5 things to ask your ENGAGEMENT Photographer

Congratulations on your engagement and search for an engagement photographer!  One of your first decisions will be your wedding & engagement photographer. We always enjoy the engagement photography session as it’s a special time for us to get to know each other!  We love to hear about how your story; such as how you met and other aspects of your personalities and lives.  Knowing these little bits of information actually help me determine a location for your session. Let’s look at the other decisions you will be making to ensure a lively, enjoyable and relaxing session with me!

1. Where do we go?

We always appreciate these questions because we have lots of ideas and places to go. Planes, trains and automobiles, water, fields, beautiful buildings or perhaps a single tree!  What’s your vision?  Need a place? Just ask me. I love to share our locations I have been to while photographing engagement photos. I know of some spectacular and special spots that Daytona Beach and Port Orange have to offer.  Once we determine that special spot we will spend about 1 hour for the engagement photography session. It’s a perfect time to get to know each other as well as capture images and give you a closer feel for our style and process.  This always helps to make you feel much more relaxed while breaking the ice for the wedding day! If you only need an engagement photographer because you may be having a wedding outside of florida or out of country, that is perfectly fine. Just incase you do want a photographer to travel with you that is located near where you reside we do have experience with travel and destination wedding. We have traveled to 6 different countries and 10 states throughout the southeast of the US.

2.  What do we wear?

 One of most questions we get asked is, “Mark, do you have any suggestions on clothing?” I usually let couples know that pick a set of clothing that you feel your best in. I prefer colors and a little more bold than everyday attire. The reason is you will stand out a little bit in the photos on backdrops of nature (green foliage). The same could be said for beach sessions as our beach colors are literally khaki and white. So wearing those neutral colors  on the beach  will help you blend in. If checking the photo above it wouldn’t  matter what you were wearing nor the colors.  Most importantly you want to feel comfortable and feel that you look good. Take into consideration the location and choose two outfits, then you always have a backup. For your second outfit, think outside the box and break the norm, whether it be more formal or a little less depending on your personality.  The photo below works very well with the blue sky, sand and the sea grass.

The sand, the sun, the sky and Khaki!

Jennifer and Devin (below) also chose a beach scene and the colors they are wearing are perfect for this shot.  The Bride adds the vibrant red and theGroom carries the colors  through the natural scene.  Your eyes go right to them and then to the habitat around them.

Love and the Seashore!

This engaged couple decided on a red hot firetruck and a Groom in uniform.  The Brides choice was perfectly attended and this engagement photo was on fire! See more of Facebook

Fire Engine Red and a Couple in Love

3. How do we relax?

This is a great question and can certainly affect your photos.  We had a discussion about this with the team and profound experience wins out!  Some of us thought it would be very relaxing to  have a glass of wine this would certainly give you a relaxed feeling for photos!   Who knew that this would have a negative affect? Apparently drinking causes the oils in your face to come out and can possibly affect your body temperature so you may perspire more. So, in actuality when we start on the session we don’t just jump right into posing and taking photographs. It allows us to meet and spend some time getting to know each other talking about you two as a couple. It’s actually a great relaxing time, where I hope you will come away having a feeling of a fun time.   We are all about relationships, yours as a couple and our relationship with you! We look forward to getting to know you so relax… love shines through every time!

4. What about Make Up?  More or Less?

I’m the photographer and I don’t wear makeup so we needed to have a brief discussion with the team.  First thoughts in this area were really strong, do not spray tan! Next it really depends on you personally.  If you wear make up every day and have a particular style, do it the same way you always do, maybe just a bit more to allow for the photos.  If you don’t wear any make up perhaps a little make up would help to enhance your natural beauty.  A little blush, mascara and a light lipstick; a little darker than your natural lip color works well!  If you don’t want to wear any makeup, don’t!  We want you to have the photos you want and you are going to look great no matter what, you’re in LOVE!

5.What do we need to bring with us for the session?

We just want you – and that’s what makes great pictures – YOU It will all happen and we want you to feel relaxed and beautiful.  This is such an exciting moment in your life and we want to record every bit of it for your memories, to share and to continue allowing us the opportunity to be such a special part of your lives together. Don’t be nervous about posing on the photography session. I don’t force a lot of our photos to be so posed your cheeks hurt after the first 10 minutes. Some of my best captures have been accidental, candid and where I let you have a natural pose or caught a moment lightly staged. Below are a few more examples of some of our work. you’ll also find a link to a sample gallery at the end of the post. I look forward to being your engagement photographer! Please email us if you have any questions.

As simple as Holding Hands!

A Photo on Fire and a Couple in Love!

This was a romantic, stunning photo that just previous to this was an overcast sky and 100 percent light cloud cover.  This is what happens when you relax and let us handle all your questions and photos, we’ll make some amazing photos.  We look forward to making you look awesome, while you RELAX and enjoy the moment and the memories!

If you would like to see more of our engagement photos