YOU’RE ENGAGED!
Wohoo! You are having your engagement session soon, and I am so excited to share this experience with you! I understand that some people may be terrified of being in front of the camera. Don’t worry, I love keeping things very natural, & I’m a little weird, so we can get super goofy.
To feel comfortable in front of the camera, it all begins with connection. So let's be friends, and if you don’t want to be friends and chat much, keep hugging your honey while I snap away! I want real connection for you two, and simply, I want you two to have fun, be genuine, fearless, and full of love. Get happy, get sexy, get goofy, get sappy, get whatever makes you two feel alive together.
I compiled some tips to help make our sessions comfortable and fun! Every couple is different. Whatever makes you feel crazy in love, let's do some of that. I want to capture those wildly in love embraces, intimate kisses, uncontrollable laughs, tickle fights, and everything in-between that makes you two who you are together.
The little moments matter. I won’t force poses on you or try to fit you into some mold, but I will adapt my instructions to guide you in a way & then let your natural body language do the rest! You are not here for me, but I am here for you - to document your love into tangible pieces of art to encourage you as you embark on the journey to marriage!
LOCATION
The session isn’t all about location, or how gorgeous the backdrop is; it’s about shooting you two madly in love wherever that may be. The location, weather, setting can affect your mood, and the mood will reflect in your photos. Since the day and the location will be our first decisions, we should talk about what makes you feel awe-inspired, or nostalgic, or completely at peace.
Consider a location that is either a new and epic experience, a place that brings back loads of memories, or a place where you can forget I am even there and you do your own things.
Our location can be influential, so good places could be an alpine lake, a wildflower meadow, your clean living room, a forest by a misty lake, a coffee shop, a foggy mountaintop; it’s up to you! I am partial to traveling to a new location, because exploring a new place together is basically the definition of adventure.
LOCATION
“What makes you feel loved and known by your fiancee?
What do you want to remember feeling in your photos 30 years from now?”
For location, lighting is always key. All I need is great natural light to capture you two loving each other well; so either outdoors around sunrise or sunset. If you want to have a cozy indoor session, like in your living room or bedroom, we will just need big windows and/or lighter clothing colors and photograph in the middle of the day.
Now that we have location ideas swirling through your head (if not, I have a list of great locations!) we need to consider the weather.
Here is the general rule of thumb:
+ Sunrise will almost always have better weather than sunset. There will also be fewer people.
+ In the summertime, expect thunderstorms in the afternoon and early evening.
+ Winter winds are brutal - consider hot hands, wool clothing, and getting bundled up.
+ Fall colors are very short lived and start the highest elevation, generally mid-September at 10,000-14,000ft (like mountain cities) through mid-October at 5,000-7,000ft (like Colorado Springs)
+ We don’t have much of a Spring, and if we do, it’s May. The leaves begin growing back in late April or Early May.
Feel More Comfortable
I highly believe in honesty and vulnerability in a session. I can only truly capture your true dynamic if you allow me into your space. I encourage you not to hide how the two of you interact when you’re alone. In fact, I want you to embrace the goofy laughter or the quiet & intimate moments. If you feel most loved with jokes, let's laugh. If you feel most loved with kisses, I'll give y'all that space to do so! My hope is that feel more loved after this session, and you know how to love your honey even better.
If you want to be comfortable, dress comfortably, enjoy each other, and let’s go somewhere beautiful!
Emotions
Sometimes, the truest emotions come in the outtakes, the moment's that aren’t ‘traditional’ to photograph, but those are the moments I want you to remember. In the long run, I want you to remember all your usual body language & facial expressions you make now when you are in your 50s or 80s. I want you to remember all the quirks in your spouse when you tell your kids about why you love your honey. These are photographs to preserve your relationship in its place, in its’ own time, embrace and love yourself - it’ll reflect in the photos.
Seeing you glance at the other, butterflies-in-the-belly laughing, the safety of your loves' embrace, that’s my job. The objective isn’t just to take pretty pictures; it’s about your love, your heart, & sharing your story.
THE DAY OF OUR SESSION
On the day of the shoot, let’s take it easy. It can be hard to embrace the joy and intimacy if we aren’t feeling comfortable in our clothing, cramped into a shorter timeframe after a stressful day of errands and such, or stressed about appearances. Grab food together, relax, take a shot, encourage each other, and then let that sweet mood fill you both up as we start our shoot!
Don't think of this as a photo shoot - think of it as a date (wohoo!)
Flirt with each other. Flirt with the camera. Even if it feels silly in the moment, at the very least it will give you something to focus on.
My goal is to have you look back on these photos 50 years from now and say, “wow, that really felt like who we were at that time.”
General Advice
Keep moving! Your hand, your gaze, your smile, your posture... small things like this add variety and makes things feel more natural.
Soft kisses on the forehead, laughing, dancing, holding hands, whispers, etc... all breathe life into your photos. Go for it! I'll squeal behind the camera.
Make jokes.
Hold hands.
Dance around.
Immerse yourself in each other’s comfort.
