How To Include Your Dog In Your Engagement Photos
Welcome to this photographer’s guide to including your dog in your engagement photos! Let’s look at some steps you can take to prep your dog, and yourselves, so that your engagement session goes without a hitch!
The Ultimate Guide To Bringing Your Dog To Your Engagement Session
Welcome to this photographer’s guide to including your dog in your engagement photos! As a dog owner that happens to be a wedding and engagement photographer, I understand two very crucial concepts:
1) You want to include your beloved companion in your session.
2) The one time your dog is not a perfect angel sent straight from heaven is when the cameras are out.
Let’s look at some steps you can take to prep your dog, and yourselves, so that your engagement session goes without a hitch!
Teach a “Focus” Command
In the weeks before your engagement session, you’ll want to set yourself up for success! Getting your dog to look in the correct direction, especially at a camera, can be a super difficult task. The dog likely hasn’t met the photographer before, and the size and shape of a large professional camera pointed at them could be a bit stress-inducing for the pup. Quite often, if the dog does end up looking at the camera, you’ll see them with an averted gaze, ears pinned back, scratching, or licking their lips - all signs of minor stress and the dog attempting to calm the situation
Ideally, every dog will look at and focus on their owners when their name is called. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. We humans tend to say our dogs’ names frequently, and they become conditioned to that sound and can learn that it doesn’t always mean something important! That’s why a “Focus” command is a great tool to have! It’s a cue that you can use that the dog is expected to regularly complete and it’s rewarded frequently, too. This way, you can use the phrase during the session if the photographer wants the dog to look at you, or the photographer can use the command when it’s time for the dog to look at the camera.
Here’s how to teach a focus command. During the dog’s regularly scheduled mealtimes, when they’re expecting food, ditch the bowl a few times per week. Instead, use their regular food and put it in a training pouch or similar slobber-proof container. Just make sure it’s easy to access the food and deliver it rapidly!
If you’ve done any formal training with your dog in the past, you’re probably familiar with the concept of a verbal marker and a reward. In dog training, a “marker” is an indicator to the dog that, in that exact moment, they’ve done something correctly. The “reward” is anything that the dog enjoys - food in this case. You’ll be speaking the verbal marker at the exact moment your dog does what you want, so choose a word that’s easy to say excitedly! Most people, including myself, choose the word “Yes!”
So, for your first session, grab your food, put your dog on a lightweight leash and simple collar, and find a quiet place in the house to do your first session. I like to sit in a chair when teaching this!
Sit down and keep the leash in one hand
Your dog may be confused at first and may try and walk away or sniff around, that’s okay! Just let that happen. You want to get those problem-solving juices flowing.
Keep an eye on the dog, but don’t say a single word. Just gently keep them in your vicinity with the leash.
The exact moment your dog looks at you in the eyes, calmly (but in a fun voice) say “Yes!” and deliver food to the dog. This is the first win!
Do this 3-4 more times, each time immediately marking (Yes) and rewarding simply when the dog looks at you.
On the last repetition, let the dog have the rest of the food after the final successful eye contact. You can dump the rest of the food on the floor as a huge jackpot, or simply continue feeding the remainder of the food by hand.
That’s your first session! Do this multiple times a week (or for every meal if you’re determined and the dog is motivated) in many rooms in the house. You may find your dog freely offering eye contact throughout the day. If this happens, keep treats nearby so you can always mark (Yes!) and reward that good behavior!
Now, to add the actual command! Now that the dog has the concept of, “eye contact is AWESOME” down to a science, it’s time to layer your command over that behavior. The steps are very similar to your first session:
Quiet room, leash in hand, sitting calmly on a chair. Let’s say your dog’s name is Moose for this example. 🤣
Wait for your dog to stop paying attention to you. A slight glance away or sniffing the ground is enough!
When they aren’t making eye contact with you, say “Moose, Focus!” Don’t say anything else and do not repeat the command. The moment they make eye contact, say your marker word and reward heavily!
