Scheduling

The season of your shoot is totally up to you. If you have a winter wedding and want a summer shoot, great! If you want it to match the wedding season, that’s great too. Save the dates usually go out around six or so months before the wedding, and turnaround for editing is around two weeks, so be sure to plan accordingly if you’d like to use these for those purposes!

Since weddings are mostly on the weekends, and parks and public places are busiest on the weekends as well, plan for your engagement shoot to be on a weekday, preferably a few hours before sunset. If that doesn’t work, we can definitely work around our schedules and find something that works. Another option is a sunrise session when parks and trails are the most empty.

ABOUT THE SESSION

My goal is to capture moments that show you two authentically, tell your story, showcase creativity, and most importantly, celebrate your love and life together.

Engagement shoots are a great way to get to know how I operate behind the camera. The shoot is very casual with a bit of direction added in to get you two interacting which creates the natural photos you’ve seen on my website. This is great practice for the short portrait sessions you’ll have on your wedding day.

We’ll be shooting for around an hour or so, walking around quite a bit, and stopping often to shoot in many locations along the walk.

CHOOSING A LOCATION

I can shoot anywhere and the location will always influence how I shoot. It’s a good idea to pick a place that’s unique and reflective of you two.

If you’re to be found on the trails hiking every weekend, it makes sense to pick a hike for your engagement shoot. If you love the city, a shoot downtown is in order. Foodies? Bookworm? Love your home? Proud of your garden? Family own a farm? You get the idea.

WHAT TO WEAR

Like the location, your outfits should also be a reflection of you.

Generally I think it’s a good idea to dress toward the casual side for these as you’ll be formal on your wedding day.
If your shoot is in the woods, a flannel, jeans, wellies, and a cute sweater will fit right in and look effortless, yet completely intention-al. Since these shoots are short, sticking to one or two outfits will make the best use of our time together. Remember you will look as comfortable as you feel, so make sure you feel great in what you’re wearing! And since we’ll be walking a bit, make sure your shoes are up for it.

Little pops of color will make a big impact in your photos. Primary colors look great and help you stand out from the background or surroundings. Some color in your shoes, or a nice color top or tie will add a bit of pop to your photos.

WHAT TO BRING

Nothing! Plan on leaving everything in the car to be distraction and pocket-bulge free.

THANK YOU

This little guide was written to give a few tips to help plan for your session, but in no way should be considered a rule book. My goal is to give you a few pointers to nudge you in the right direction. When it comes down to it, this is your session. Make it personal, make it about you, and above all else, have fun with it!