So let me give you my honest take on this whole engagement photography thing and whether it’s necessary or worth it to schedule a session. Or you can just skip ahead to some of my engagement photographs.

So should we book an engagement session?

Ask yourselves this question first. Do you have nice photos of the two of you together? If the response is “Yes”, the answer might be to just save the money or put it towards something else. You don’t need “engagement photos” just because you are engaged. Really.

On the other hand, if you don’t have some nice and memorable photos together, or even if you’ve just seen some cool engagement photos and you want something like that for yourselves, then why not? It’s something fun to do together and you’ll have some great photos to look back on years from now.

Unlike your wedding day photos, where the photography is mostly about capturing an event as it unfolds, an engagement session can be done anytime with greater latitude for trying something different. I’ve had couples schedule it as soon as they were engaged so they could use the photos for their save-the-date cards and I’ve had a couple do it close as a week before the wedding day. There’s no right or wrong way to it, and that’s what I love about engagement photography. It’s a chance for me to work with you to create something beautiful together.

What can we expect from an engagement session?

Before shooting, we’ll concept ahead of time to come up with an idea to explore together. If you have something unique or personal you would like to incorporate, this is where we brainstorm.

When it’s time to shoot, I look to do two things. The first is to get some photos that captures how you are naturally. I will interact and guide you in a way that will allow you to feel comfortable enough that you can relax and forget for a few moments that you’ve being photographed. The second is to find play with the light and the environment so we can create something unique that you would be proud to frame up. This starts with picking a location, a time of day, and even what you wear. If you're unsure about what to wear, here's my advice: choose something timeless.

Below are some of my favorite engagement photos taken over the years. I draw from years of experiences planning fashion and travel portraits and combine that with the urgency of capturing things as they happen in real time with no second takes. Each shoot is different and unique because of all the elements at play. I’m excited to see what we can create together.

Are you ready for your session?

Did you get any ideas from the photos above? Do you already have your own ideas? Shoot me a message because I'm always up for creating something new together.