Photo Shoot Prep Advice

by: Kelsey O'Conor

Looking for advice on how to prepare for your engagement photo shoot? Here are some tips, in no particular order, on how to achieve pictures that really represent you as a couple.

1. Props are fun, so choose props that mean something to you. Showcase your interests and hobbies. If you love to cook or bake, create a picnic scene. If you are musicians, take pictures playing together. The opportunities are endless. Props are also a great way to keep your hands busy instead of awkwardly wondering how to place them. Be careful of having too many props, or ones that hold no meaning. If you aren't a big fan of cupcakes, don't hold one just because it looks cute. Finally, don't let the props overwhelm your photos. The pictures should be about you as a couple, not about all the neat things you own.

2. Choose an awesome location. Think about parks, buildings with interesting architecture, inside a used book store, inside a diner, in a wide-open field, walls covered in artwork (murals or graffiti), bridges, beaches, tire swings on trees, or somewhere else that holds meaning to you. If you can't think of a great location in your hometown, travel to another city, maybe even a couple hours away. If you have the time, make the engagement shoot into a story by traveling around a city or park.

3. The clothes you wear should represent you. Show off your personal style- don't change it. Wear what you're comfortable in. If that means killer 4-inch stilettos, wear them. If it means flip flops, that's good too. Coordinate your outfits, but don't make them matchy-matchy. You want them to look good together. You'll be moving around in these clothes for a few hours, so you'll want to be physically comfortable. And think about bringing a second outfit to change things up in the middle of the shoot. The first half might be more traditional, and the second could be more creative. Maybe the first half might be pretty, and the second could be funky. Adding a little variety is a good thing.

4. Be yourselves on camera. When I look through all my photos with my man, half of them are sweet and nice. The other half have him looking nice, and me making silly faces. For your engagement shoot, don't be afraid to be sexy, silly, sweet, sassy, serious, or all of the above. Be gushy. Hug, hold hands, kiss, laugh, look deep into each other's eyes. You want to look back on these pictures and say, this is totally us 1, 5, 10 years from now, and beyond.

5. Make sure you're well groomed. A week or two before, get your hair cut, trimmed, or colored as needed. A couple days before, trim your beard. Pluck your eyebrows (both of you!). Make sure your nails look nice (short/long/polished/plain-doesn't matter how), practice your makeup look, practice your hair style. On the day of the shoot you want to look and feel your best, and having a good hair day will help. You know that when you look at the photos you will notice all those little details that other people probably won't. Do yourself a favor and prevent them by following this advice.