Now that you’re engaged, you deserve to celebrate and capture this special season in your love story. Still, I know that your engagement photo session can feel a bit daunting. To help you calm any nerves and help you truly enjoy the moment, here are 10 tips to help make your experience feel fun, natural, and memorable.
10 Tips for Absolutely Rocking Your Engagement Photo Session
Treat Your Engagement Photo Session Like a Date
One of the very first tips I share with couples planning an engagement photo session with me is to treat the experience like a date. If you want, have a meal beforehand or plan drinks after. During your session, interact in a way that feels authentic to you, whether that’s holding hands, cuddling close, or sneaking kisses on the nose. The more you stay present with each other, the better. Plus, these small, intimate moments are what makes your photos feel personal and special.
Focus on Doing Things You Already Love
Think of your engagement photo session as a chance to document something you already love doing together. Whether that’s walking your dog, going for a hike, or rock climbing, it’s an opportunity for you to have fun and create memories you’ll cherish for years to come. Also, by doing something you already enjoy, any pre-sessions nerves will quickly fade away so you can just be yourselves.
Choose a Location That Feels Like You
You don’t need to travel to a far flung destination for your elopement photo session. Whether you want to visit a cozy forest, stroll through your neighborhood, or cuddle in your backyard, choose a place that feels true to you and your spirit. I especially love when couples pick a location that holds special meaning, like their first date or proposal spot, or simply somewhere they can truly be themselves. The more relaxed and comfortable you are in your setting, the more natural the photos will be.
Need some inspiration on where to hold your engagement session? Here are some of my favorite locations in Oregon to help you find the perfect spot.
Wear Something That Feels Good On You
Chances are you’ll be moving, snuggling, and playing a lot during your photo shoot, so wear something that’s comfortable and lets you breathe. If possible, avoid stiff fabrics that you’ll need to constantly adjust or are hard to wear. While picking trendy pieces is totally fine, what matters most is wearing something that reflects your personality and makes you feel confident. If you love dressing up, go for it! But if a jeans-and-sweater vibe feels more true to you, thats also perfect. If you’re still looking for tips what to wear, read this guide that shares all of my engagement outfit tips.
Bring Your Pet (Seriously)
Including your pet is the perfect way to break the ice help you feel more relaxed. While there are important things to know when bringing your furry friend to your engagement session, you’re guaranteed laughs, cuteness, and a vibe that’s uniquely yours. Plus, bringing your furry friend along gives you both something else to interact with that feels warm and familiar.
Pro tip: Bring a friend along or hire a service to help watch your pet so you can have a few solo shots.
To see what an engagement can look like with your pet, check out Hailee and Eddie’s Mt Hood session.
Trust Your Photographer
It’s completely normal to feel awkward during your engagement photo session. In fact, I speak to many couples that are initially uncomfortable in front of the camera. As your engagement photographer, I’m here to help calm any nerves and guide you through your session. We’ll ease into the experience, and I’ll make sure to give you natural, flattering prompts that highlight your connection and help you look amazing. It’s totally fine if you don’t know what to do, that’s what I’m here for!
Focus on Each Other, Not the Camera
The engagement photo session is all about you! Laugh, dance, whisper, kiss — soak in this time as if no one else is around. Your chemistry and connection is what makes your photos meaningful. And if you’re ever unsure what to do, don’t fret. I’ll be right there to help guide you through it all in a way that feels candid and natural, gently encouraging you to play, interact, and have fun together.
Play and Move Around
Speaking of candid and natural poses, I love when couples play and move around during their session. I’ll share fun prompts encouraging you to laugh, let loose, and connect with each other. If you’re up for it, I can bring music just in case you feel like breaking out some dance moves. Not only will the experience feel more playful and fun, but it also adds more variety and makes for more memorable photos.
Don’t Be Afraid to Get a Little Silly or Messy
Your engagement photo session is a chance to embrace unplanned moments. Windblown hair, sandy toes, or an impromptu piggyback ride are all part of the experience. In fact, these spontaneous scenes are often the most magical and memorable. The session is all about being real, not perfect, and oftentimes, these end up being the photos that you’ll love most when looking back on the day.
Make It Fun
At the end of the day, your engagement session is all about celebrating your love in a way that feels totally you. I’m here to make sure that you feel confident, connected, and comfortable the entire time. It’s my goal to help you fully focus on the moment and forget that there’s a camera around.
I hope that you feel excited and confident for your engagement photo session after reading these tips! However, if you’re still on the fence about whether or not you should book an engagement session, check out this blog for my thoughts on why these photo sessions are important and the best time to book yours.
Ready to start planning your engagement session? Reach out here — I would love to help you start planning. Or, check out a few past engagement sessions for inspo below!
