PURPOSE OF YOUR ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS
Your engagement photos can serve many purposes. You can choose to use them as part of your Save The Date for your wedding. You can also use them as part of the decor on your wedding day – either during the ceremony or on your tables for the reception; you may even choose to use them in your Guest Signing Book or an Engagement Album. There are many uses for these beautiful engagement photos and I am positive you will absolutely LOVE them! You can choose to book an engagement session as a stand alone or as part of one of my existing wedding packages. You can contact me for more information on this.
HOW THE ENGAGEMENT SESSION WORKS
Every couple is different with different personalities and different levels of romance and chemistry. For that reason, we approach each engagement session differently. I like to meet with the couple beforehand to plan out things like locations, times, wardrobe. During this meeting I try to learn more about the couple to get a feel for how they interact with each other. This is very important in deciding how I approach the session.
I generally start a session by having the couple interact with each other without any direction or interruptions from me. I stay back and observe the interaction and I try to get natural organic images of them from a distance. Once their comfort level increases I start posing them in simple effortless poses that require no thought. This eases them into the session and builds them up for a more fun-filled and energetic session with lots of interaction and physical touch. The most important thing about the engagement session is that I build a close relationship with the couple which in turn builds trust and leads to great images.
CHOOSING LOCATIONS FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION
The beauty about an engagement session is that we have the freedom to meticulously select which locations we want to use. The location can be somewhere sentimental to the couple, e.g. the place where they met, or had their first date, or first kiss… or it could just be a scenic environment that is just awesome. Some persons prefer to have a city vibe with architectural backgrounds, or a garden setting with lush green vegetation, or an environment with lots of water like the beach, a river or waterfall. All these factors can influence how we choose the location. If you need any recommendations for some of the most amazing locations all across Jamaica, please feel free to ask.
THE IDEAL TIME TO TAKE ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS
This really depends on a number of factors, however the best time for any type of photos is just after sunrise and just before sunset. With that said however, the location, time of year, travel requirements and distance, will all influence the time of day to shoot. If we have an engagement session planned for out of town for the entire day, we may visit a number of different locations at different times of the day. Your wardrobe may also influence the photos and certain clothes are best shot at specific times of the day in specific environments – although you could choose to be different and wear a formal tuxedo and cocktail dress in a jungle environment 🙂
YOUR WARDROBE MATTERS
Your engagement photos are supposed to be very special and you want them to stand out and make a bold statement! That said, your wardrobe should reflect your personalities and make you comfortable. You can choose to have different ‘looks’ for your photos – casual, formal or even swimwear. These different looks will ofcourse influence the type of clothes you wear. I strongly recommend that you wear clothes that work with or complement each other. You can opt to make it fun by wearing matching outfits, or you can go completely over the top with a classic tuxedo and a formal gown. I always recommend wearing dark solid colours as light colours and patterns can be distracting in images.
ABOUT MAKE-UP
You do not NEED to have your make-up professionally done for your engagement photos, however if you feel the need to get your make-up done professionally, I recommend using the make-up artist you plan to use for your wedding day. This way you get a real life trial of the make-up which can ultimately boost your confidence. That said, there is absolutely nothing wrong with doing your own make-up for the session as this can save you time and money. If you do decide to do your own makeup just make sure it is not overly done and you have a natural look. If you need recommendations for good make-up artists, you can feel free to reach out and I can provide that.
PROPS FOR YOUR ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS
Props can add to the overall look and feel of your images, They add an element of visual interest, fun and creativity which shows off your personalities as a couple. Props, however, can also be a distraction as they can be cumbersome and add to the logistics and overall flow of the session. The engagement should be about the romantic interaction between the two of you. If you do want props in your images, please ensure that they aren’t overbearing and distracting from the main purpose of the session.
