Engagement photos are such a fun part about being engaged! You get to document this beautiful time in your relationship and more than anything you just get to enjoy being engaged! (Click here for 5 reasons why you should take engagement photos!) That being said, engagement photos may seem daunting at the beginning. For a lot of couples it is their first time getting photos taken together! Continue reading for 6 awesome ways to slay your engagement photos!
1.) Wear comfortable shoes
You could honestly stop reading after this first tip because it is so important. There’s a good chance that your engagement photos will be taken outside & involve a considerable amount of walking! You don’t want to be wearing heels while walking up a hill right? Your shoes are rarely visible in your photos and even full body images usually don’t show your feet close up so no one will notice that you brought a nice pair of sneakers instead of heels! Couples who want to have nice shoes in their images should bring a second & more comfortable pair of shoes to wear between locations! If it rains the day before your engagement shoot there’s a good chance it’ll be muddy and you don’t want to damage your nice shoes!
2.) Schedule your shoot 1 hour before sunset
The best lighting comes when the sun is lower in the sky. Shooting one hour before sunset ensures that you have time to get the images you want with great lighting! Summer & fall are such popular seasons for engagement photos because sunset comes later in the day. Winter engagement shoots are beautiful but are often difficult to schedule since sunset happens close to 4pm! If you aren’t able to schedule your photoshoot in the “golden hour” bracket, I’d recommend shooting in a location with plenty of shade!
3.) Wear simple & muted colors (and no brands!!)
This is huge. Engagement photos are supposed to be about you two, not the clothes you are wearing. Clothing with large brand names take attention away from you and make the photo more distracting. Couples should opt for muted colors and simple patterns. This not only ensures that the two outfits will match, but it eliminates the chances of your outfit being distracting!
4.) Go dressier than normal
Most people look killer in dress clothes. However, dress clothes can often times be restrictive and uncomfortable. Finding a middle ground between casual and dressy is a great way to pick a killer outfit for your engagement photos. It’s a similar reason as to why you apply more makeup for photos. You have to dress up more than usual for the effect to be more obvious.
5.) Bring bug spray & a towel
Especially if you live in the midwest (like I do!) mosquitos and ticks are relentless during hot summer months. You should bring strong bug spray to make sure that you avoid as many bugs as possible! Excessive sweat is often a problem in hotter months & a couple small towels will go a long way in keeping the sweat at a manageable level.
6.) Have fun
Engagement photos are ultimately about having fun. While they may seem daunting, engagement photos highlight a beautiful time in your relationship. Engagement photos also provide an excellent opportunity to work with your wedding photographer beforehand. This makes taking your wedding portraits much easier!
