April 3, 2019

Engagement Session Tips – Everything you need to know

There are a lot of awesome things to be said about engagement photos. I love them! And Unfortunately I think they get a really bad wrap these days! And the worst part is.. I think it’s the beast itself, social media..that is to blame.

I think they have two huge benefits and reasons for why people should have them dome! So read along and prepare to be persuaded 😉 

#1 To get comfortable about a camera. 

I’m a photographer. I spend all my time behind a camera and I still clam up every time someone points one at me. Its fucking weird. It’s weird feeling watched. It’s weird having someone you *barely know* tell you how to be with with your person. Engagement sessions are an amazing way to get comfortable before your wedding and get to know me:) ..your friendly neighbourhood wedding photographer! I use a lot of prompts when shooting couples which means I will give you some directions and you’ll have to trust me to make you look good! Once people get their photos back I get a lot of “OHHHHHH…that’s why you asked us to do that!!” lol

They also (most importantly) give me a chance to get to know you guys! That way I understand your relationship better, what you guys are like and how to talk to you guys! It helps us all get on the same page! And become friends, yay! 

#2 Weddings are formal

No matter how much I try to make your wedding day as relaxed and chill and comfortable as possible, traditional weddings are typically much more formal than your everyday life.  I’m pretty sure you don’t run around in tuxes and white dresses often! (If you do.. that’s cool!) Your everyday life is pretty wonderful right? That is what I think engagement photos are for. Capturing your every day! Social media has changed the game for us as photographers. It showcases our work in a new and amazing way. However it also makes people feel like photos are supposed to look a certain way and that they are “for the gram”.

I’m here to tell you they aren’t. 

Photos are not for social media. Photos are for keeping memories preserved. I don’t know about you but my life is pretty great. And I want to remember it exactly how it is. 

So how do you get amazing engagement photos?? 

Stop trying. Stop creeping. Think only about you two. 

What would you guys consider a date? 

What is something you do together that is a combined hobby? 

We should do those things. It doesn’t matter if you don’t think its “pretty”. It’s your life and your relationship and trust me, its freaken beautiful! I promise you the photos that reflect your real life and your real relationship will mean so much to you in the future. 

Here is an example. Here are some photos from my engagement session from when we got married in 2014. We went to the Scarborough bluffs which is a beautiful location and we were photographed by one of my favourite photographers. It was our first time there and we were so excited for this session. We got dressed up match matchy because that’s what I thought you do, and I wore a dress. Which I don’t do lol. These photos are beautiful and I honestly love them. But they aren’t “us”. That’s 100% not the photographers fault. That’s mine! I just didn’t know or appreciate documentary photography at that time! 

The second image is from our trip out west. We are wearing our regular clothes that had been stuffed in a back pack for 12 days at this point. I did my hair in a parking lot with my straightener plugged into where people plug in their vehicles in the winter! Once again a new place but we were in travel mode. Exploring and doing honestly exactly what we had been doing the whole trip up to that point. I’m so obsessed with this session. 

The last image is one we took ourselves at home the first spring we had Cooper. I’m sure you guys can guess how much these photos mean to me. And they had almost no planning put in. Just us in our kitchen with our pup. Something so simple that envois such emotion out of myself and Joe when we look back at these photos of our little fam!

Now the age old question that everyone asks… what do I wear?

It couldn’t be a post about engagement photos without covering this one!

This question is super easy to me. Your favourite outfit. The one that makes you feel good and comfy and like you.

Yes – neutral colours photograph best, yes – texture looks beautiful. But honestly, if you look like yourself and feel like yourself.. you just made my job 1000000 times easier. I don’t have to try and make the session look and feel like you guys because you arrived already being yourselves! If you spend your Saturdays with your hair in a bun or if you usually bundle up in a big baggy sweater- then that is what you should rock.

Its the difference between people saying “Oh your photos are so pretty” and saying “Oh those photos are so you!!!”