Amanda and Max

5 Tips for a Relaxing Engagement Session

In other words - how to be your best you!

It’s no secret that getting your picture taken isn’t the most enjoyable thing for the majority of people. When people think of professional photography they think of stuffy, cheesing posing, uncomfortable clothing, and a million other things that just sound all around unenjoyable. Ya’ll… that is NOT how I want you to feel when my camera is pointed at you! Photography is supposed to be fun, carefree, enjoyable, and most importantly memorable! Who the f*ck wants a picture to remember that day they hated? NO ONE!

I will never forget one specific engagement session (what’s up Dani and Dan!) where I was posing them into what I thought and engagement picture should look like and while they were willing, Danielle looked at me giggling awkwardly and said “We would never do this in our natural lives”. DUH! It was a straight up smack across the face. I was too busy trying to put my couples into a mold that I created that I neglected to let them be themselves! Now this is straight up my only mission. On to the good stuff.

Tip 1 : Dress in your own clothes.

I cannot stress how important it is to dress in something that you actually wear! So often I hear “I’m going shopping today!” and YAAAASSS! I will never turn down a good retail therapy session - but make sure you’re buying something that you would normally buy. Also, don’t feel the need to buy something at all! Raid your closet! Chances are you already own something that will look amazing! Stuck in a rut with your clothing? Hire my bomb stylist friend, Susan Padron, to show you the potential in things you already own! Shameless plug for my work wife but if you need a closet revamp - hit a girl up!

Torn on wether to dress fancy or keep is casual? Do both!! We can totally plan the time for you to change. It is super important to match your surroundings though! Don’t show up to your city session wearing cowboy boots. Vice versa - don’t bring me to a farm in your ballgown! A little juxtaposition can be super pretty but you don’t want to be out of place.

This also translates to your makeup. Everyone in the industry will tell you to go a little heavier because the camera isn’t as sensitive to it. I agree. But that doesn’t mean to rock a smokey eye if you’re normally a just mascara kind of girl.

Tip 2 : Bring Your Pets.

In case you’ve gotten to this blog post but know literally nothing about me - I f*cking love your pets. Couples ask me all the time, “Is it okay if I bring my dog(s)?”. Yes. Yes. 100 times, Yes. Bring along your fur babies but don’t expect too much from them. Kids and dogs photograph very similarly and it’s always a toss up. One basic thing to keep in mind when we are using fur babies - be their parents! Do they love to be held? Hold them. Do they love to give you kisses? Kiss them back! Do they love belly rubs, squat down and get in there, B! The best pictures with animals are 100% candid and filled with love because lets be honest - that’s what they bring to your life. If you plan on wearing your ball gown, maybe don’t bring along your fur babies because I will have you on the ground with them at some point. If all goes well and they end up smiling right at me? Goals. I will be there to capture it but lets not force it!

Tip 3 : Trust Your Photographer

You will be able to tell within 10 minutes if you should be able to trust your photographer. Hopefully you’ll be able to tell that prior to your session and prior to booking! I can’t even count the number of engagement sessions I’ve down at the point and shout out to my first few and being patient with me. But I’ll be damned that even when I first started I came with index cards filled with ideas incase I had a brain fart. Even my couples today will tell you that sometimes I need a brain break because I get so excited when I’m creating these beautiful images that I just flat out forget how to direct. Have faith in the poses, games, direction, locations, etc. that I or we are putting you in. Yes there might be a hella beautiful view behind you and I will do my best to encompass it, but guess what?! If that sun is making your beautiful faces look like something out of Tales from the Crypt I’m not going to spend much if anytime photographing you in that light! My job is to get you back picture you will love and see the you that an outsider sees. Let me highlight you in these weird ass locations with beautiful lighting!

Tip 4 : Pick a Good Location.

This could be a whole blog post in itself and might be one day but I’m going to touch on it here. What is a good location? I don’t mean pick the spot that everyone is going to or that you see all over the gram. I mean pick a location that has a few options to offer to your shoot! Don’t pick a park that has one pretty direction but is circled with parking lots and baseball fields if you don’t want cars and baseball fields in your images. Actually a dugout session would be pretty adorable. Note to self. But if that’s not your vibe than don’t pick that! Think of locations that will compliment your home’s aesthetic. Think of a location that means something to you. If none of these things are helpful to you then ask your photographer! I keep an ongoing list of places that I love shooting at and I can’t wait to add more to it. Don’t pick a location because I has one good bench you want to sit on. That 100% cuts off the creativity of your photographer. I can speak to it that we need the space to be creative if you want to get back images that reflect our portfolio and the reason you hired us. This ties in with trusting your photographer to take your location and transform it into your goals. And if all of that fails - know that some of the images on my website were taken in a bush next to a dumpster behind a parking lot. Truth.

Tip 5 : Relax.

Listen, I’ve been on your end of the camera. I know that my telling you to relax is easier said than done. But You can 100% tell in your images when you are relaxed. Don’t worry so much about your supposed double chin or the side of your face you hate. Focus on putting out fire energy that will radiate through my camera. If you want romantic images, be romantic. If you want playful images, be playful. I can’t make you anything that you’re not but I can heighten what you’re showing me during your session. This is another reason why engagement sessions are included in all my wedding packages. All of my couples tell me how much fun they had during their session and how it was totally different than what they originally had in their mind. These sessions help to make the excited for their wedding and my capturing the moments you will be creating! Get all those jitters out of the way! Drink a beer, do a shot, eat a brownie, brew some kumbutcha, whatever you need to do to show me the best version of you!

I hope this helps you to have the most enjoyable engagement session possible. Special shout out to the amazing Amanda and Max for being all that I desire in an engagement session. And once again for using their images as a platform for me to preach from. They are legit two of the kindest people I have met in a long time and in a world filled with such toxicity right now they are the breath of fresh air that everyone needs. I cannot wait for their wedding which is now a little less than a year away!!