How to Nail Your Engagement Session || Notes from Behind the Camera
Sometimes I feel like a broken record (ha! I had to - you'll see why) when I say my favorite sessions tend to be the ones where the location we are shooting has meaning to the couple. Whether it's a first date spot, a shared love of the beach or the mountains, a favorite hobby, the town in which you reside together, or in the privacy of your own home; when you have your photos taken in a place that means something to you odds are you'll like the images better. There's a number of reasons behind this. When you plan your session in a location that has meaning to you, you'll feel comfortable in the environment you're in. When you're not used to being in front of a camera other than an iPhone or maybe even at all, a photography session may seem pretty intimidating. I wouldn't expect you to know what you're doing or feel comfortable "modeling," because chances are you don't do that for a living. When you're comfortable in your surroundings that takes at least one scary factor out of this equation. When you're comfortable, you're more you. That's the biggest key to having a great session - just be yourself!
To kick things off at Hannah and Hart's engagement session, we met at their favorite local bar for some craft cocktails and food for a mellow start. Then, we ventured on to a nearby cactus garden for Hannah's love of cactus and their shared appreciation of the city they have loved living in together before they moved back to Sacramento.
Not only that, but when you look back at these photos you'll not only remember what a special time it was in your life to be engaged (or x,y,z), but you will be drawn to all the good memories beyond that from where the photos are being taken.
Rachel and Mike love the neighborhood they have called home for so long and decided to hit various spots around town for their engagement session. It was important for them to include their neighborhood in their session because their wedding will be out of town.
My goal is to document this special time in your life and see the authentic love story within it. When you're feeling comfortable you're able to portray the relationship that you have. Laughter, sweet glances at each other, snuggles, and intimacy come easier. These are all the things that we typically never get to document if everything is staged and posed, yet these feelings are so special and real.
When you're in the midst of wedding planning and you would love to have engagement photos done, I completely understand the overwhelming feeling of having to decide yet one more thing. To some of you, picking out a location may feel daunting. It's okay if you don't have a go-to special spot. Maybe you're pretty introverted like me and just really value time at home with your significant other. If that's you, photos inside your home together will most likely have way more meaning to you than some epic shot on top of a mountain. If you don't think you have a photography worthy interior (you might be surprised) that's okay too. It's not going to make or break your session if you don't have a location that equally tugs at both of your heart strings. I love to provide options of beautiful locations that I enjoy shooting at and know my way around. Or new exotic locations that I've never been to before. I have a rolodex (sticking with the retro theme here) full of them. The location can definitely help dictate how the session may go, but honestly so can a lot of other things like the weather, traffic, and other life stresses.
Bottom line - make your photography session about you. Relax, have fun, and above all just be yourself.
Nick and Andie wanted to stay within their neighborhood and implement their love of music throughout their session. We started off doing a quick Abbey Road, Beatles cover remake (see above!) and then headed down the road to their favorite record store. We ended the session with a peaceful hangout on a hammock overlooking the water on Sunset cliffs where they love to spend time together.