You may have never heard of an engagement shoot or know what it is but I always encourage my clients to have one because it gives us the chance to work together before the wedding. Not only will you come away with some amazing photos of the two of you but we will be able to develop a sense of comfort and trust between us. For those of you who are a little camera shy, it’s a nice way to get out your jitters before the big day.  It also gives me a chance to get to know you better so I’m not a stranger showing up on your wedding day.

Before the engagement shoot I like to pick your brain a little. It helps me get to know you better and get to know your style, interests, hobbies…  It might even give us some fun ideas for where we can do your engagement shoot. Whenever possible I like to help my clients think outside the box when choosing a site for the engagement shoot. We can do anything! We don’t have to shoot at a park. We can go to fun downtown locations, a historical landmark, a bookstore or how about the place you met? Let’s go somewhere that is unique and reflects who you are as a couple and how you came to be.

For clothing don’t be afraid of color or pattern. Please don’t be too matchy-matchy and don’t think you need to dress up. I don’t know any guy who feels most like himself in stuffy and confining dress clothes.  The most important thing is that you feel comfortable and feel like yourselves.

The best light to shoot in is just before sunset so ideally we should schedule the shoot for an hour and a half before sundown. This evening sun gives a nice warm glow to the images.

The engagement shoot can be a lot of fun if you come prepared to focus on one another, laugh and be affectionate. Affection is really key here. If you get in a big huge fight before your session we might have to reschedule. Most of the time I’m encouraging you interact and focus on one another rather than on me shooting you. That is the whole point after all.

Visit the Engagement Photo Gallery to view more images.