Engagement Session Prep!
Have I told you yet that I can’t wait to photograph you?
(Hey, I can’t wait to photograph you!)
To help you prep for our shoot, I’ve put together a guide for you that’ll help ensure we get a big batch of framers.
Overall vibe
The first piece of our shoot to nail down: what kind of vibe are we going for?
Are you thinking uber glam in the city? A typical date night at your go-to place? Cozy outdoors in the fall? Do you want more of your real life reflected, at home together in your regular attire?
If that’s too open ended, have you seen a certain shoot or photo in the past that’s given you the good feels? Can we incorporate pieces of it into ours? Is there certain lighting you’re drawn to? If you need help explaining your vision, send a Pinterest board my way and we can brainstorm ways to make it feel more like you.
Location
Your photos should look and feel like you, and the same goes for our backgrounds.
Are you outdoorsy people? Does that translate more to a manicured city park or hiking in the woods?
Does an urban feel resonate more? Does that look more like sleek downtown or a quaint small town. Location isn’t everything, but the effect a place has on your mood will translate in our final product.
Bonus points: pick a place that’s already meaningful to you to bring out extra emotion. Maybe the place where you had your first date, where they proposed, your own backyard?
Need help getting the wheels turning? I got you! Here’s a guide to all of my favorite location spots in the Twin Cities metro.
Engagement session outfit tips!
Keeping both vibe and location in mind, let’s plan your outfits accordingly. While there aren’t too many items I’d put on the no-go list, there are a few things to keep in mind when selecting ensembles.
1. Make sure everything fits! If you’re constantly tugging something up or down, or your shoes are too tight as we’re strolling along, it’ll be harder to confidently relax into our session. Bonus points: make sure it’s all wrinkle free!
2. Pockets should be completely emptied to avoid bulky phones, wallets, and keys peeking through. If you need me to carry them in my camera backpack, I’m happy to offer it up.
3. Aim to coordinate, not necessarily match. The easiest way to do it is to limit your color palette. Earth tones are great, neutrals are super versatile. If color is your jam, try to limit it to smaller or simpler doses to note compete with your partner. Think one of you in a yellow dress paired with a white t and jeans. The only thing I’d advise you avoid is neon, and prints are okay as long as they are in the same color family as the rest of your clothing.
4. Pretend you’re dressing for a specific event. (Date night? Wedding guests? Sunday brunch?) It’ll make it easier to get your outfits feeling cohesive in style.
5. For shorter sessions, I’d recommend sticking to one outfit each. For longer session, 2 is the sweet spot and even up to 3.
6. If you’re doing multiple outfits, try to have at least one where both of you are in pants. Our posing options are more limited if it’s all skirts + dresses especially if we’re shooting for 90 minutes.
7. Dress head to toe. Don’t forget the details that tie it all together. Nails, jewelry, shoes, hats and other accessories are all welcome.
Outfit tips continued!
8. Your make-up won’t look quite as dark as you think on camera. It’s especially true for blush and other contouring.
9. Take temperature into account. Try to limit sundresses to summer and keep the chunky knits reserved for fall. I want you to feel comfortable while we’re shooting! If you need to bring a jacket to hop in and out of for a cold weather session, you’re welcome to bring one along. Hand warmers also come in clutch to keep your fingers from looking red.
10. Wedge heels tend to work better than stilettos if we’re going to be on grass. Don’t want to wear any shoes? No proooob, I love going extra casual with some bare feet as long as we’re at home or in a natural environment.
11. For guys, a blazer is an easy + instant way to make anything a lil more stylish, whether it’s paired with casual jeans or a full on formal look. Try to skip fleece as outer layers if you can, or anything else that features a prominent logo.
12. If you’re struggling with outfits that go together, go to a store that sells clothing for both of you and get everything from one shop, like J Crew. Collections are already designed to pair well together. Although don’t feel that you need to buy anything new for our session unless you want to.
13. Ultimately, I think you should pick whatever you feel good in! But if you’d like an extra set of eyes on something specific, send me some pics of what you’re thinking and I’ll message you my thoughts. I love seeing outfit snaps!
