Wedding photography can feel a bit scary - it’s probably the only time in your life you’ll hire a photographer to follow you around for the day! But it’s actually much easier than you think.
Right now, it’s the fear of the unknown. What gets a lot of couples over that fear is an easy, relaxed engagement session.
It’s beneficial in many ways
An engagement (or pre-wedding) shoot will not only capture the magic of your proposal, but will also give you more confidence having your photo taken together as a couple before your wedding day.
In a way, it’s a warm up for the Big Day.
It’s just a good time to get in front of the camera and see how you react. A lot of people don’t know what to do with their hands and feel awkward and overthink things. With an engagement session you can correct that before the wedding when, let's be honest, you'll have enough on your minds.
By running through a few simple poses you’ll know what to expect on your wedding day - if you plan to have portraits during the day, as many couples do.
Hopefully this will build trust with me the photographer and reassure you I’m not going to try and contort you both into some weird uncomfortable pose that just isn’t you!
And it’s just nice to get out and meet your wedding photographer in an easygoing environment when it’s not all about the wedding and there's a crowd mingling close by.
When you look back it will also seem like a great idea getting professional pics together in something other than your wedding attire, taken at a time when you’re both relaxed and not in the midst of the whirlwind that wedding days can feel like.
My approach to engagement shoots
Laid-back and fun, the location of the shoot can be outdoors at a venue close to your hearts, or even in the cosiness of your own home. If you’re stumped I’m happy to suggest a suitable venue near by.
And it can be any time of the year! A winter engagement shoot can look incredibly romantic when you're both snuggled up close, channelling that Anna Karenina vibe.
The shoot is usually about an hour long and I won’t just throw you straight in front of the camera - let’s just have a chat first and get to know each other a bit, you can tell me what you want from the shoot and what you don’t want.
Then we just go for a stroll and see how the session unfolds.
I’ll have a few easy poses to walk you through, but I’m totally open to trying any ideas you might have on the day. And don’t worry if you have some wacky ideas - it’s all about having fun! And this is the time to experiment when you can see the results, not on the wedding day.
Feel free to bring a change of clothes or layers - typically we’ll be at a venue with facilities to change in. Dress in a way that makes you feel comfortable, and reflects who you are as a couple. Hey, if you want to dress in Halloween outfits that’s fine with me - I’m totally happy to accommodate whatever rocks your boat!
That’s the great thing about engagement sessions, there’s no real rules - it’s just about becoming more relaxed in front of a camera together, and at the same time getting some fun and beautiful photos to keep forever. You can even use your favourite photo for your Save The Date cards!
Right now I am offering a FREE engagement\pre-wedding shoot on all full wedding packages.
If you want to find out more about an engagement shoot or book me for one please visit my website