Engagement Sessions

So, your wedding is quickly approaching, but coming on even faster is your engagement session.  We are so happy you have chosen to have an engagement session! It gives us a great way to get to know each other as well as help relax you and your fiance for the big day.  Being in front of a camera is not an easy task for even the most trained professional.  “Stand here, hands this way, feet out, tilt, hold this…snap snap…”  It is daunting in the beginning, but after the first 20 minutes, you will be rocking out the posing and getting the hang of it.   The two hours we spend together, I promise will fly by!

In order to help your session be everything you have dreamed it to be, I have put together this important primer.   Please take a moment to read it over.  There is some important information here that will help the session run smoothly for yourselves and for us as your photographers.  We want to make the most of your session and provide you with wonderful photographs to last a lifetime.

– BE ON TIME! Yes, that’s in capital letters.  I usually book more then one session for the days I do engagement sessions, so I am running from session session.  I reserve extra time in case we go overtime, but don’t reserve extra time in case we are running late.  (Hope that makes sense!) We need the full two hours to create some wonderful photos and get a wide variety of photographs. (Especially if you have a change of clothing and have brought props!)  So please don’t be late so that it doesn’t affect the time we have together.

– Text us when you arrive.  I will provide you with a cell phone number and you can text us when you are there.  Chances are we are usually there 15 minutes + in advance, so once you arrive we can get to shooting!

– IF you are bringing your kids/dogs/pets, please bring someone who can watch them when they are not involved in the photos.  Someone who can take them to the park, for a walk, or for ice cream.  We want you to be relaxed for the camera not screaming “Don’t eat/touch/chew/climb/ that” (you get the drift), while we are taking pics, we want you to be your calm, cool, collected self!

– Bring a friend to help you carry stuff.  No harm in that, if they are willing.  Plus you can trade off sessions and carry stuff for them when it’s their turn to get in front of the camera some day.  IF it’s raining you may want someone to come to carry the umbrella and guard your hair/accessories/clothing”

– That brings us to RAIN or Extreme Snow/weather.  Yes, I said it.  It rains, it’s a fact of life.  Rain can make for some wonderful imagery, and can also ruin your dreams for your session.  It all depends on what you are looking / hoping for.   If you don’t want to shoot in the rain, please let us know and we can reschedule not a problem.  If you DO want to shoot in the rain, please let us know as we will have to bring extra things to protect our gear.  If the weather is just too extreme, we reserve the right to postpone the session.  We don’t mind a little bit of rain, but we don’t want you or ourselves getting injured in a severe thunderstorm!  We can always reschedule.  Safety is of the utmost importance.  If it’s raining and you have let us know you do not want a “Rain” session, then let’s check in with each other the day of and make a judgement call then.   If you do decide to go ahead in the rain, remember your hair and makeup will probably not last long, but do it anyways! Bring extra extra clothing.  One to change into for possibly the second half of the session and one to change into for the drive home.

– We have been asked to throw things in our camera bag as we walk around and shoot. Please know we can’t be held responsible for lost or stolen items.  So please bring a carry bag with you for throwing in your odds and ends (usually sunglasses/keys/cellphones)

– Wear things that flatter and complement your body.  You don’t like your “rolls” (who does?!?!) Then wear a scarf or shawl to hide those things.  (Also good idea for wedding day, veil’s do more then add drama, they hide things we may not want others to see, while still allowing us the freedom to wear the dress we want.  I didn’t like how my back was when I got married, so I decided a veil would hide that perfectly for me!) Don’t like your calves, wear long pants or a long skirt.  Hate your arms (I know I don’t like mine!) then wear long sleeves.  Help yourself out in the photos (and your fiance!) We ALL have things we don’t like about  ourselves.  I have had size 0’s tell me they don’t like how their waist line looks in photos.  (Honest truth! You laugh but it’s true!) then wear a long shirt to cover that waist line, or a long dress!  Remember, I will edit your photographs for colour, contrast, brightness etc…but I can’t change your weight/height/nose etc…  So again, dress in a manner that complements your body type!

– What to wear…what to wear?!?!? It really can make or break how wonderfully unique your session is! What you wear goes far in helping along your session. It drives how you feel, how your fiance feels, and the over all look of the session. Try and wear clothes that match the season. If it’s fall, go for fall colours and long sleeves with a nice fall jacket. If it’s spring, go for some pastels. Guys, if your gal is dressed up, don’t show up in your old pair of adidas with your converse track shorts on. Dress nice too. If she’s casual, still don’t show up in your beaten up adidas sneakers and converse track shorts. Instead wear a relaxed pair of jeans and a nice shirt to complement the colours she is wearing. You don’t have to match, and you shouldn’t instead, again, wear colours that best complement each other. If she’s wearing blue, then go ahead and wear some yellows. If she’s wearing peachy coral, then go ahead and wear dark blue.

 

– Shoes shoes shoes! What can I say about shoes…Have a cute pair of shoes you’ve been dying to wear but haven’t had the occasion? Well NOW is the occasion! It’s time!! But bring a pair of comfy flats in case we walk for a bit. I don’t want you limping because those gorgeous shoes aren’t broken in yet!

– Accessorize! Don’t be shy, but don’t overdo it either where it just looks tacky. Put that cute belt on, or those funky earrings, bring that purse that matches your outfit so wonderfully. Guys, wear that bow tie, or those funky socks, or those new sunglasses. How about some cowboy boots and hats? Go for it!

– Bring a change of clothes. One casual, one dressy. Wear your dressy first. It’s easier to go casual after being dressy then vice versa. Especially if you need to do a quick change in close quarters (ie…your car!)

– Your engagement session is a great time to book your trial session with your hair and makeup artist for your wedding. Even if you don’t normally wear makeup, I strongly encourage you to put some on for our session. Cameras now a days are very sharp and pick up lots of details. Make up helps to highlight your all ready beautiful features!

– Polish your engagement ring! I will photograph it too so that you will have a great photo to make sure all your friends and family see your new BLING! Why not show it off?  Your engaged! Let the whole world celebrate with you!

– PROPS: What helps to define you as a couple? Do you like movies? Books? Long walks in the rain? Think about things you like to do together and bring props to reflect that. Think about who you are as individuals and what attracts you to each other. He likes to fix cars and you love seeing him under the roof of his vehicle, tinkering? Then bring a mechanics book, or some tools, or maybe even a vintage car! She loves sushi? Then let’s start your session at a sushi bar?? We can sip Sappora’s and order a plate of sushi! I will photograph you eating and talking! All in good fun! Then we can head out of the restaurant to grab more scenic shots. But let’s get some photos that people will see and automatically think “that’s so them!!”  Like walks in the rain and it’s not raining? Who cares!! Bring an umbrella and your rain boots!   Maybe we can find a small water park and pretend it’s raining!

– YOURSELF: Most importantly bring yourself. Of course your physical self, but also your fun, happy-go lucky self. Don’t like being in front of the camera??? Don’t worry…No one does! (Unless maybe you’re a model). The first 15-20 minutes of our session is what I call the “warm up session”. We will get to know each other, you will probably be stiff and unsure. But once we hit our stride after those first initial minutes, you are loose and we start to capture you and who you are as a couple!

Although these inspiration boards are geared more towards non-winter sessions, don’t fret.  Cute jackets and scarves and gloves make for great fun in the winter. Even bring some earmuffs and get out those boots! Hope these boards help you to come up with something Fashion-abulous for your session! Remember it’s all about colour coordinates and throwing in something to dress up your album.  The details are great, don’t overdo it and again bring your fun, easy-going selves!

See you at your session!