9 Engagement Photo Tips to have the Best Photoshoot Ever
Engagement sessions are incredible for SO many reasons. Not only do you get super high quality photos of you and your favorite person being all cute and in love, but they give you and your partner an opportunity to get comfortable in front of the camera BEFORE your wedding day!! As a couples photographer, I guide my clients through the whole photoshoot with prompts and poses, directing their focus onto each other instead of the camera to get truly authentic emotions and giant, natural smiles. BUT there are also some things you can do to prepare for your engagement photos ahead of time! So here are some engagement photo tips to make your engagement session even more amazing than it already will be:
Engagement Photo Tips
1. Polish your ring(s) beforehand so they sparkle & shine in the photos!! ✨
2. Use your engagement session as a test run for your wedding day makeup!! Just be careful – if you’ve never had your makeup done professionally then I would tread with caution since you might not know what to expect, BUT if you’ve had experience with a makeup artist before this is a great opportunity to do your bridal test run 🙂
3. Make sure any clothes that need to be ironed are, in fact, ironed 👕
4. If you’re wearing a button down shirt in the warmer months, please wear an undershirt so your sweat doesn’t show!!
5. Do a “spin test” and a “jump test” in your clothes – if they don’t pass but you’re set on wearing that outfit, communicate with your photographer that you’re limited with movement!
6. Wear two outfits (if time allows) – I recommend something more formal and something more casual. It’s like having two different sessions in one and provides lots more uses for the photos!
7. Incorporate an activity that you both love into your session – think less props, more action! If you both love wine, bring a bottle of wine and cute glasses and a picnic blanket and have a little picnic. If you both love rollerblading, bring your freakin’ roller blades to the session!! This also goes a long way to helping the photos feel true to your relationship AND helping you feel comfortable in front of the camera since you’re focused on another activity.
8. Schedule a dinner reservation or plan a date night for after your session!! 🫶🏼
9. Talk to your partner beforehand and make sure you’re on the same page with what you want out of your session – everyone’s preferences & comfortability level with photos & PDA 😘
More Resources
I hope you learned something from this that you will be able to take away and use for your own engagement session!! If you want more tips like this, check out my blog 10 Questions To Ask Vendors Before Booking or How To Include Pets In Your Wedding. Or listen to my wedding tip podcast, The Busy Bride!!