How to Prepare for an Engagement Session
Planning an engagement session can be overwhelming: from choosing a location to deciding what to wear. Below, we’ve compiled the most frequently asked questions from clients who we have worked with in planning their engagement session. We’ll go over some tips about how to have a successful photoshoot that will help you and your partner shine!
Should we have an engagement session?
We always recommend an engagement session for our clients for a number of key reasons.
Engagement photos are a beautiful way to add a personal touch to your wedding website, save the dates, and wedding invitations. The photos we take during your engagement session will become timeless keepsakes for you and your partner, and they are a wonderful addition to your suite of wedding announcements, invitations, and website materials.
An engagement session is great practice in front of the camera for your big day. Unless you’re a professional model, you may not like having your photo taken! Even if you are comfortable having your picture taken, we don’t often take posed photos with our partners for extended periods of time. But don’t worry! We will teach you everything you need to know about being in front of the camera. After some time working together, you will have all the tools to take stunning photos to help you feel confident for your wedding day.
Having a photography session prior to your wedding will allow us to get to know one another. Most importantly, we always encourage our clients to book an engagement session because it allows us to form a relationship. An engagement session provides the perfect opportunity to become better acquainted. Your wedding photographer is arguably one of the most important vendors for your wedding, and is tasked with capturing your big day in all its authenticity and beauty. We will also largely be by your side throughout the day: from getting ready, to the ceremony, to formal portraits, and your reception. You want a photographer you can trust to capture every important moment, and all the small details.
Where should we take our engagement photos?
Maybe you want a location that is meaningful to your relationship? Or maybe you prefer a private or more intimate location with less people. Perhaps your current home holds a special place in your hearts, and you’d like to commemorate this moment by using it as the backdrop for your engagement photos. Or maybe you’re just looking for a beautiful location with gorgeous light! Either way, your engagement session location should be a reflection of your relationship together and a culmination of your individual personalities.
What time should we plan our engagement session?
The short answer is: one-and-a-half hours before sunset, or at the time the sun rises.
The long answer: an important consideration when choosing a public location for engagement photos is timing. For example, some couples find the Griffith Observatory appealing for its iconic Los Angeles views and architecture. While this is a beautiful location for engagement photos, it can become quite crowded during the best time of day for photography: golden hour. For locations, such as Griffith Park that tend to be busy throughout the day, we always suggest taking photos at sunrise.
When it comes to timing, our rule of thumb is the last hour-and-a-half before sunset or the first hour-and-a-half after sunrise. This seems to be the sweet spot for a number of reasons. To begin with, having your photo taken can feel awkward or uncomfortable, especially if we are just getting to know each other. The first 20 minutes always feels like you’re walking in new shoes, and unless you have prior professional modeling experience, this is completely normal! This is why an hour-and-a-half is an ideal amount of time for an engagement session! By the time you and your partner begin to warm up in front of the camera, we’ll have the best light to work with.
Something to consider with regard to timing and lighting is the location where we will be working. For example, we could lose light quicker if it sets behind a mountain or we are photographing in a canyon. In this case, it is best to get an idea about what time we’ll lose the sun entirely; though there is still daylight to work with, we won’t have as much of that golden glow that our clients love.
Can we choose multiple locations?
Some couples plan for multiple locations during an engagement session. The biggest consideration when planning for more than one locations is the distance between stops and where you’ll want to be for the sunset. For example, let’s say you were thinking about Malibu Creek State Park and El Matador Beach (approximately 25 minutes drive apart). These locations are feasible so long as we keep a close eye on the timing. Too long at the first location means we may not get the best shots at the second.
What day of the week should we plan our engagement session?
The best days for engagement sessions in a public location would be a weekday, and preferably not on a holiday. Monday’s seem to be the least crowded from our experience. However, some locations like El Matador State Beach can get congested even on a Monday. Weekdays are also preferable for photographers as weekends are almost always unavailable due to our current wedding commitments.
Do public locations charge fees for engagement session photography?
Every location is different, but most information regarding photography permits can be found online. It’s best to check the location’s website, but you can always check with us as well. If a permit is required, we will obtain the permit prior to your engagement session and add the fee to your photography invoice.
What should we wear?
This is the most common question we are asked as photographers. While we can’t tell you what to wear for your engagement session, we can provide you with a few helpful hints on what does and does not translate well in photographs. Though do keep in mind, there is no hard and fast rule for apparel, the following are merely suggestions.
Suggested apparel: earth tones and muted colors tend to photograph well, especially when they’re coordinated with other people in the photos. But what is most important is feeling comfortable and confident in whatever you’re wearing! If you purchased a pair of stilettos for the engagement session and you never wear them in your everyday life, they’ll probably become uncomfortable and you’ll have a challenging time staying present, focused, and relaxed. Plus, engagement sessions tend to involve a bit of walking, which brings me to my next point: outfit changes!
Should we bring a change of outfits for our engagement session?
Outfit changes are a great way to add variety to your engagement photos. However, keep in mind that we will be taking photos while we’re walking, and we don’t want any bags, hangers, or extra shoes in the photos. One option you may consider is leaving the outfit change in your vehicle. However, we only recommend this in the following circumstance: (1) we are taking photos nearby your car and (2) you are comfortable changing in your car in a public parking lot. It is often the case that we are walking some distance from the car to take photos and it is not usually feasible to return back to the car midway through the session. That is why we typically recommend bringing an outfit change only if we are going to multiple locations and you can easily change during the transition between them.
If the outfit change is a must, the alternative would be to bring a trusted friend who can help carry things along the way. Keep in mind, though, that engagement sessions can be a fun, intimate, and a special moment for you and your fiance and you might not want too many people there, especially if you’re already camera shy!