How to have a great engagement session and not be awkward in engagement photos is the goal of every single couple of ours. And without fail, every couple apologizes ahead of the session for likely being the most awkward. We assure them it’s a title they aren’t likely to capture (yes, we’ve seen some real awkward people in our day!) And so far we’ve proven everyone wrong. But, there are a few tools in our belt which help on this.
Bring along some support.
Bringing your dog along can provide great engagement photos, and it never hurts. Not only does this satisfy our love for pups, but it’s also a great distraction. The less focused you are on yourself, the more natural you will end up being. Although we don’t recommend spending the whole session being a helicopter dog parent. Take advantage of having us there, and let one of us be on dog duty (duty, not doodie.) Definitely bring treats along so your pup is more likely to listen to us!
Bringing a friend (or friend couple) to your engagement session can also be a great way to keep things fun and relaxed. You can even turn it into a double date and grab dinner after your session. You’d be surprised how having some friends there to support you, or heckle you can lighten the mood. 🙂
Make sure you power up!
Second, bring energy! This is where Jaime and EJ come in. They prepped for great engagement photos with some pregaming at local favorite with some pizza and beer. Then showed up ready to have fun! Their energy was overflowing. Nothing makes our job easier than when you are moving. Dance, piggyback, tickle, carry each other – whatever is “you.” As long as you’re in motion, the smiles will come naturally. Even if they are just over laughing at yourselves. We promise the photos will look fun even if you feel goofy. No one else is watching (sometimes not even us, because we’re so focused looking through the viewfinder!) Having a drink or two can be an effective way to loosen up, but keep it light, having too much liquid courage can show up as tension in photos.
Keith’s favorite phrase is, “Good…good…awkward!” Yup, we’ll let you know if someone isn’t working. And it will likely be because we asked you to try it. So, when in doubt, go with what feels natural.
Dance like nobody is watching.
Here’s a secret, even if they are watching, if you’re dancing like they’re not, they’ll be jealous and wish they were having the same carefree fun time that you are. They may head home and Google How to Have a Great Engagement Session!
Keep your eye on the prize!
Having a pile of great engagement photos to enjoy, whether you’re using them for ‘Save-The-Dates’, sharing on social, or hanging them at home is such a great and long lasting reward for having a fun time hanging out with your fiancé while another fun couple takes pictures of you. (We’re the other fun couple in this scenario)
What to wear?
The answer to this question starts with the dreaded “It depends on what you’re looking for.” Our first suggestion is to always focus on wearing things that make you feel confident. You should avoid wearing something that is going to keep you overly concerned about how you look. Dressing in themes can be fun and an easy way to stylize a session. Think flannel and jeans, your favorite team, night on the town, etc. Having more than one outfit is a really good idea and easy way to get variety in your engagement photos. Having a backpack with you and choosing clothes that are easy to swap can also help.
Here are a few technical tips:
Always stay connected.
Touch is essential. No dancing like you’re in 6th grade. Pull those hips together, and always have hands on one another.
Don’t talk.
This might sound weird, but there’s nothing worse than the “perfect” photo messed up by pursed lips or a crooked mouth. Look in each others’ eyes, but hold off on talking. As an added bonus, it’ll probably make you laugh.
Keep moving.
Flow together. Pretend it’s a couple’s workout. Hold hands and skip. Twirl one another. Dip, dance, jump up and down, start a snowball fight or chase the waves. We don’t like sitting still. You shouldn’t either.
The payoff? Great engagement photos! See below. They’ll make you smile even if you weren’t there.
EJ & Jaime met us in Kittery, Maine ready for a 2 mile walk. But we never made it past the beach. We didn’t need to. Proving also that you don’t need an epic location for epic photos. Also giving their English Bulldog Brutus the workout of his life.
If you have any questions about your session or want to talk about ideas, head over to our contact page, we’d love to hop on a call.
