Everyone wants to have an amazing engagement session, but most couples haven’t had professional photos done since senior year of high school! It can definitely feel awkward, nerve wracking, and very uncertain. After all, this is your first time doing any of this! You want awesome photos that reflect who you are as a couple while making you look natural, and embracing the location you love. There are some things you can do to ensure your engagement session is fun, comfortable, and brings out the genuine chemistry you have together. Here are some tips!

(Keep in mind these tips may not apply to all photographers’ styles, but if your photographer has a natural, documentary style, these tips are definitely for you!)

Make sure you’re on time! Many photographers schedule engagement sessions to be specific times due to the lighting at that hour. The sun holds all the power so it’s important to work with it. If you’re a bit late, it may get too dark and you’ll miss out on those amazing, golden photos. Take into account any traffic, hair and makeup delays, and pick out your outfit ahead of time. Your photographer wants the BEST photography experience for you. And being on time achieves exactly this! 🙂Let your photographer know if you have some ideas or concepts that are important to you. Of course, it’s crucial to trust your photographer and their repertoire of poses but we love to hear what would reflect you as a couple! We are open to any locations you love or themes that speak to you.Wear comfortable clothes you know you look great in and feel yourself in! If you’re a more casual couple, don’t feel pressured to wear heels or a tie. If you love a more upscale style, definitely work it! Also, I always advise couples to dress to fit the location they have chosen. Business casual looks a little off in the woods and a beachy/boho style doesn’t really fit in a mansion. Please don’t hesitate to ask your photographer if you need any help deciding what to wear! Here is a link to a Pinterest board featuring couples outfits: https://www.pinterest.com/andreavanorsouw/comfy-engagement-outfits-you-can-move-in/Don’t be afraid to put forth who you are! Typically couples will fall under two categories: introverted and intimate or extroverted and silly. Or both! If you’re more of an introverted type, your photographer may have you focus on just sinking into eachother. Be close to eachother, talk to eachother, just focus entirely on being with the person you love. For the more extroverted and silly couples, photographers have them focus on making eachother laugh and dance around together and just generally being goofballs. Whatever energy you bring to the table, your photographer will work with!Your photographers want you to be in your own little bubble. You don’t need to focus on the camera at all. Documentary photographers are there to capture exactly how you are as a couple- how you fit together when you cuddle, how you crack jokes to make eachother smile, how you interact together and the emotions that stems from all that. They’ll do a little bit of posing just to make sure you’ll be in the right place but I invite you to move around in any way that feels more comfortable. They’ll mostly give “actions” rather than poses. Documentary photographers are not into anything looking “staged” or “fake” so they’ll be giving some instructions that bring out natural movement and expressions. Some instructions might be weird but trust me, if you go with the flow, you’ll have an amazing time!Don’t be afraid of anything! The more you let go of any expectations and preconcieved notions about looking like a model, the better you’ll look. I promise. Pinky promise.