Similar to phase 1 above, repeat only a few more times for your first session. They should catch on super quick if you’ve laid a solid foundation! The string of events will always be: “Focus!” > Dog makes eye contact > Say marker word > Deliver reward. You’re taking something that the dog is already familiar with, eye contact, and saying, “Hey. I like when you do that. Can you do that after I say this specific word?”
This is THE most important step out of all the other steps. For this to really take hold, you need to do these sessions at a variety of locations, times of day, and - importantly - with different people. With your partner, your friends, your parents, coworkers, etc… We need to get the dog to understand that when someone says “Moose, Focus!” that they are to lock eyes with that person to unlock delicious rewards.
If you want to really amp up your dog’s attention, vary the rate of your rewards and the type of reward, once the concept is nailed down. Once in a while, wait a few seconds until you give your marker, and only give the marker and reward if they HOLD that eye contact. Reward sometimes with a single piece of food, and sometimes with a whopping handful. Sometimes they get a piece of chicken, other times a normal piece of food. Have fun with it! Just make sure that the dog, and you, have fun and that you keep the training sessions relatively short (under 15 minutes in the beginning).
At the end of this process, your dog should be able to Focus on your eyes, and other peoples’ eyes, on command in a few different locations. If you’re consistent and your dog is decently motivated, this should really only take 2-3 weeks to build a really solid Focus command!
Choose A Familiar Location
We got the hard, and most important part, out of the way! Now, it’s time to plan your engagement session. With all my clients, I always ask if there are specific locations that they like or that are special to them. If you’re wanting to include your dog in your engagement session, take your dog’s familiar locations into account.
Try and pick a location that they’ve been to before, but one that doesn’t always mean extreme stimulation. For instance, a small park that you go on calm walks in regularly is a great place, but the dog park or their favorite fetch spot is less than ideal. Dogs are great at pattern recognition, and if they recognize that they’re at the dog park or a spot where they regularly do high-intensity exercise, it’ll be really difficult to maintain their focus during the session. Excitement and stress hormones will start coursing through their veins before you even get out of the car!
In short, try to pick a spot that they’ve been to before, but not one that’s associated with crazy intense activities. The back corner of a park, a wooded trail, or a historic city neighborhood are all fantastic potential choices!
Exercise Your Dog Beforehand
If your dog hasn’t gotten much physical or mental stimulation on the day of the shoot, it’s a great idea to knock off that top layer of energy with something fun and engaging. Be careful, though, as you don’t want to overwork the dog! An overtired pup is just as difficult to work with as an understimulated pup. They’re literally just toddlers with big pointy teeth and tails - you can’t convince me otherwise!
If you need ideas for what to do with your dog that’ll calm them physically and mentally, here are some things I love doing with my two herding-breed dogs!
Structured walking - I love going on a “structured walk” with my dog. This requires your dog to be able to walk on a loose leash, but it’s so worth it. Throughout the walk, I encourage the dog to engage and disengage with me at various times. We stop and sit, we climb on obstacles, I tell them to “Go Sniff!” or “Go Potty!”, and we just generally explore and play together while keeping their focus on me and how fun I am. This concept will translate well when it comes time for the session
Trick training - Using their regular mealtimes to go over their tricks is a great activity. Even if it’s just sit, focus, and lie down, the repetition and mixing up the order of commands is super mentally exhausting. Split the meal between you and your partner and trade-off calling the dog between the two of you for a super exhausting way to practice their recall.
Tug - This is my absolute favorite game by an unfathomable amount. Sage, my oldest dog, loves tug and has a really great bite, so we play this regularly! Switching between tugging, dropping the toy, and completing commands is extremely rewarding for her!
Sage, our first dog! She’s half Blue Heeler, half Border Collie, so she’s got the drive to play!
Glacier, our younger pup. Half Blue Heeler, half Aussie Shepherd. He’s less drivey and more cuddly!
