Six Tips for taking your Engagement Pictures
As you prepare to have your engagement pictures taken, I talked with some lovely photographers about their engagement picture tips to share with you.
With many thanks to websites like Pinterest and Lover.ly along with amazing blogs like Style Me Pretty, 100 Layer Cake, Heart Love Weddings and so on… we see some of the most perfect photographs of couples that are “so in love”. Now, I don’t know about you but some of my favorite pictures are the ones that are just overflowing with the couple’s personalities and energy.
Engagement photo of some of our favorite filmmakers Natalie and Mark of Birdhouse Productions by the fabulous With Love and Embers
As an engaged couple, getting ready to take their photos, it’s very easy to go online and see a bunch of amazing photos and start to over think it. You want your photos to look like that. You want you and your partner to look that in love. You want your hair, make-up, and outfits to be perfect. You want a blemish-free day. You want perfect weather. Keep all this up and you’ll want a large martini before it even starts. And then you’ll be drunk. And that’s not good for pictures.
So here are my tips.
1. Be yourselves
The biggest mistake you can make is trying to be somebody else in your photos. If you try and be as cute as “that couple you saw online” or copy their pose it will look fake, copied and forced. What you and your partner share between you IS special all on it’s own. You don’t have to try and force it. Just let it come out.
2. Work with a great photographer
Yep, I snuck a relative term in there didn’t I? Hiring a great photographer is a must if you want great photos, right? Well, it’s true. But when I say great, it’s more than just their skill. You need to gel with your photographer(s). You need to enjoy their company and you will have a sour face sneak into some of your photos.
3. Use props — or don’t
Super clear, right? If you’re a prop person and/or have something meaningful you’d like to include in your photos – go for it. If not, don’t stress. Some of my favorite photos just include two people, a gnarly backdrop and a lot of love.
4. Location, location, location
The spot(s) you choose to have your photos taken are important. But they don’t need to be the Grand Canyon for them to be impactful. Think outside the box. Love to cook? Use your kitchen. Love to read? Hit the local library. Love the outdoors? Throw on some hiking gear and go for it. Make sure it reflects your likes as a couple.
5. Give yourself options
When it comes to your wardrobe, give yourself options. I can bet that if you pick one outfit for the entire session, you will regret it. Or at least, I would. Obviously, you want to run this past your photography team first – but it never hurts to ask! And think about colors. You don’t need to match your partner, but you shouldn’t clash either. Think about contrasting colors on the color wheel if you get really stuck.
6. Have fun
This one is almost as important as the first one. And it should come automatically. But give yourself time for your partner and you to warm up in the front of the camera and you’ll find as the time goes on, you’ll be having more and more fun.
So stop making that Pinterest board of “Must Have Shots” and start playing around in front of a mirror. Have fun, laugh, be silly, be romantic, be sexy, be innocent, be playful… be yourself.
