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6 Easy and Fantastic Engagement Photography Tips

Here we are, providing you with some engagement photography tips.  With wedding season upon us (and now that the snow has finally melted), our engagement sessions are really filling up the books. Because of that, I have decided to offer a few tips for preparing for and enjoying your engagement session.  This article was originally published back in 2018.  We are actually at that same time again, three years later.  So I wanted to update it a bit.

Engagement sessions can make couples nervous.  Out of all the sessions we have shot over the past eight years, we’ve had only two people that had been professionally photographed in the past and found themselves comfortable in front of the camera.  There’s two things that I really feel make it a little stressful.  One, it’s the first time you are shooting with your photographer, so you’re not sure what to expect.  Second (the bigger one), you are worried that you may not look how you want to.

So here you go:

RELAX

Yes, this is much easier said than done in every aspect of life.  When it comes down to it though, photography is a really fun thing to have done.  So just think of it like this:  you are shooting with the person you love.  Don’t think about the camera or the person shooting.  Think about your significant other and all the things you love about them. Think about all the fun things you do together, why you love them, and how excited you are to be marrying them.  These emotions will show in your eyes, smile, and even your posture, making for the best photos.

CONFIDENCE

We are often asked how to dress in the engagement session.  When it comes down to it, you would know better than I would because you know what makes you feel beautiful.  A great example of this was when the two of us had a photographer take photos of us. Kyle wore one of his Iron Maiden shirts for half of the shoot and I wore a dress and denim jacket.  Why?  For two reasons.  One, we felt comfortable and confident in those clothes.  Two, they are us.  I didn’t want photos of us framed around the house where we looked completely different than we do normally.  When you wear something that makes you comfortable, there are a lot of things that go into that.  You’re not worrying about what you look like.  When you are worried, it shows in photography.  Be yourself.  If you want to be silly, be silly.  If you want to dance, dance.

TIMING

This is a big one for me.  Work with your photographer to book a session that works with your schedule.  I book our engagement session dates as soon as a wedding is booked with us.  That way, even if the client wants their engagement session six months down the line, it’s booked.  And in Minnesota, that’s important.  Everyone wants fall colors.  No one wants snow (or so it seems).  I also find it important to book at a time where you have some flexibility.  That way, you’re not rushing to a shoot or worrying about what you have to do afterward.

LOCATION

Our couples fall into two different categories: those who know where they want to do their session and those who have no clue.  Either one is awesome.  I love the stories behind specific locations because you can find people who are in love with spots you would never think twice about if you pass them.  If you aren’t sure where you want to shoot, communicate with your photographer.  We have shot in enough areas that we can send you samples of locations, give you pros and cons of each one, and so forth.

YOU

This session is about you – keep that in mind.  It’s not about what your parents want.  It’s not about what will get the most likes on social media.  It doesn’t matter if your friends think the location you pick is cliché.  And it is not about what is this season’s trend.  It’s about what you want.  The same goes for your wedding.  Don’t let anyone tell you any different.

A LITTLE EXTRA LOVE

A photographer note – make sure to give your photographer a little love after your session.  Let us know what you think about the photos.  If you frame any photos or make anything with them, show us!  We love seeing what clients do with the photography.  You have no idea how much that makes our day.  And finally, please credit us properly and do not alter our photography with Instagram filters, cropping, and other things social media has bestowed upon us.  We work very hard on getting your photos to look the way you paid and trusted us to make them look and altering them literally destroys all that hard work.  We adore any kind of feedback, as it makes us happy AND it makes it that much easier to work together on your big day.

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