Choose The Right Reward
The dog’s favorite treats are an easy win to bring to the session, but food is not the only thing you can use to motivate your dog! Any command that is rewarded with a piece of food or a treat can also be rewarded with a toy or even just a gentle touch. If your dog is unlikely to take food from your hand during the session, but may opt for a toy, bring both just in case!
For toys, I recommend something that they, of course, love playing with, but that isn’t associated with playing fetch. As mentioned before, a fetch toy will more than likely amp the dog up way too much. Additionally, fetch is an outwardly rewarding game, meaning that the reward is sent away from the owner for the dog to chase after. It’s not the game you want to play when you want photos of you and your dog together!
Squeaky toys or tug toys are the perfect choice to bring to your session, as they’re still a great reward for the dog but don’t indicate that a big long game of “run away and come back” is going to take place. 😉
Arrive 15 Minutes Early
When you’re loading up to drive to your first location, plan to arrive a few minutes early, between 15 and 30 minutes, ideally. When you get there, keep the dog on leash.
Find a quiet place in a lower-traffic area close to the parking lot where you can sit and let your dog decompress. If they’re anything like my dogs, a good sniff check is needed right after getting out of the car to assess the situation and familiarize themselves with the environment. A park bench is perfect for this! Sit down and just let the dog decompress after getting out of the car.
For my clients, I’m typically arriving at the session locations 30 minutes early anyways. This allows their dogs time to sniff me out and for me to establish myself as something that’s really no big deal! After a few minutes of hanging out, the dog is typically bored of me or on to something more interesting, which is the perfect time to begin the session!
Keep Gear To a Minimum
Even if you normally walk your dog in a bright harness, jacket, booties, collar, and a big leash, I encourage you to keep your dogs’ gear to a minimum! A collar, a 6-ft black or different dark-color leash, and a cute bandana (if that’s your jam) are all that you really need.
If you’re on private property and can trust your dogs off-leash, that’s a great opportunity to get some photos of the dogs just playing and being dogs! However, if our session is in a public area, we have to abide by the local leash laws. In this case, it’ll be much easier to hide a simple dark-colored leash behind the dog for posed photos, and it won’t be distracting for photos of you two walking the dog.
Have An Exit Strategy
If you’re anything like my couples, you’ll want a majority of the session to be about capturing you and your partner. I recommend we limit the dog-inclusive photos to maybe the first 20 minutes of the photoshoot. After that, it’s best to either safely contain the dog for the rest of the photos or get a family member to take the dog home. Here are some strategies that I recommend for getting your dog safely off-location so you two can enjoy the rest of the session…. UNLEASHED! Get it?…….
Drop the dog off at your home: If the first location for your session is less than 5 minutes from your home, it’s pretty simple to just take the pup back to its stomping grounds! This will also give you the opportunity to change clothes, should you want to do an outfit change.
Contain your dog in your car: This is a great option, but only under certain circumstances. If your dog is ok being contained in the car away from you and you know they won’t hurt themselves when alone, that’s great! The other stipulation is that you all should stay within eyesight of the vehicle and the air conditioning should probably be left on, especially in the spring and summer. If your session and location can check all those boxes, this could be a great option!
Get a friend or family member to take the dog home: This is the most popular option! Convince a friend or family member to take the dog to your house or their house for the remaining session time. Typically, pizza or alcohol is a suitable method of compensation here!
Even if you’re only able to manage a couple of these tips, I assure you, after having done well over 100 of these engagement sessions, you’ll have a far more enjoyable time with your dog during the shoot! If you’re engaged and still need some amazing photos, let’s chat! I’d love to get to know you two (or three)!
How To Look Natural In Wedding and Engagement Photos
Oftentimes, couples haven't had real, organic-feeling photos taken of them. It's hard to get out of the "look-at-the-camera-and-smile" mindset that we've been conditioned to do every time we see someone point a camera at us! So, let's briefly review some of the basic rules of getting "unposed" pictures during your session or wedding.
