Today we’re going to focus on the best pre-shoot activities to get in the mood for your engagement session with Fresh Look Photography.
I know that it can be stressful getting ready for a photo shoot (just did one with my entire immediate family and it was ridiculous how crazy things got!).
Why not pledge to take time beforehand to relax together and have some fun?!
My personal opinion is that if we have to do – we may as well have a good time.
Let’s bring that idea into your engagement session… I promise to have fun if you do!
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Best Pre-Shoot Activities
Fun Ways to Prevent a Portrait Mishap
If you commit to the photo shoot beforehand, and realize that to get unique photos you might have to step outside of your comfort zone.
Whether that means sitting down in some grass that might not be the cleanest (eewww, nature!), or acting a little goofy…
as long as you two are together and having a good time, that’s all that matters!
Remember that the more you can cut loose and have fun, the more genuine your pictures will be.
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Preparing for the Engagement Shoot
Let’s face it – us ladies are all about doing a photoshoot. I mean, any excuse to get all dolled up – amIright?!
And our patient guys are usually the ones who get dragged along for the ride.
#wedontdeservethem
Whatever the situation, taking photos is not something to stress about!
We’ve got some of the best ideas for things you can do to get excited about getting your engagement photos taken.
Whether it’s figuring out the best pre-shoot activities, or something during the session – we’ve got you covered:
- Toast a glass of champagne together (nothing says celebration like this bubbly stuff!)
- Make a deal: she gets to pick out the clothes he wears, but he gets to pick out what she wears under her clothes!
- Write love letters to each other before the shoot and read them while photos are being taken
- Buy some cupcakes or other little sweets to feed each other during the engagement shoot (hello sweet tooth!)
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Best Place to Shop for Props or Accessories
Michaels – great for chalkboards, the ampersand symbol, frames, etc.
TJ Maxx – you can find all sorts of cool blankets and vintage type home-goods props and chairs here!
Etsy – this site is full of amazing and unique hand crafted items, seriously… anything you could imagine, you’ll find here!
Remember, you are only limited by your imagination here!
You can include ANYTHING in your photo shoot!
I always recommend to my couples that their photo shoot reflect something about them.
Whether it’s a shared love of coffee, a school you both attended, sports gear, or toasting s’mores over an open flame… the possibilities are endless!
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Tips for Clothing and Accessories
When it comes to clothing, you want to wear something that really showcases your personalities.
Whether that’s bright tropical colors (hello Lilly Pulitzer), or warm cozy fall knits – we love it all.
I say, skip stuff that is ho-hum and boring (hello white shirts and blue jeans!).
We recommend having one casual/fun outfit, and another one that is a little dressier.
Your clothing doesn’t have to be super matchy-matchy, it just has to flow together.
Here is an example of typical engagement session clothing options:
For Her:
Outfit 1 – Long, flowy dress, colorful heels, bold jewelry
Outfit 2 – Cute top, jeans/leggings, boots or sandals, fun hat, scarves, etc.
For Him:
Outfit 1 – Button Up Shirt, slacks, vest/tie (optional), dressy shoes
Outfit 2 – Casual tee/polo, jeans/khakis, casual shoes
Try and avoid bold logos, or bulky clothing that can make you look larger than you are.
If you need more options for where to shop:
Francesca’s – an awesome Virginia Beach boutique that offers unique clothing and accessory choices
Ruche – a vintage inspired boutique with a modern touch. There’s sure to be something that will put you under its spell!
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Visual Inspiration
These days, there aren’t many people who aren’t on Pinterest and have a healthy (or not so healthy) enjoyment of pinning images.
I love having clients show me some sample pictures of things they like and want to use as inspiration for their photo shoot.
This helps me get a feel for the look my couples are going for, and – let’s face it – who doesn’t like looking at pretty pictures?!
Also try talking to friends who have done an engagement session.
Ask them what they did, or even what they wish they had done during their engagement shoot!
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Love What You See? Want to Have Your Own Session?!
If you’ve finished looking at this post on our best pre-shoot activities and are thinking to yourself – I wanna do that too!
Awesome!
We would LOVE to create a custom portrait session for you and the ones you love!
Message us by hitting the { CONTACT ME } button or by giving us a ring at 757-749-5350.
We can’t wait to create some magic for y’all!
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