Today we have the pleasure of the extremely talented Poly Mendes of Poly Mendes Photography guest blogging to share some of her best tips to nail your engagement photo session! We have had the pleasure of working with Poly on weddings, styled shoots, launch parties and more. She has fast become one of our most cherished industry friends and we absolutely ADORE her! Take it away Poly!
Engagement sessions are a lot of fun, but getting there can be stressful. What to wear can be tricky, and you might have a few too many people trying to tell you what to do, what to stay away from, what colors work well, and to be honest, sometimes that’s where a lot of the stress comes from! Oh, and let’s not forget the mighty Pinterest with it’s many tips and tricks and style guides. I’m here to tell you to breathe, and know it’s going to be awesome.
More than just the style you choose for your photos, being comfortable and letting loose will make a huge difference in your photos. Hug a little tighter, whisper sweet things to each other, have FUN, and I promise, you’ll love your photos.
I promised tips, so here they are:
1. Choose a location that speaks to the style you are going for, and you as a couple. For example, if you’re both city people, having a session in the country might not be your best choice. I love telling my clients to think of places that are special to them, and seeing if one of those would work. For example, a park you like to go to for walks might be a great starting point!
2. Wear those heels you absolutely love! Even if that means bringing a pair of flats for walking in between. Also, if you’re wearing multiple shoes, make sure they look different from each other so people can easily tell you’re wearing different shoes (aka: don’t just wear 3 pairs of black heels!).
3. Dress is up! Go all out and wear a long, flowy dress. Dresses photograph beautifully. Tell your guy to wear a suit, so he feels like James Bond! When I got engaged, I joined Rent the Runway so I had lots of dress options to choose from for all my events, including my engagement session! It was heaven to not have to purchase so many new outfits!
4. Plan on 2 outfits, 3 at the very most. The more outfit changes, the less time you’ll have in front of the camera!
5. Don’t match, but do coordinate your outfits. When I’m choosing outfits, I love to lay everything I’m thinking about on my bed, and seeing what goes together. Sometimes picking a print first, for example, a dress with a print, then pulling from those colors for the guy works perfectly!
6. Iron your outfits. This will make such a difference in your photos! I used to work at a modeling agency and the owner would always say you should iron even your t-shirts! It makes everything look more put together.
7. Get your hair, makeup, and nails done! A professional makeup artist knows exactly what photographs well, so I always tell my clients this is a must! And don’t worry if it looks like you have too much on, as it won’t look like that in photos. And make sure your nails are ready for that closeup!
8. Trust your photographer. When it comes to location, posing, lighting, ideas… Trust your photographer, and use them as an expert! They should know what they’re talking about and should you help you every step of the way. Sometimes I choose a location for photos that my clients would have never thought of, and they need to trust me that there’s a reason behind the madness!
9. Know what’s important to you. If you want sun kissed photos, don’t schedule your session mid day. Also try to reschedule if your session day looks like it’s going to be overcast. Make a list of 3 things that are important to you for your session, and share those with your photographer to make sure you get them!
10. 1000% bring your pup to your session if you have one. Your furry child is part of the family, and should absolutely be in the photos. Bring a friend to be the dog handler, and plan on having the puppy leave after 10-20 minutes.
I hope these tips are super helpful, and you love your session, and your final images!