The Basics of Natural Posing In Wedding and Engagement Photos
You'll hear a lot of photographers talk about how they capture "candid" moments, and most of the images they share are of couples holding hands and walking, or laughing while snuggling in the woods. Here's the truth: That's not candid, because the couple knew the photo was being taken. All those photos are POSED! So, posing doesn't have to be rigid or awkward. It can be fun, comfortable, natural, creative, or all of the above!
Oftentimes, couples haven't had real, organic-feeling photos taken of them. It's hard to get out of the "look-at-the-camera-and-smile" mindset that we've been conditioned to do every time we see someone point a camera at us! So, let's briefly review some of the basic rules of getting "unposed" pictures during your session or wedding.
What do I do with my hands?
This one is often the first question that clients ask me at the beginning of the session, but they quickly learn that there are PLENTY of things you can do with those hands that look awesome in photos. The first step of every session is: Don't look directly into the camera unless I ask!
The second step? Get close to your partner! Whether you're facing each other, one of you is behind the other, you're side-by-side, or any combination of those positions, get those arms around each other! Holding hands is a great first step, but make sure you're not standing 6 feet apart. When simply holding hands next to each other, snuggling up to an arm or gently pulling your partner close is a great move!
Pro Tip: It’s difficult to have your hands look gentle and natural when they’re stationary, so add some movement. While you’re standing there, feel free to gently pet, caress, or otherwise interact with your partner. It’ll look great and it almost always immerses you in the moment.
If you're facing each other, a good starting place is to "touch belly buttons." Not only is that entire idea kind of beautifully silly, but it's also a great reference for just how close you should be! Then, when you wrap your arms around each other, we need to find a happy middle ground. If your hands aren't wrapped far enough around, the photo may just look like an awkward middle school dance. However, if your arms are wrapped around your partner WAY too far, that position has the potential to bring on some hunched backs. So, get close to your partner, but keep it comfortable. Both of you should feel close enough to whisper to each other, but far enough to freely adjust your position and look at each other without going crosseyed!
Where do I look?
Unless directed otherwise, here are some guidelines:
Staring directly into each others' eyes always looks intense. It's best to get your heads close together, nuzzle in, and stare somewhere close to your partner. Directing your eyes at their chin, shoulder, or elbow will give your eyelids a natural softness to them, and you won't look like you're in the middle of a life-changing staring contest!
Keep the eyes looking in a 6-foot radius around your partner unless otherwise told. Looking at them? Awesome. Looking at where the wedding dress lies on the floor? Beautiful! Looking past them at a bird in the sky? Less cool. 😂
If your heads are really close together and you're nuzzlin' up a storm, just close your eyes! Let yourself be in that moment and give each other the freedom to laugh, smile, and otherwise relax! If your partner is hugging you from behind, you don't need to turn to look directly at them. As long as you're turning your head in their general direction, it'll look stunning!
Tips for Walking In Photos
I start almost every session off with some sort of motion-based prompt, just to warm up and get loose. In many cases, you two will be asked to walk back and forth in a beautiful spot of light! There are two simple tips for gorgeous and organic walking photos.
Look at each other, not the camera. I'll rarely tell the couple to kiss for a photo, but I'll never tell you not to! So, of course, that's free game too.
Bump hips! Not hard enough to knock your partner over, but enough to have fun! The "drunk" walk is a good one too, and it always makes for some lovely, genuine giggles as we warm-up for the session.
As always, you're gonna look awesome if you have fun, stay within your comfort zone, and communicate with your partner and me, the photographer! Guess what? My couples always look STUNNING! 👇
Want to look awesome in your photos, but don’t want photos that look like everyone else’s? Let’s chat, and make cool stuff together!
Brianne + Loren - Southern Illinois Engagement Session
Brianne and Loren are such sweet folks with, obviously, the cutest pups! I’m a sucker for a good hunting dog… We spent some time on their family’s farm land, and hopped around to another couple of cool spots around Gillespie for some late-evening photos. It was a blast!
