Getting to know your photographer before your wedding is an essential step to helping create those relaxed, organic, and timeless poses that you see shared in portfolios all over the world. The real star of the show here is how a photographers personality comes through and helps a couple feel comfortable in front of their cameras. This is an essential skill that every photographer should possess. Anchor & Lace has many years of experience and expertise to help you shine in front of the camera, and be photographed as the best version of yourselves.
Love and Laughter
Love and laughter really go hand in hand when it comes to documenting love stories. A photographer’s ability to connect with couples can really come in handy here. Just like you, this couple needed some guidance to feel truly comfortable when having their photos taken. Well, a little sense of humor can go a long way, but a big sense of humor can make moments like this happen. So, let your guard down, be silly, and have the most fun possible, since we will be right there with you.
Location, Location, Location…
When thinking of how you would like your story to be told, try to think about what you truly feel connected to as a couple. Locations can be suggested for you, but one that is more personal to your love story will feel more welcoming and play a bigger role as a backdrop to your story. So, do not be afraid to ask if your favorite brewery, hiking trails, beaches, playground, or even your own home, can be used for your engagement session.
The other thing you want to take into account is your wedding day. The kind of venue you have will play a big role here. Do you want to compliment your venue aesthetic or go against the grain and add a little contrast when it comes to picking your engagement session location? For example, you could be getting married in the city in a more urban location and then decide to do your session in the mountains on some forest trails.
Here are some examples of locations that work nicely for engagement sessions.
- Forest/Hiking Trails
- Mountains
- Cityscape/Urban
- Waterfront/Beach
- Flower Fields
Look Your Best!!
We often get a lot of questions about attire for engagement sessions. Well, we want you to look and feel your best. So, you should not stray too far off from clothing you feel comfortable in, but you should elevate your look a little bit for an occasion like this. So, we will point out how to best coordinate your outfits for a really successful session, and also point out to things NOT to wear and what to avoid.
Try to compliment one another, as opposed to being super matchy matchy. Let’s say you are in a nice blue floral print, and your partner could wear nice blue jeans and a plaid button down shirt or flannel in the same color family. You could also do a pop of color that picks up on colors in your partners outfit by adding a scarf or jewelry that plays off the colors in their shirt.
Be wary of wearing animal print or very loud colors, as they do not photograph well, and can take away from the real focus here; the love you share. Also try your best to avoid wearing stark white or black. Wearing more neutral colors helps skin color to appear more true-to-color, and natural. Please also avoid wearing loud clashing patterns or colors.
The Perfect Light
Choosing the right time of year and the right time of day is super important when it comes to the end result. Trust that your photographer knows about light, and how to best use the sun for natural looking lighting that will better showcase the love you share. The sun can be a great lighting tool for a photographer, and picking the best time of day is something a photographer knows best. Rely on their expertise and take advantage of their knowledge, as this will get you the best results.
Sometimes, life gives you lemons, and you just have to suck it up and go for it. Those risks can provide you with great results. We have had countless times where we thought the PNW weather would cooperate, and that just wasn’t the case. However, the couples always just laughed it off and put big smiles on and had an amazing experience, despite the weather. See below for a session that took place in heavy rain, and the couple loved their Notebook inspired session.
Trust the Process!
If you hit a road block, and you need suggestions, listen to your photographer about all the finer details of how to pull off a super successful session. In this couples’ case, this was a session that took place after a proposal, super cute right? Well, what you do not witness is the well thought out timing and calculating the right time to be in a busy location, much like Pike Place Market. This was done on a weekday, just as the market was closing, and it allowed for the couple to be at the forefront, without all the added foot traffic of tourists and locals.
Another added layer to the process are permits and permission. Some locations are restricted and do not allow commercial photography without paying a fee, obtaining a permit, or both. Some locations are much more lax about it, and you can just show up and start photographing. The alternative is to email the location and ask for permission before assuming it is ok to use the location for your session. So, just make sure to do your homework before committing to one location and always have a back-up plan.
Ready for Your Close-Up?
Some of the photos done during your session might be a little more up close and personal. For this reason, we tell couples to think about using any hair and make-up trials the same day as their session. Scheduling to get this done will give you a nice trial run with both your beauty professionals and your photographer. This will also give you an opportunity to see how the beauty teams work looks in your photographs. From this trial run, you will be able to communicate any changes you would like to see made before your big day.
Ready to Book Your Session?
Ready to book? Let’s get to talking and coordinating how to get these same results for you. Ready to try something you do not see here? Want to go on a big adventure or keep it simple? We are up for any challenge, no matter how big or small. Telling your love story is important to us, and we are excited to get started on this journey together. We can not wait to spend this valuable time with you both.