If you're like me, you stalk Instagram and Pinterest for beautiful images. If you're recently engaged you may DEFINITELY stalk Instagram and Pinterest. My feed, as a photographer, is filled with gorgeous engagement sessions. Intimate, stunning, sunrise, sunset, mountain top, desert, seaside engagements. Each one more breath taking than the last. For me, these motivate me, encourage me, and make me yell, "Hell yes!" outloud which usually startles the cat. Or gets me an eye roll. I LOVE unique and stunning engagement sessions. After all, you and your partner and your love story are well, unique and stunning! As a Bride-to-Be though I'm sure it can be intimidating to cultivate a session like this, not to mention an elopement or wedding. There is so much to choose from! After all, this is probably your first time or maybe it's not but most people haven't attended, planned, at worked at multiple weddings. So get comfy and let's talk about some steps you can take to have a beautiful adventurous engagement session.
1. Do your research. | Congrats you're already doing it! Fist bump. Now just take notes. Keep stalking instagram, pinterest, and google for the sessions that move you and write down what you like and what you don't like. Easy Peasy.
2. Define the mood | What mood do you love in these photos? Dramatic? Cozy? Goofy? Intimate? Epic? Many engagement sessions capture more than one mood. Maybe its dramatic scenery but the two of you are just goofy. That's the best! But start to define what mood you love.
3. Location, location, location | While your photographer can help suggest locations for you, it's good to give them a sense of what you're looking for. Are you drawn to the mountain top? Desert? Sea? Or love being in your home? Favorite coffee shop? Or maybe brewery? Someone go get tattoos! I want to do a tattoo parlor engagement. Sorry, I digress. The important thing is what location both gets you excited and makes you feel comfortable? If you're dreaming of wearing your favorite heels, hiking up the mountain may not be your jam. You be you.
4. To dress up or not to dress up? Getting dressed up can add a sense of drama or uniqueness to your session. It can also spice up a more ordinary location. Make sure your partner is on board though. Not into gettin' fancy? No worries. It is important to feel comfortable and confident during your session. Focus more on colors that pop and coordinate, your favorite details, or getting cozy on a saturday morning in your home.
5. Get up Early and Stay up Late | Let's be honest. The sunrise and sunset are two of the most awesome things that happen on our planet. You can't stand in front of one without feeling changed. They're just awesome. So getting up to do your session as the sunrises is SO worth it. It does take commitment and risk though. You've got to get up early to get there and depending on weather its a chance. If you're not an early bird then head for the sunset. It's still epic and stunning! The golden hour is also where some of the most stunning images happen. I would also encourage you to stay a little past sunset. Not only does the light do some really cool things during this time but you might find something unexpected.
6. Be Up for Anything | The world's your oyster! Carpe Diem! And all that good stuff. One of the most important things you can do is trust your photographer and be ready to try anything. It may seem silly at the time but that's when some magical photos happen. Maybe your photographer is just getting you to loosen up. Trust them. Be silly, climb rocks, get wet, dance in the rain. Life is short and beautiful and so is your engagement session, so lean in!
7. You Be You | You might have guessed that theme already. More than location, or what you are wearing, THE most important thing is that you are confident and comfortable and yourselves. This may sound silly but not all of us our comfortable being ourselves in front of a camera. Your engagement session is the first documentation of the new you. The you that is now US. Officially with the legal stamp on it and everything. So figuring out what defines the two of you in your epic and adventurous love will be totally worth it.
Whether you're my client or not I'd love to hear your feedback and see your beautiful engagement sessions! Hit me up!
Cheers,
Beth
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