I’m overjoyed to share some of my favorite images from Brianne and Loren’s engagement session!
I’m really excited for their wedding coming up soon in August at The Hangar, so this engagement session was perfectly timed for them to get some photos before their big day and for us as photographer+couple to get to know each other!
Brianne and Loren are such sweet folks with, obviously, the cutest pups! I’m a sucker for a good hunting dog… We spent some time on their family’s farm land, and hopped around to another couple of cool spots around Gillespie for some late-evening photos. It was a blast!
Eric + Megan (and Rex) - St. Louis, Missouri Couple's Session
Thanks for the hangs, Eric and Megan! Thanks for letting me pet you, Rex. Check out some of my favorites from this Carondelet Park couple’s shoot!
How can I describe the first time I met him? When I first locked eyes with this man, I knew he’d be the kindest, most gentle soul that I’d ever encountered. He’s got the biggest heart, the longest tongue, and the maximum amount of legs that he can have. Four legs, that is. Oh, you thought I was talking about Eric? No, I’m talking about Rex, the King of Dogs™.
But also Eric and Megan are super rad, extremely kind, and a ton of fun to photograph. It was amazing to see them open up throughout the session and really get into the flow of having their photos taken. Eric has been a good friend of mine since college but, thanks to a stubborn little virus, I’ve only been able to chat with Megan virtually. So, when Eric told me he wanted to book a couple’s session for Megan’s birthday, of course I was a billion percent for it!
Thanks for the hangs, Eric and Megan! Thanks for letting me pet you, Rex.
Check out some of my favorites from this Carondelet Park couple’s shoot!
It’s true, they are extremely cute. Need some photos with you and your significant other in them?
Let’s chat!
Akia + Darren - St. Louis, Missouri Engagement Session
This was, by far the coldest engagement session that I’ve ever done, but of some of the warmest souls that I’ve ever photographed! While their wedding is at another venue entirely, I have to give a shoutout to the kind folks at Boo Cat Club for giving us an indoor venue in which to take some beautiful photos and keep out of the frigid temps for a little while!
This was, by far the coldest engagement session that I’ve ever done, but of some of the warmest souls that I’ve ever photographed!
Darren and Akia’s recent engagement session was 6 months before their wedding in August, which I’m super excited for, of course! While their wedding is at another venue entirely, I have to give a shoutout to the kind folks at Boo Cat Club for giving us an indoor venue in which to take some beautiful photos and keep out of the frigid temps for a little while!
Since their little girl was tagging along with us for the first part of the session, we wanted to make sure she was part of the indoor photos so she wouldn’t freeze her little toes off. After we were done there, we went to Art Hill in Forest Park to snag a few outdoor images! Here's where things got…. numb.
It was a -4° wind chill that evening. For most cold sessions, I like to provide my couples with a set of hand warmers to help the extremities stay at least a little toasty but, seriously, NOTHING was going to keep us comfortable when it’s -4 and windy.
At the end of the day, Darren and Akia absolutely crushed it and we came away with some photos that really capture their joyful souls in some really beautiful settings. Check it out below!
Akia’s Makeup was done by the amazing Damund Omar.
Hair was done by the astounding Sherry Daggs.
Hey! You!
Yeah, you. Do ya need photos? Well, I have a few cameras and would love to help you out.
Amanda + Alex - St. Louis, Missouri Engagement Session
This St. Louis engagement session was an insane amount of fun! Amanda and Alex are fantastic people. Check out this blog if you want to see some cool photos of a great couple and get some tips on how to plan a zoo engagement session!
St. Louis Forest Park and Delmar Loop Engagement Photography
This St. Louis engagement session was an insane amount of fun! Amanda and Alex are fantastic people. If you’ve been keeping your eye on the St. Louis culinary scene, you may have seen this feature that Sauce Magazine did on Alex’s work and career. So sick!
We took engagement photos in the St. Louis Zoo, the Steinberg Skating Rink, and finished the evening off with a lap around the Loop. If you’re wanting to do engagement photos at the St. Louis Zoo, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.