Props
The only thing I need you bring is yourselves! Less is more as far as props go. However, there are a few things I’ve seen work well that might inspire you + your vision.
Champagne + glasses
Most often this is saved for the end, closing out your session with a celebratory toast. Bring an extra bottle if you want to spray some for a photo.
A blanket
It’s a cute touch for winter photos to wrap up in instead of coats. It also makes a city park feel more cozy when you sit on it.
Pets
I love shooting with pets! We’ll ideally start with them, spending 5-10 minutes, depending on how chill they are. If you can, it’s helpful having an extra set of hands along to wrangle your pup for the rest of our shoot. Please also give me a heads up if you want to include a pet; not all locations allow for them.
Inspo gallery
Peep a few past sessions to get the inspiration flowing! Nearly every image was taken 1-2 hours after sunrise or before sunset to utilize the softest light possible.
Prep your state of mind
Got all the where/when/what details settled? Hooray! Then all you have left to prep is the most important piece: your attitudes.
Come with an open heart, a willingness to play, and all the lovey dovey vibes for your partner.
Are you two more silly than sweet? Let’s go there!
Are you romantics? Now is the time to show it!
Allowing me into your intimacy will let the real stuff shine through. Candids are my jam, but I can’t get there without both of you onboard. Show me who you are, and I’ll show you the best version of that reflected in your photos.
Tips that may help you get there—
1. Try not to come directly from work to our session, or at least allow a little time between. I want your minds clear and ready to focus on your partner! Think about wrapping your shoot into a date night? Go grab drinks beforehand to loosen you up and get you connecting. Get a bite to eat or go for a stroll while you’re already dressed for it.
2. Are you nervous to be in front of the camera? (I think just about every couple is.) Feel free to tell me about any insecurities if you think it will help! If there are features you’d like highlighted or downplayed—or you just want some reassurance—it’ll help us both get you images you adore.
3. Consider getting hair and make-up professionally done. The experience will likely relax you and the confidence will elevate everything else. Bonus points for engagement shoots: schedule a hair or make-up trial to coincide with our shoot.
4. Forget the posing part. You don’t need to show up with anything prepared. Just be ready to follow some gentle directives and engage with your partner. And while I don't expect you to arrive with your shoot already mapped out, you’re welcome to send me inspo pics that catch your eye. Although if going that route, I'd encourage you to be thoughtful about what and why make it into your to-send batch. Is it the posing? The lighting? The background? The expressions? Are you attracted to something we can realistically recreate or be inspired by as we shoot, or is it something you need to plan for, like wardrobe? Please be specific about what it is in each shot that you're attracted to!
5. Embrace the spontaneous. If it’s windy, we’ll lean into it! If your outfit gets a little dirty, it’s ok! If it’s overcast instead of golden and glowy, we’ll still get some beautiful images. One of my very favorite sessions was when a rain shower arrived during a chic downtown shoot and my couple ran out into the street for a slow dance in their formalwear.
6. And while it’s less of a state-of-mind thing, please take care of your skin 1-2 weeks before our session to avoid sun burns and funky tan lines!
What to expect afterwards
Within a few days following our shoot, you can expect a preview to pop up in your inbox. If you haven’t paid already via check, cash, or online via a link, I’ll send these your way once it’s been received.
The next goodness to be delivered: your gallery! Within 1 month from the date of the session, a link will be hitting your inbox directing you to your edits. Download access will be open with the ability to order prints directly through your gallery.
If you find there is something catching your eye that you would like retouched, send me a note! I’m able to accommodate most requests, with rates quoted on an individual basis starting at $25+.
Keep in touch!
Have more questions? Email me! (kimberly@studiokh.com) I prefer to keep correspondence all in one place in my inbox.
If you haven’t already, please send me your number in case we need to connect the day of the shoot. I’m at 507-259-3513. Although unless it pertains to immediate scheduling concerns, I may not respond right away to texts outside of business hours.
Can’t wait to photograph you lovebirds! Let’s make some gorgeous images together!
