Why You Should Say “I Do” To An Engagement Session
Getting to know your wedding photographer is one of the most important steps you’ll take to ensure you have gorgeous photos. It’s why I offer complimentary engagement sessions to every couple who book me as their wedding photographer. I find that this is crucial to our relationship. For me, I get to see your interaction with each other and your comfort level in front of a camera. As for you, this is the perfect opportunity for you to see how I work, how I direct you and most importantly, how we work as a team. Just as the bride and groom complement each other, it’s important that we complement each other as well, especially since I’ll practically be “up your dress” for your entire wedding day. LOL We’ll be spending many hours if not a weekend together, so it’s crucial that we have a connection that allows for another level of trust and intimacy going into your wedding day. When you think about it, I’m shooting the most important day of your life, and this trial run allows us to work out the kinks beforehand while giving me an edge in capturing the very best images for your wedding
Are you comfortable in front of the camera? Do you know how to position your body? Or do you shy away once you’re in the spotlight? With my background in art direction and production, the engagement session is a great time for me to work with you on your best angles: how you should hold each other, how you should stand to give you a leaner line, how to relax your body, where to put your hands, as well as allowing me to correct any issues I might see (clenched hands, slumping shoulders). That way, when your wedding day has arrived, you’ve already learned the most flattering positions for your body which allows you to be more comfortable with the process. For many of my brides and grooms, when it comes to their wedding day, I can see them auto-correcting themselves as I shoot, and not only does the entire process go by faster, we get FANTASTIC images. I can’t tell you how many guys I’ve converted from self proclaimed “haters” of the camera and awkward in front of the lens when we first began, only to announce after our session that they had fun and enjoyed the experience!
What you wear matters, so dress in something that allows you to feel absolutely amazing. Confidence is key when taking photos; you want to make sure you have something on that you feel great wearing and that doesn’t make you feel insecure. If you’re not comfortable about a certain aspect of your body (aren’t we all!), keep that in mind. Don’t force yourself into an outfit that you’ll be second guessing, it’ll show in the photos. When you feel positive about how you look, your photos will radiate that energy and we’ll have a successful shoot. When you feel negative about how you look, I’ll see it behind my lens. Comfort is key to looking and feeling your best!
Be season appropriate (a sundress when there’s snow on the ground just won’t work for a photo) and bring along items like hats, sunglasses, props, quick changes of clothes and your favorite pet to get the most out of your engagement session. We can be as conceptual and creative as you want, and while I’m familiar with the most beautiful places to shoot your session, I’m always up for a challenge. If there’s something more conceptual you want to try, run it by me. For example, my brother is Director of Pro Personnel for the NY Jets. We shot his engagement session at the Jets’ training facility and “spoofed” football team scenarios. Pat and Lex, another one of my couples, love to golf together, so we shot their engagement session on a golf course. So think of your engagement session as another opportunity to add your personal touch to the images.
When we’re finished, you’ll not only have gorgeous photos that your friends will envy, you’ll be able to use them for your wedding website, sign-in book, thank yous and framed around your affair, to name just a few ideas. And we’ll have completed the trial run so that when it comes to your big day, you’ll have a good idea of what to expect so you can relax and enjoy every moment.