First, because of COVID guidelines, the zoo is operating at a limited capacity so you need to make reservations in advance of your visit. I went ahead and did this in a few minutes for all 3 of us!
Second, keep away from busy paths and high-traffic areas. To take the photo, the photographer will likely want you two to take off your masks. Stay off the beaten path and respect your distance from others, and you’ll still make some great images.
Finally, make sure you call to clear the commercial shoot with management. Make your reservation, stay socially distanced, and call ahead to make sure you’re good to go!
If you’re looking to get some engagement photos done at the St. Louis Zoo, I hope this helped you a little bit. Other than that, keep scrolling and bask in the awesomeness of Amanda and Alex! BONUS if you can guess what their nicknames for each other are…
Stephanie + Zach - Highland, Illinois Engagement Session
Stephanie and Zach’s late-fall engagement session in Highland, Illinois at Silver Lake Park was gorgeous! We did this session during a week where I had about 6 other shoots and, let me tell you what, every single one had this amazing, warm light.
Stephanie and Zach’s late-fall engagement session in Highland, Illinois at Silver Lake Park was gorgeous! We did this session during a week where I had about 6 other shoots and, let me tell you what, every single one had this amazing, warm light. Throw in an awesome couple and a handsome German Shorthaired Pointer, and you’ve got a recipe for beautiful photos!
We spent about an hour and a half taking a lap around the park, hiding behind bushes and trees, and dodging errant frisbees sailing through the air. Some of our talking points were as follows:
Dogs, obviously.
Law school…… obviously?
Puppies, which is dogs.
RuneScape. Yep.
Hope you dig these photos. I’m really lucky to get to know folks like this through my work. I’m a big fan of Stephanie and Zach, and I think you’ll be too!
Does the thought of having boring wedding photos make you sad like in one of those lame infomercials? I can make you not sad (about the photos, specifically)!
Stone House of St. Charles Wedding Photography | Alysa + Kyle
It feels like just yesterday that Alysa contacted me to shoot her wedding! Well, it wasn’t yesterday, but it WAS just two months before the wedding. Dang, 2020 is weird, right? Anyways, here’s a beautiful wedding at Stone House of St. Charles that I had the privilege of photographing. Check it out!
Wedding Photography at Stone House of St. Charles
It feels like just yesterday that Alysa contacted me to shoot her wedding! Well, it wasn’t yesterday, but it WAS just two months ago. Dang, 2020 is weird, right? I’m gonna let you in on a little wedding photographer’s secret. There are lots of ways to attract super cool couples and convince them to shoot your wedding day. Some photographers attend wedding shows. Some photographers beg and plead while crying. I’ve done both. However, for this specific couple, I used good ol’ nepotism because Alysa is my cousin! So, of course, when Alysa and Kyle reached out to me, I was absolutely ecstatic.
This one was a fun one, and I think it’s super apparent in the sum total amount of smiles that permeated every part of the day. Also, their babies are beyond beautiful. Also, nobody dances like my family. I’ll write a full review of wedding photography at Stone House of St. Charles in the next few weeks but, as far as my initial thoughts, it’s a gorgeous venue with fantastic potential no matter the weather! It’s important that a venue be able to “work” at any point in the itinerary, during any season, and at any time during the day. During the getting ready time, you’re met with huge, soft window light and simply decorated rooms so as to not distract from the humans in the photos. The courtyard is spacious enough for family photos and totally well-lit, and the reception hall is more than equipped for anything you can throw at it.
Cassidy Eckman killed it on makeup!
Sisters Flowers knocked it out of the park on the florals!
Scroll to see some of my faves from their day…. If you dare.
See more venues like Stone House on our full St. Louis wedding venue page!
Lauri + Matt - Peoria, Illinois Creative Engagement Session
Lauri and Matt’s Peoria, Illinois engagement session! Check out some of my favorites!
