Planning Your Engagement Shoot: Six Tips
As the summer season begins to approach, couples are typically preparing to schedule their engagement photoshoots; you may now be asking yourself ‘how do I plan my engagement shoot?’. As you now may know, I find engagement shoots to be the best way for you and your photographer to get to know each other. Not only that, it’s the best way to prepare yourself to be comfortable in front of the camera before your wedding day. This way you’ll be natural when it comes to your posing and you’ll know all of the lingo that’s used. Planning a successful engagement shoot involves a decent amount of pre-planning several elements to make sure your photos capture the essence of your relationship and personality. Here are six tips on how to plan a successful engagement shoot.
1: Choose Your Season
The season of your engagement shoot will dictate the look of your photos
The season you have your engagement photos plays a huge role in the look, mood, and lighting of your photos. While Spring and Summer are generally the most popular time to have your photos taken, you want to stick to a season that brings your personality to life. Not only that, but different seasons offer a variety of different poses and outfits, so if you’re looking to have a beautiful show with a flowing dress, summer might be your best bet!
Additionally, if you’d like to have your photos done indoors, then the season doesn’t play much of a role. Click the galleries below to view some seasonal engagement shoots
Fall Engagement Shoot at Western University: London Ontario
Spring Engagement Shoot at Campbell Cross Farms
Summer Photo Toronto Bluffs and Downtown Toronto
Winter Photoshoot at Distillery District
This is a great segue into the next tip: location!
2: Choose Your Location(s)
Your location(s) will often be dictated by the season you select
Deciding the locations for your engagement photos can overwhelming because of how many great options there are available. My suggestion is to narrow down a couple of meaningful spots that reflect your vibe and relationship. It could also be where you first met, your favourite coffee shop or a scenic outdoor location. I offer 2-hour engagement shoots and I recommend my couples go for two different outfits: one formal and one casual. This way we’ll have two different locations and a variety of photos.
If you don’t know where you’d like to have your photos taken, be sure to ask your photographer. We usually have really spots that will make you shine. Some locations do require a permit to photograph, so be sure to consult your photographer!
3: Consider the Time of Day
Try to avoid mid-day photoshoots as it’s the harshest time of day
I always tell my couples to avoid mid-day photoshoots because that’s when the sun is the harshest. Since my engagement shoots run about 2 hours, I always prefer to have my engagement shoots either in the morning or two hours before sunset. This allows us to get those beautiful golden hour sunset and blue hour photos. Click here to view a beautiful sunset photoshoot, and here for a beautiful blue hour engagement shoot.
4: Props and Accessories
Hats? Picnic baskets? Don’t be afraid to accessorize!
I’m always in favour of bringing props or accessorizing for your engagement shoot. This can be flowers, blankets, balloons or sentimental objects that represent your relationship. It’s a great way to separate your engagement photos from everyone else’s and make it more unique.
5: Search Engagement Shoot Inspo
Pinterest and Instagram are fantastic apps for inspo!
There are plenty of couples that are nervous about sending inspo photos to their photographers. I, on the other hand, think it’s a great idea because it’s all about helping bring your vision to life. While we can’t always photograph the same look due to logistical reasons, we’ll always be able to replicate it and put our spin on it.
6: Relax and Have Fun
This day is about you. Take a step back, relax and enjoy yourself!
Relax and enjoy the experience. Embrace the moment with laughter, love and affection.
Engagement shoots aren’t just about capturing beautiful images; it’ an opportunity to get to know your photographer and for your photographer to get to know you, and prepare you for your wedding day photoshoots. By following these tips and embracing the process, you will ensure that your engagement shoot reflects your unique personality and love story.
To view some of my engagement shoots, along with wedding galleries, you can view my portfolio here. Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram.
