How to Plan for your Engagement Shoot
Having a photography session can be a new experience to very many people. With many years of experience, here are some tips for an engagement session that will help to take the stress away from you!
Tips for an engagement session | This is a popular question that we would love to help you answer. There is definitely a great deal that goes into planning for your engagement shoot including, communication with your photographer, planning location, timing, weather, coordination of clothes, and discussing what to do with the photos when you are done. Read more here!
Rest & Time
It is important that you are well rested on the day of your session. You want to look your best, and getting enough sleep the night before is a good first step. Allow yourself extra time to perfect your wardrobe, style yourself, and travel. We recommend arriving for your session early and taking the opportunity to enjoy a few moments of relaxation before we begin.
Themes
It is not necessary to accessorize your session with props and toys unless it has already been discussed as an integral part of your session. We create timeless portraits that are natural, relaxed, and pure, and we find that keeping themes simple allows for real moments, expressions, and interactions.
Be Hands-Free
It is recommended to have your hands free throughout the session. We prefer to not have you carry extra clothing, a purse, drinks, or anything else. We will recommend that you leave your items at our starting location (most likely in your vehicle).
Be Yourself
This is a key tips for an engagement session, we always encourage you to embrace whatever mood you feel during your session. Feel free to relax, laugh, and have a good time. Portraits are best when you are being yourself. It’s important to remember that just because there is a camera pointing at you, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to be looking at the camera. Sometimes the strongest images are created when you are interacting with one another and enjoying a moment as opposed to posing.
Picking the Right Wardrobe
- Simplicity is always best, so when in doubt keep in mind that “less is more”.
- Avoid patterns and stripes, as they often will conflict with other elements in your portrait.
- Avoid logos, as they can be visually distracting.
- Neutral colors such as beige, white, black, tan, and gray often photograph the best, as they complement skin tones and don’t conflict with common background elements.
- Wear clothing that fits properly. A proper fit that allows you to move and feel comfortable will help you look more confident in your portrait.
- Always dress with full length in mind, including shoes and socks in your wardrobe consideration. Shoe styles should be simple and non-distracting.
- If you wear glasses regularly, you should wear them for your session as we want you to look like you normally do. Don’t worry about shine or glare, as we know how to look for these things and photograph accordingly.
- We normally recommend wearing minimal jewelry for your portrait. Jewelry that you wear on a daily basis is fine, but we prefer to not have you accessorize and add extra jewelry that normally wouldn’t wear. If you do wear jewelry, it should be kept simple and its color should be neutral and non-distracting.
- Apply makeup and style your hair as you normally would. Now is not the time to try out a new haircut or a new style of make-up that you aren’t comfortable with.
- We recommend against going for a professional tan or intentionally tanning outdoors prior to your session. A fresh tan may look good in person but the camera is more sensitive to skin tones and your natural color is always more flattering in photographs.
Best Time of Year for Engagement Photos
Fall and Summer are by far our favorite times to photograph engagement sessions because of the bright and fun colors they provide for the photos. We will tell you what we specifically love about each season and why they make for awesome engagement sessions.
Tips to Include your Pets in Photos
Are you looking for tips to include your pets in photos?! If you are looking for a great resource to learn how to wrangle your mutt for your epic family photos, wedding photos or just any photo session, you have got to check out this awesome Seth and Beth Podcast where we give the best tips!
Read all the tips to include your pets in photos here!
Photos Are Meant To Be Printed & Cherished
One day, your children will look for photos of you both…what will they find?
The culmination of your story is a stunning family album. An instant heirloom, your album will certainly be in the hands of your children’s children. Handmade of the finest quality in the industry, the album allows your full story to come to life! Clients leave our studio grasping their albums like treasures. To have and to hold in your hands, your album will bring you years of happiness & allow you to reconnect & feel those wonderful wedding day moments all over again.
What To Expect At Your Engagement Shoot
We call them Connection Sessions. It’s your first family session. 90-minute photo session spending some quality time together, getting to know you, and taking rad pics in the process. Lots of cuddling and laughing…we’ll have a blast!
We are Seth and Beth
We are Seth & Beth – married and madly in love and provide artistic and creative “out of the box” wedding photos in Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. As always, we strive to put a fresh, new twist on every wedding photo we take, incorporating colorful surroundings, emotions, and moments. We live to meet strong, sexy brides who are crazy in love and confident grooms that aren’t afraid to cry. We want to deliver beauty and surrealism while maintaining our mission of love and professionalism.
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