we need to pick a location first! This will also help exponentially with choosing your outfits as well! We are surrounded by gorgeous locations in the lower mainland and I am happy to chat about all of those options or if there are places that you would like to explore we can check those out!
I have a gallery link set below that will give you many different options on places in the lower mainland area that you can use for your session along with example images of what the location looks like!
What Time...
is the session
Month of Session
Sunset Time
Approx Start Time
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
7:10 - 7:30 PM
8:00 - 8:20 PM
8:40 - 9:00 PM
9:10 - 9:20 PM
9:00 - 9:15 PM
8:10 - 8:30 PM
7:10 - 7:30 PM
6:10 - 6:30 PM
5:30 - 6:00 PM
6:30 - 7:00 PM
7:15 - 7:30 PM
7:45 - 8:00 PM
7:30 - 7:45 PM
6:45 - 7:00 PM
5:30 - 6:00 PM
5:00 - 5:15 PM
The session will be starting in the later part of the day known as "golden hour" this is typically the last 2 hours before sunset! This is when the lighting is the most gorgeous and most flattering to shoot in! I know it's not something that most people take into account but lighting is a key part of session timing!
lets get hot
Bring the Heat
Creating a truly calm and enjoyable engagement session boils down to eliminating any unnecessary stresses on the big day. One surefire way to do this? Plan ahead! Get ready with time to spare so you're not scrambling at the last minute. Consider wrapping up work early to avoid rushing home in a panic. And why not cap off the day with a romantic dinner? Turn your session into a full-blown date night!
My goal is to capture moments that feel relaxed and intimate, and the key to achieving that is ensuring you're not feeling rushed or pressured to dash off after the shoot. So, make it a day where you can let go of the little things, steer clear of any petty arguments, and just bask in that lovey-dovey glow! Let's create memories that are as sweet and genuine as your love for each other!
Let's ramp up the excitement for your engagement session! It's all about feeling that sizzle between you two, with plenty of cuddles, kisses, and affection. And hey, don't forget to clue your partner in on what's coming. Show them my work so they're not caught off guard and can get pumped for our session together.
When the big day rolls around, forget about everything else and just focus on each other. Leave behind the stress and nerves, and get lost in the moment together. It's all about keeping it real and soaking up the love that's right in front of you. Let's make this session an epic celebration of your love story!
Be Yourselves
You probably already know this about me, but I'm not your run-of-the-mill photographer. I'm not about stiff poses or forced smiles that look anything but natural. Nope, I'm all about bringing out the real you – the fun, goofy, unfiltered you!
So, get ready for some unconventional fun! We might end up whispering naughty jokes to each other, drawing silly shapes with our noses, or even skipping down the street. The goal? To capture your genuine personalities in all their glory.
During our shoot, we're gonna play games, crack jokes, and laugh till our sides hurt – seriously, laughter is gonna be our jam! So, come with an open mind, ready to embrace the silly side of life. Let go of perfectionism, and let's just have a blast together!
Pinterest...
love or hate
Pinterest can be an incredible resource if you know how to wield its power effectively. Here's the deal: I'm not about to replicate exact poses from Pinterest because, let's face it, those poses have been done a million times over. Instead, I want you to use it as a springboard for your vision – to give me a feel for the style or location you're dreaming of.
But wait, there's more! Pinterest is also a goldmine for outfit inspiration. It's perfect for figuring out which colors and clothing styles mesh together seamlessly.
So, here's the gist: use Pinterest for the basics, the rough outlines of your ideas. But when it comes to specifics? That's where we kick originality into high gear. Let's create something uniquely you!
Here are some of my boards to help you out with finding the good shit!
check out
RECENT ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS
carolyn & kyle
allison & jake
