In this blog post I am going to go through the Top 15 Questions Couples always ask me about their Engagement Photography. Working as an Engagement Photographer for a while I’ve started to see a pattern in the types of questions couples ask me. There is no such thing as a silly question so I am going to try my best to answer all your burning questions for you here today.
Are engagement photos worth it?
As someone who has recently been married and also had Engagement Photos of my own, I think Engagement Photos are so worth it!! They are capturing a snapshot of your relationship at such an important time in your life. Like getting married, you’ll only be engaged once and having photos to remember this time by in years to come is always a good idea.
Now you may be saying, we will have Wedding Photos so why do we need Engagement Photos as well? Good Point, but I want you to think about all the scenarios in which you are going to use your Wedding Photos. Wouldn’t it be nice to have some other photos in normal clothes from a location that’s really special to you which you can use instead? That’s where Engagement Photos come in really handy because they capture the true essence of your relationship on a normal day!!
Why do people do engagement pictures?
Besides the things I mentioned above, Engagement Photos are amazing to use on your Wedding Invitations, Save the Date Cards and even slideshows at your Wedding. It’s always great to have more photos of yourself and your significant other and what a better excuse to have professional photos taken than during your Engagement.
Engagement Photography also acts as a great opportunity to work with and get to know your Wedding Photographer. In 95% of cases, your Engagement Photographer will also be your Wedding Photographer so getting to know them and their style is an excellent thing to do. Plus if you don’t like them you don’t then have to book them for your Wedding Day!
How soon after getting engaged should you take engagement pictures?
One questions that comes up a lot is how far in advance do you get Engagement Photos? Typically Engagement Photos happen within 1-3 months of getting Engaged. It is much easier to organise your engagement session in the early days of your engagement rather than later on when wedding planning starts to get a lot more hectic.
One thing to also take into consideration is how are you going to use your Engagement Photos? Quite a few people will use their Engagement Photos on either their Wedding Invitations or Save The Date card, meaning that you will have to get them done early in your engagement to give enough time for the photos to be ready.
What month is best for engagement photos?
This question is so subjective that I can’t really give a definitive answer. If it were me I would say April or May because I love Autumn and the Autumnal Colours always look amazing in Photos. However you may love springtime because flowers really bring you joy. Whatever time of year you love the most, try to have your engagement photos done then.
Try to think about the location for your photos as well and match that with the season and the outfit you would like to wear. Photos on the Beach can look strange in Winter when couples are dressed in long pants and Jumpers. If you want to wear a dress or lighter clothing maybe think about having your engagement photos in the warmer months.
What time of day is best for engagement photos?
Golden Hour — which is in the last hour before sunset. It is also the first hour after sunrise but not many couples are keen on a sunrise photoshoot. Although if you are keen, definitely hit me up and I will be there! That last hour hour of light in the evening always creates for the most flattering images and is very hard to replicate through the middle of the day.
Golden Hour changes throughout the year as the days get longer and shorter. In Sydney Golden Hour is from 4-5pm in Winter whereas in Summer it’s from 7:30-8:30pm. This means that weekday engagement sessions aren’t normally possible in Winter as most couples are still at work. Summertime Engagement Sessions are much more flexible.
How many pictures in an engagement session?
For me it’s about 80-100 fully edited images. My typical Engagement Session goes for 1 Hour which is plenty of time to walk around and capture heaps of amazing photos for my couples. If you did want a longer session of say 90 minutes to 2 hours then you could get yourself up to 150 fully edited images.
What should I ask my engagement photographer?
One big question to ask your Engagement Photographer is do they photograph Weddings as well. Building rapport and trust with a Photographer is crucial so you don’t want to do all the ground work with your Engagement Photographer just to realise you have to try and find someone else to photograph your Wedding.
Other questions to ask could be, how do you describe your Photography style? How long does it take to get the Photos back after the session? Do you have any suggestions for great locations around our area?
Do your engagement photos have to match wedding theme?
Not at all. One of the amazing things about Engagement Photos is that they are so separate from your Wedding Photos. I always encourage my couples to go to a location that they just couldn’t get to on their wedding day. Perhaps you love hiking but you’re getting married in the city. Consider getting your Engagement Photos high up in the mountains!
Just keep in mind if you are going to use these photos on your Wedding Invitations then you may not want to stray to far from the theme of the wedding otherwise they may look out of place and confuse your guests.
What should I bring to my engagement photos?
Props in photos are always a winner. Especially if you don’t like the typical photos and just want to have fun with your fiancé. If you love hiking and are doing your photoshoot in the mountains, bring your hiking gear and incorporate it into the photos. Maybe you love coffee and you want to do a photoshoot at a coffee shop. If you have a dog, bring them and we can get them in the photos. Get creative with it and let the photos show a full representation of you and who you are as a couple.
Want some ideas: Check out this recent Engagement Session with a Picnic + Donuts!!!
How should I pose for engagement photos?
Just be yourself. Far too often couples get caught up in posing or re-creating the most viral Instagram photos and it mostly leads to cringy photos that you won’t ever want to look back on. Being yourself and just having fun with it is the best way to create amazing photos that you will love. If you are nervous, just focus on your partner and move around with them.
Good Photographers will have prompts that can guide you into this state and make you feel more at ease about the whole situation. We get it, it’s awkward at first but most couples are complete naturals by the end of the session!!
What do you wear to an engagement shoot?
Clothes that you feel comfortable in. If you’re not comfortable or you feel self conscious, it will come through in the photos so make sure you like what you are wearing. I normally tell couples to wear light colours but nothing too bright. Whites, tans, pinks, blues always look good. Also try to avoid logos or over the top patterns (unless that is the vibe you are going for) because it can look really tacky and you may regret it.
This should also be a given but make sure the clothes fit you. Baggy clothes or super tight clothes can also look unflattering in photos so make sure you have tried on your outfit prior to the photoshoot. This doesn’t mean you can’t wear flowy clothes though. Dresses or skirts always look amazing in photos, plus adding layers like scarves or cardigans is also a thumbs up!
How many outfits do I need for engagement photos?
Normally only one. Unless you are doing a longer engagement session and have spoken about it with your photographer, you probably won’t have time for a change of clothes throughout the session. In the case that you are doing a longer session, a change of clothes can be really nice and add another look to the photos. Especially if you are going to multiple locations.
Is black (or White) clothing OK for engagement photos?
I would normally steer clear of really dark clothing as it can tend to blend into the background of some photos depending on where you are having them. Black jeans are normally fine however I would avoid a full black outfit. That said, if you normally wear black and feel comfortable in black then go for it. Just be conscious of your environment when choosing colours.
In terms of White clothing, I don’t think you can really go wrong. It ages really well and as long as the material isn’t too on the nose I think you will love how it looks in photos. I’m not saying that white is the best choice for engagement photos but you definitely can’t go wrong with white because it works in most environments.
How much should I spend on an engagement photographer?
A typical one-hour Engagement Session in Australia will cost you anywhere between $200-$500 depending on the Photographer and their skill level. It is totally up to you what you think is right to spend on a photographer because every couple’s budget and priorities are different.
Should I do an engagement session?
Hopefully you have made up your own answer on this question by reading though this blog post. Engagement photo sessions are such a lovely outing and most couples that I work with say that they love the experience a lot more than they thought they would. For most of them it’s their first time being photographed and when we are done they are so full of energy and can’t wait to go again. Of course the final photos are something you are going to treasure for years to come as well.
