Rocking your engagement session with me!
More than enough I always hear the words;
“We are so nervous about getting our photos taken…
We’re not photogenic enough
We are so awkward
We are not models….”
You know what!? I HEAR YA + I GOT YA!
I am here to ease your nervousness, honestly, I too get nervous about putting myself out there in front of someone else’s camera BUT you forget the camera is even there when you have fun and you just be your genuine self!
SO, here are a few tips on how to your rock your engagement session with me - or couples session, really, I am here to document your love right here, right now!
1. Nervous?! Let’s start in a familiar place… Your Home!
Starting in your home is a great way to kick off your session. Your home is a familiar place and really its just HOME! Cozy up with some coffee + a pillow fight to get rid of those nervous jigger bugs. I’ll put on my playlist of tunes and we’ll just have fun where you feel the most comfortable.
2. Get Handsy!
Don’t worry about where to put your hands - you’ve got two of them so use them! I always want you two to stay connected, so play with each others hair, caress one another, gentle touches, finger flirting, holding hands, kissing finger tips - brush that hair out of her face, play with his beard - get handsy and let your hands do the talking!
3. BRING YOUR FUR BABY!
I love animals and really our fur babies our a huge part of our lives. These images I want you to be able to look back on and remember moments, not a posed image with a cheesy smile. These adorable 4 legged friends are only in our lives for so long and to have these memories to look back on will be something you’ll be so thankful for in the future!
4. Let’s talk YOU!
I want your session to be unique and not cookie cutter - what do you like to do together? Ice cream dates, dirt biking, bonfires and beers, enjoying lake life, a location that means something to you both?! WHAT makes you and your love story unique? I love getting to know my couples, and the more they open up to me the better I can document each of their love stories. Hey, if you want smoke bombs at your session or pop a bottle of bubbly, I am down for whatever you want to to do! So let’s get together, talk and make a plan!
5. Shake that booty and give me all the movements!
I’m a candid photographer, I will get you dancing, running and just being silly so you forget about my camera and just focus on what is important, YOU TWO and your love for one another. Don’t be afraid to move, because I totally encourage it. I want to get those emotive images even if they are out of focus because it is the emotion that counts not the perfectly posed image with no real feeling.
Even for those quiet intimate moments that I really love, I’ll still be encouraging that movement of swaying, playing with your hands etc. Movement creates energy and that energy in itself will create emotion in your images.
We are gonna have so much fun, I pinky promise!
I also love playing music at my sessions, so let me know what you love listening to together…got a favourite song you dance to OR maybe one that gets you belting out all the words, let me know!
6. What to wear?!
It is a question that is always asked - it depends on the look and feel you want in your images but most importantly it is a representation of who you are as a couple!
Choose a colour pallet - Sticking with more neutral and earth tones are recommended; doesn't mean just greys and browns; mustard yellow, forest green, navy blue, burnt orange etc are amazing colours to works with. Stay away from bright florescent distracting colours. If you’re a bold couple though, be bold - I’m sure you’ve got a killer style and you’ll rock whatever suites you! Avoid matching but rather choose outfits that compliment each other. If you’re a couple that loves rocking the vintage band t-shirts, heck yea, I love my band tee’s so let’s create that look!
BRING OPTIONS! I love when we’ve got options to play with. All you have to do is make sure you bring stuff that you feel like a million bucks in that we can pick and pull from! Always have the location of where we are shooting in mind, will be be doing hiking, the weather etc. You don't want to be hiking in high heels... unless that's your thing!
I do have a client closet with some fun dresses, if you want to use something from it, let me know!
Make sure that the materials you wear will keep you comfortable during the shoot not only for temperatures but also for being able to move around in. I also love when people bring clothing or accessories that can show movement by catching wind, because it adds energy to the photos and looks freaking gorgeous.
A lot of people ask me whether or not they should get their hair and makeup done by a pro. You can take the opportunity to try out your makeup artist for your wedding day, but really “whatever will make you feel best, do that.” - you don't have to go overboard - but you want to look like you as well and feel great. So you do you!
As for props, I love hats, sunglasses, scarves, jewelry, etc because its nice to pair them with different outfit options. Props could be pizza, Fred the flamingo, a motorcycle, your pup, blankets, car, campfire, guitar, kayak etc. I'm honestly not really into those Pinterest photos with the cheesy chalkboards. I do love flowers for engagement sessions; I've done a few and they are just so much fun, they add texture, pops of colour and they are a great piece to hold on to. Pop a bottle of champagne or let’s get creative with a coloured smoke bomb.
For in home sessions, all of the above applies, but for in home sessions I say the more skin showing the better! No, that doesn’t mean be naked, but let’s just say be comfortable! Let’s be honest, most of us walk around in our undies at home… right!? Having a little more skin showing will make your images feel more intimate, comfy and like home. I’m all about cozy off the shoulder sweaters, anything that makes you feel like home and options are great too! Mix, match - shorts, jeans, wearing his Van Halen T-shirt and some ripped jean shorts. You get the picture; be you, be comfortable. If you wanna just wear a sweater with undies for a few or have your guy be shirtless, then heck yes to that. It is whatever you're comfortable with.
7. Be Authentic. Be Genuine. And Don’t Be Afraid To Become Vulnerable. Trust me!
Not only am I a candid photographer, I am all about getting my couples to connect. I want to draw out real emotion and real feelings. I want you to feel the butterflies, to be genuine in the words you speak to one another. To be more in love after your session then you arrived. With a world that is constantly go go go, we forget to take the time to really connect and I want that for my couples. So, not only are we going to have fun, I want you to reminisce about days gone by, when you first met, laugh about the little things and talk about your future. Be in the moment and express what you are feeling right then and there.
It is all about trust, honesty and being genuine.