I had such a blast hanging out with Matt and Lauri for their Peoria, Illinois engagement session! We started the session in Donovan Park, and eventually worked our way over to Peoria Heights for the rest of the session.
Pro tip: If there is a seemingly abandoned yet cute-looking couch in the middle of a park that is popular with photographers, do not approach said couch. It is a trap and you will be asked by another photographer to leave the immediate vicinity.
Michalah + Zach - Peoria, Illinois Engagement Session
I love the pictures I made with Michalah and Zach. Checkout out some highlights from their Peoria, IL engagement session.
We had to push the day of this shoot twice. I’m very very glad that happened. The conditions for this shoot were just perfect!
It was also just great to do a shoot on my home turf. There is something very special about couples from my home town. I love it.
Rachel + Holden - Taylorville, Illinois Wedding
Holden and Rachel’s Taylorville, Illinois wedding photography!
Joined my good friends Rachel and Holden in Taylorville, Illinois at The Landing Barn to photograph their wedding a few months ago. The rain gave way to sunshine later on in the day and it was just so much fun!
Video by: Jesse James Ayers
Jesse is a cool, cool guy. Here’s a fun vlog he did from the wedding day!
Thanks for tagging along! If you need photos of your own, hit me up!
Heather + Coleman - Springfield, Illinois Engagement Session
Heather and Coleman’s Springfield, Illinois Engagement Session. EPIC.
What a fantastic couple, and an EPIC set of photos we made together. Heather and Coleman are an absolute hoot to hang out with (they love music, and puppies, and DnD!!! ❤️).
Their joyful natures shine through these photos, I believe, and I cannot wait to shoot their big day!
Check out some of my favorites from their session below!
If you or someone you love needs cool pics… Hit me up!
The 5 Most Important Tips for Engagement Sessions
Being in front of the camera doesn’t have to feel foreign! Here are a photographer’s 5 best pieces of advice for those planning an engagement session.
Getting engaged is a really cool thing. You and your person are in love AND are ready to take that next step! Awesome!
But... you're kind of nervous about the session. You've never had real photos taken together, and your boyfriend/girlfriend has told you, "Just... let's not do any of those awkward pictures."
So, what do you do? How do you prepare? Never fear! Here are the 5 most important things to remember for your upcoming engagement session.
1. Wear simple, comfortable clothes
It may feel weird at first, and may even be weird to accept, but your engagement session is about you and your relationship with this other person. It's about the joy, the tension, and the nuance of your specific love for each other.
The more simple and comfortable your outfits are, the more comfortable you will both be, and the more REAL your photos will turn out.
2. The first 15 minutes are a wash
There isn't a sprinter in the world that can roll out of bed and set an Olympic record. By the same token, it's very likely that you're not going to come away with jaw-dropping moments straight out the gate.
Hopefully, by this point, you've spoken to your photographer, gotten to know each other, and hung out for at least a little bit. But there was one thing missing from all that interaction. A camera. Throwing that bit of metal and plastic into the mix adds a whole new element to the engagement session that a lot of people aren't used to.
Just relax, chat for a bit, and focus on the person next to you. All good!
3. Do what you and your person are comfortable with
This one is pretty simple. Your photographer should be the professional, and should know a ton about photographing couples. You know the most about your relationship with this other person. It's a partnership! Maybe you are uncomfortable kissing in front of the camera, or maybe your left ankle is sprained and that pose is killing you! Just let the photographer know so that they can adapt.
4. Communicate!
Not just with the photographers. With each other! Talk to each other during the session, recount great memories, or make fart jokes. Whatever your style is, let all parties involved with the engagement session know!
5. Trust Your Photographer
The person you entrust to take the photos at your wedding and engagement session is more than your uncle Gary who has a nice camera and a couple of lenses. This is an artist, whose work drew you to them in some way. You resonated with the way that they saw the world.
Trust that feeling, and that initial pull to that person. You are making an investment in them, and they are chomping at the bit to make you happy and comfortable every step of the way. So get comfy and get weird! You may just make some really cool art.
