Engagement Prep

Your engagement session is supposed to be fun and more laid back. It's a great time for us to get to know each other better and shake off any anxious feelings about being photographed on your wedding day. My goal is to have us walk away from your engagement session as old friends and have you excited about your wedding day photos!

Tips to remember on engagement session day

Pockets | Empty those pockets! You don't want to have phones or other items showing through your pockets. I will have a bag attached to me if you would like to throw your keys etc. in until after the session. You won't have to worry about keeping up with them.
Ring cleaning | Remember to shine your ring up for a few close ups during your engagement.
Changing clothes | sometimes we are at a location where there isn't a bathroom or they are closed. In this case no worries I carry a pop up changing tent with me for just this occasion!
Clothing | I will explain more in-depth below but generally, my couples bring a casual and a dressy outfit.

Choosing outfits

Don't match, instead try to coordinate your outfits.
Most patterns are ok, but graphics aren't great for portraits. If you are wearing a pattern make sure it's not overwhelming.
Don't forget your nails. When planning your accessories think about those close-ups on your ring as well.
If you're wearing shoes that are uncomfortable bring along some flip flops for walking between locations.
neutrals and muted colors are usually the most photogenic for portraits. If you have a favorite bold color maybe work it in with accessories.
Black is slimming but it can be very heavy in portraits if you're looking for a more light and airy look.
When choosing your outfit think about the images you are drawn to and see if those images follow a color scheme.
Colors to avoid | bright reds, neons, and bright oranges. These colors reflect onto the skin and it can be difficult to edit.
Avoid very small patterns | Tiny patterns can cause something called moiré in digital images. Men's checkered shirts are usually fine if the "checks" are on the larger side. You run into moiré with very small " checks" and pin stripes.
Alternate Heaviness | If one of you is wearing dark jeans the other may want to wear lighter pants. If one of you is wearing a navy top, the other should wear a lighter top. To a certain degree alternating the "heaviness" of your outfits can make your outfits more balanced.
Long flowy skirts and dresses can add a beautiful softness to images.
If you want your images light and bright maybe have your groom wear Khakis or lighter pants instead of dress pants or jeans.
If you really want a bold color look and you are wearing neutrals then we will look for bold colored backdrops during your session or one in a bold outfit and one in a more neutral outfit.