Cool Stuff
How to have an Engaging Engagement Shoot By photographer Chris Sherburne
Take a look at any great engagement photos and you will notice a common thread running throughout.
Story. Where Will You Be?
The first thing a bride usually thinks about when she is deciding on the location of her engagement photos is “pretty.” And why not? It seems to make perfect sense – at first.
However, there’s more to great photos than finding a pretty place. Your engagement photos should breathe the story of your love. They should come alive every time you look at them.
A great engagement session will spin the yarn of your relationship; from the first date to the “Will you marry me?” and everything in between. You should be able to look back on your photos 40 years from now and still remember that time you both got into an argument over who was going to pay for dinner. And subsequently making up in the parking lot 30 seconds later.
Many couples go into their engagement session and don't have a clue about what to do or how to act in front of a camera. This situation often makes for a very stiff and unnatural shoot. Sure, a photographer should be able to give you some direction, but your photos will lack the fire of your love.
So how do you have a great engagement shoot that is authentic to you?
Grab your pen and the notebook you have been planning your wedding in since 5th grade, and get ready to do a little pre-session homework.
WED The Magazine
Instead of trying to think of a pretty place, roll through the locations in your memory where you had great moments in your relationship. Not only will these places bring back more memories when you look back at your pictures, they will also allow you to escape in the moment during the actual shoot.
Did you love to take a stroll along the beach at night and dream about the future? How about sitting under a large oak tree or the busy city sidewalk where the world stopped for you? A favorite place to have a picnic or perhaps the loft of a barn where you got into that hay fight?
Go back to those places where you have memories and see if they would be great for your engagement photo shoot. Before you decide upon a final place, here are a few questions to ask yourself about your engagement photo session:
Are you looking for close up images or scenic panoramas?
What time of day will you take your pictures?
What do you want the photos to say about you and your love?
What will your photos make you remember in 40 years?
April/May 2011
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