1. Dress comfortably. This does not mean wear sweat pants. Wear something that makes you feel confident. You want to worry about your outfit as little as possible.

2. Don’t drink the night before you have photos taken. Drinking dehydrates your skin and makes your eyes puffy. Worrying about how you look will only add to your discomfort.

3. Pick a photographer that is an expert in posing. A Pro will help you with posing and pick poses that look best for your body type and height. Whenever I start a photo session I always ask what is your best side and is there anything that you want me to look out for. Typically a woman’s major concern is her arms and a man’s is his gut. I can lessen the look of  both of these with quick posing tweaks. With every pose, I’ll direct you into the pose and then make small tweaks like asking the woman to slightly move her arms away from her body so that her arm appears thinner and I’ll have the man point his tummy at the camera, this makes his figure more 2D and lessens the tummy shape, giving the appearance of a trimmer tummy. Pro Photogs know tons of these little tricks so you can be confident we are doing our best to serve you.

4. Choose a photographer you have a connection with. It’s definitely easier to be photographed by someone you have a connection with, than a total stranger. An engagement session is usually the first time I’ll get to meet you in person. I like to spend a few minutes at the start of the session just chatting. And it makes a big difference. It can also make the experience feel less rushed and less impersonal.

5. Plan for a longer shoot. If you are super nervous or feel awkward having your photo taken, it may take you longer to feel comfortable in front of a camera. Sometimes it can take my more nervous couples around 10 – 15 minutes to come out of their shells. And that is totally normal. The great thing about Engagement shoots is that we have more time for photos than on a wedding day. So even if it takes you a while to get comfortable, just remember that this is practice and you cannot do it wrong. Its my job to pose you, to tell you what to do with your hands and to help you move from basic posing to prompts that will help you two interact and create moments that let your personalities shine.

I do not expect you two to be models so before we begin taking photos I’ll show you the 4 core poses that are the basis for nearly every pose. Once you nail those poses and are more comfortable I’ll use prompts and games to help you interact and have your real personalities show. My favorite prompt is asking which one of you is ticklish and having the other attack you with tickles. It may seem weird but my desired outcome are photos of real laughter. My goal is to help you share heartfelt moments, laugh a lot and have a ton of fun! Below I have added some of the amazing reactions I have gotten simply by asking who is ticklish.

I hope you enjoyed my wedding planning tips. I am so thankful for the wonderful people that hire me and support my passion! If you are a couple wanting photos of your wedding, I’d love to be your photographer. Fill out the contact form on my website, and let’s make memories!

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