Steps for Creating a Personalized Engagement Shoot
Having engagement photos taken is such a great way to start off your newly engaged story. Getting photos taken by your wedding photographer helps you to get to know each other and helps you get comfortable in front of the camera so that it is one less thing to worry about on your wedding day. There is an overwhelming amount of engagement photos to look at and it can be hard to decide what type of shoot you want to do. So, I put together a list of steps you can take that will help you narrow down the type of shoot that would be right for you. But if you are still not sure, just reach out and I would be happy to help you style your engagement shoot.
BUILD AN PHOTOSHOOT SETTING THAT WILL TELL YOUR STORY, NOT SOMEONE ELSES.
Step 1: Think of Your Story
You want to make sure that your engagement photos reflect you as a couple and not just what you see on Pinterest or Instagram. Think of some of your favorite locations to go to, restaurants, bars, or parks. Or your favorite things to do, hiking, driving around, biking, painting, etc. Once you think of some of those things it helps to narrow down how to style your shoot to make it your own story.
Step 2: Find inspiration
Once you know a little bit about the direction that you want to take to show your story, now, you can hop on Pinterest. Look up things related to what you want to do. For example, look up “car engagement shoot” if you are really into cars or driving through the countryside. Then scroll through the photos and see what sparks your interest. Then start a page and add on. After you add enough, it will start to create an idea you can go off of.
Step 3: Finding your location
Take a little more time on this part. Finding the right location is very important to setting the whole scene for your photos. Sometimes it can come easy as it is a place you love going to, but sometimes it can be more difficult. Your photographer probably has a list of locations they love to shoot at, as well as a list of places they really want to shoot at, so don’t hesitate to reach out for help.
Step 4: Clothing style
I could write an entire blog about this, and I might but this part is very important because the type of clothes you wear can have a big impact on your photos. You want outfits that complement each other as well as stand out on their own. Pinterest will be your best friend in this section as well. Go back to your board and see what clothing people were wearing in the photos you loved. If you wear something flowy then you will have more movement and playfulness in your photos. Whereas if you wear structured clothes it will feel more editorial and sharp. Also, don’t forget to think of your accessorize. For fall, think of more layers and hats, and for spring lean on jewelry, scarves, or shoes for statement accessory pieces.