Interested in creating some cool stuff?
The Top 5 Best Wedding Reception Send-Offs
Easy, memorable, and affordable, these wedding send offs are a great way to end your big day without breaking the bank!
So, you got engaged. Not only that, you planned a wedding. Not only that, you invited all your friends, family, and some other random people that your mom knows to that wedding. Then you HAD the wedding. Then you partied.
Now what?
How do you end the day with a bang and make some beautiful memories without having to sell an arm, leg, wedding dress, or best man?
The send off.
The best way to finish out an amazing wedding reception is to have all of your loved ones gather around you and maybe fling some stuff at you! Check out my top 5 favorite, affordable wedding send offs (in no particular order)!
1. The Arm-Tunnel of Victory
This one is just an instant classic. I urge you to try and run through a tunnel of your loved ones, with arms outstretched, without laughing like a crazy person. Seriously, grab your mom, your dad, your sister, your grandma, and your dog, and sprint through a huge arm tunnel. Plus, it's completely free!
Bonus points: Deal out high-fives and don't slap any of your wedding guests on the way out the door!
2. The Sparklers of Eternity
Humans learned to control fire tens of thousands of years ago. Now, on the evening of your wedding, you and your beloved will run through a path of white-hot magnesium to wrap up your amazing wedding day. It also signifies the burning love you have for each other, and how hot 🔥 you both look.
In all seriousness, this one is so much fun for you and your guests, and makes for some amazing pics. Just make sure you have a couple of buckets of sand to deposit the sparklers once they are all burnt out.
Bonus points: Stop and kiss mid-way through your exit. Your photographer will love you even more!
3. The Paper Airplanes of Limitless Fun
This one is insane. You literally just fold paper airplanes and let your guests throw them at you. It's more fun than laundry and it's for your wedding.
Just make sure you have the planes' tips folded in so no pokey-bits get into peoples' peepers. Learn how here.
EXTRA BONUS POINTS: Add silly string. To any of these suggestions. Just do it! (except for maybe the sparkler one. Silly string may be flammable. Dunno, it just seems like the kind of thing that could possibly be flammable).
4. The Bubbles of Gratuitous Love
Kids love 'em. Adults love 'em. Puppies love 'em. It's a win win win. Choosing bubbles as your preferred method of reception send-off is such a solid choice. Just look at the results below!
You can create such a magical and vibrant environment with just a little bit of soapy water.
Bonus points: Smile and laugh, but don't eat one.
5. The Glitter of Intense Fabulousness
Science is right: Glitter is the most party-infused material known to humans. It only makes sense to give a little bit of it out to your wedding guests so you can be sent out in style!
Bonus points: Get the larger glitter pieces. The small dust-like ones may still be found in all the nooks AND crannies after the honeymoon.....
So there ya have it! As a photographer, these wedding reception send-offs are the ones that I've found to be the most fun, exciting, and budget-conscious options to wrap up what will become one of your most treasured days!
Interested in having pictures of your very own send-off? Hit me up!
Emma + Kurt - Hillsboro, Illinois Engagement Session
Emma and Kurt’s Hillsboro, Illinois engagement session!
Summary of my evening with Emma and Kurt:
Saw some puppies. They barked at me.
Saw some goats. The did NOT bark at me.
Made some really beautiful photographs with the people below.
I met Emma at this wedding that I recently shot. Turns out, it was a great connection because she and Kurt are two really fantastic and kind people, and that just shines through in the photos below. Scroll to see some of my favorites!
If you're needing some wedding or engagement photos, get in touch!
Katie + Kyle - Ballwin, Missouri Engagement Session
Katie+Kyle+Puppy = a great time. It's just simple math, guys.
So excited to share this session! Katie and Kyle are a fantastic couple and so much fun to hike with/photograph/hang out with. Yes, it was a bit chilly, and yes I am really bad at remembering how long the trails are, but I had a blast with them (and Jax, their puppy with boundless energy).
