Planning your engagement photo session can seem daunting, but I promise it doesn’t have to actually be daunting!
Think about these four topics to make planning your session a breeze!
Think about these four topics to make planning your session a breeze!
1) LOCATION
Choosing a meaningful location will make you cherish your photos even more.
Have a favorite park, trail, brewery, family cabin, or pizza place? Let's go!
Did you take a trip to San Diego and fall in love? Let’s fly out for the weekend!
Even if you don’t choose an absolute favorite place, still think about the feeling you want from your engagement photos. It’s much easier to be nature lovers in a natural location versus the heart of the city.
Another thing to consider, some places aren’t nearly as dog friendly as others, so if you're bringing your fur baby remember to keep that in mind, too!
Have a favorite park, trail, brewery, family cabin, or pizza place? Let's go!
Did you take a trip to San Diego and fall in love? Let’s fly out for the weekend!
Even if you don’t choose an absolute favorite place, still think about the feeling you want from your engagement photos. It’s much easier to be nature lovers in a natural location versus the heart of the city.
Another thing to consider, some places aren’t nearly as dog friendly as others, so if you're bringing your fur baby remember to keep that in mind, too!
2) Outfits
Honestly, this could be a post of it’s own because it totally feels like the hardest part, right?! Things to consider to make this easy peasy:
Match your outfit to your location! Alternative caption: we can all agree that stilettos don’t work at the beach. Consider your location. What would you normally wear there? How can you make that ‘normal’ outfit pop just a little more while still being comfortable? If you’re considering the beach by all means get casual, wear that swim wear, kick off your shoes, and bring the sun hat. If you’re considering the prairie find a long flowing dress that the wind can take, or go casual and grab your favorite pair or ripped jeans! You get the idea!
Match your outfit to your location! Alternative caption: we can all agree that stilettos don’t work at the beach. Consider your location. What would you normally wear there? How can you make that ‘normal’ outfit pop just a little more while still being comfortable? If you’re considering the beach by all means get casual, wear that swim wear, kick off your shoes, and bring the sun hat. If you’re considering the prairie find a long flowing dress that the wind can take, or go casual and grab your favorite pair or ripped jeans! You get the idea!
While I'm at it, match the season your session is in, too! Nobody wants to be cold, nobody wants to be roasting. Minnesota winter photo sessions with boots, and hats, jackets, and mittens (and layers in general) are cute. Summer sessions with swim wear, shorts, sun hats, or tank tops, equally as cute!
Coordinate with your significant other instead of matching entirely. We’ve all seen the 1990’s family portraits with white shirts and jeans and I’m not sure we need to go back to that vibe. Then again, high waisted jeans and scrunchies are back so if that’s your jam, don’t let me stop you!
Choose a color palette! I’m big into color palettes. For home decor, for web design, for outfit selections. Choosing a color palette helps you narrow your choices down and helps you build outfits that DO coordinate with a little more ease. Find some of my personal favorite color palettes here on Pinterest to get the juices flowing! And if that's too much to think about, go neutrals (though I promise it's easier than it seems to rock a non-neutral palette)!
Choose a color palette! I’m big into color palettes. For home decor, for web design, for outfit selections. Choosing a color palette helps you narrow your choices down and helps you build outfits that DO coordinate with a little more ease. Find some of my personal favorite color palettes here on Pinterest to get the juices flowing! And if that's too much to think about, go neutrals (though I promise it's easier than it seems to rock a non-neutral palette)!
|
|
Add in texture and accessories. A quick way to up your outfit is to add an accessory or another layer of texture. Men, wear that watch. Ladies, bring out the felt hats and statement earrings or necklaces. Dogs, have your humans get you a bowtie! Already accessorized but still want more pop? Add in another texture! Throw that knit sweater over your button up shirt, guys! Add a vest! I'm all about instant outfit transformations without having to make a full outfit change for extra variety in the final gallery!
Consider your home decor. (I’m sorry, what?) If you still cant figure out where to start with outfit choices think about where you want to hang your photos after the session. Do you love to decorate with light blues? Include that tone in your outfits to make it easier on yourself to display the photos! If you decorate with exclusively neutral colors like me, maybe don’t wear neon orange (actually as a general rule just avoid neon no matter what).
Head to Pinterest for inspiration. I’ll link an outfit inspiration board here but promise me you won’t choose something that isn’t you from this Pinterest board okay? Okay.
And honestly, don’t overthink it! If you have an absolute favorite piece already in your closet, build around that! Be yourselves. If you never wear heels, don’t break ‘em out on my account, rock the Nikes instead. If you aren’t comfortable standing in the dressing room in the outfit you won’t be comfortable running around in the streets.
Whew!
Head to Pinterest for inspiration. I’ll link an outfit inspiration board here but promise me you won’t choose something that isn’t you from this Pinterest board okay? Okay.
And honestly, don’t overthink it! If you have an absolute favorite piece already in your closet, build around that! Be yourselves. If you never wear heels, don’t break ‘em out on my account, rock the Nikes instead. If you aren’t comfortable standing in the dressing room in the outfit you won’t be comfortable running around in the streets.
Whew!
3) Plan an activity and bring your dog
Eat pizza, snuggle your puppy, stay home and bake cookies, drink some brews, bring some florals. As a general rule: if you’d do it on a Saturday with no plans, it’s probably a cool personalization to add to your session!
And bring your dog to your session. ALWAYS. Always bring your dog…
*Cue the dog montage...
*Cue the dog montage...
4) Consider time of day
It should come as no surprise that I adore golden hour photo sessions. But not every session can happen during golden hour (or sometimes clouds come into play on session day)! That’s OKAY! If wedding photography has taught me anything it's that all light situations can be absolutely beautiful! Clouds diffuse the light, direct sun can provide a moody vibe and vibrant colors, sunrise is super romantic, and mid-day with shade is super pretty light, too!
Plan your session the way you want but don’t be afraid to go with the flow on the day of! Sure, we can reschedule for rain, or we can grab a clear umbrella and jump in some puddles, and have some FUN! You ARE getting married after all, let’s celebrate and laugh a little!!
Plan your session the way you want but don’t be afraid to go with the flow on the day of! Sure, we can reschedule for rain, or we can grab a clear umbrella and jump in some puddles, and have some FUN! You ARE getting married after all, let’s celebrate and laugh a little!!
(Okay, fine, you caught me, this was an anniversary session, but they still rocked the neutral casual outfits and that golden hour light!)
And #5 just because I have to say it…
Trust your engagement photographer. Text me a photo of what you have selected for outfits if you’re second guessing them. Pick my brain and ask what works. I’ll be honest with you! Or even send you links to cute outfit pieces!
And then when you get to the session? HAVE FUN.
And then when you get to the session? HAVE FUN.
