One of the best reasons to book engagement sessions with your clients is to use the time to get to know each other. The more comfortable a couple is with your style of direction and communication, the better and more relaxed they will look in their final images. Including an engagement session in your photography services gives you an opportunity to connect with your couples and learn their particular quirks, habits and the keys to making them feel great and look amazing.
But, what is the trick to capturing the best, most authentic engagement photos? If it take a whole engagement session to prepare for a wedding, how will you prepare for an authentic engagement shoot?
The keys to authentic engagement photos are good choices and clear directions. If you can remain flexible and treat your engagement session like a very important learning opportunity, you can leave with outstanding images and happy clients – a great place to start on the wedding day.
Choose the Right Locations
While you may be famous for your beach engagement shots, your couple may be more at home in the woods – or maybe at their home! During your initial consultation, find out as much as you can about their mutual likes and dislikes, where the met, where they hang out, and what they envision for their engagement photos.
Be open to their ideas as well as willing to share thoughts of your own. Consider shooting at frequent hangouts, or capturing your clients as they participate in a hobby they share. To get the best variety of images, plan enough time to shoot in at least a couple of different visually interesting locations.
Communicate Clearly
With any luck, by the wedding day the three of you will be reading each other’s minds, but start your relationship with clear communication. StyleMePretty shared great advice with couples, coaching them to “focus on each other, not the camera.” If your clients should be looking at your lens, it needs to be when you have asked them to. In order to capture authentic moments, they should be talking to each other, interacting as closely as possible to the way they would normally, and trusting that if you want them to pose, change or act in any particular manner, you will explicitly ask them.
Begin your session by explaining your expectations, how you will communicate your directions to them, and by encouraging your clients to ask as many questions as they wish. Always remember that this is very likely their first such session so you are helping them ease into their roles.
Copyright : antonioguillem / 123RF Stock Photo
Set the Mood
As Brides.com recommends first and foremost, the most important thing your clients need to do to get great engagement images is to have fun. Genuine happiness shows. Do your part by keeping the mood light, making sure everyone is comfortable, and moving from one scene to the next in good time (boredom and pain both show, so if something isn’t working, move on!).
Your patience and professionalism during your engagement session will pay off when it’s time for our clients to don their tuxedo and gorgeous wedding dress, and the real pressure is on. If you’ve done your job well, you will not only provide your couple with incredible, authentic engagement images, but also the reassurance and support they need to actually enjoy their wedding day.