Feeling nervous?
You are not alone if you are nervous ahead of your engagement session. When couples reach out to photographers, one of the first things they share is that they feel awkward in front of the camera. As it turns out, that is totally normal! Go to any photographer's website today and you will see something about storytelling, authentic photography, or genuine photos to describe their style and philosophy behind photography. And that creates the most beautiful engagement photos out there! Those are the kinds of photos that will bring huge smiles to your faces in 10 and 20 years when you look back on these photos. But it also requires you to be a little bit vulnerable. Your photographer wants to capture the two of you in ways that you typically connect with each other. It's also likely that this is the first or second time that you are meeting your photographer in person. It's a pretty intense way to start a business relationship, am I right? I promise, this is worth it. And it's a little better if you can let go of the anxiety before your session starts so you can have a great time together. In turn, your photos will be breathtaking.
Here are a few tips to help you prepare and set those nerves aside during your session.
Number 1: Review my engagement session guide
Each client that hires me for an engagement session or one of my wedding packages that include engagement photography receives access to my engagement session guide. This is filled with tips about what to expect, how to select an outfit, how to select a location, and what to bring to your session. This is great for couples who haven't had professional photos together or for couples who generally have no idea what an engagement session will be like.
Number 2: Study engagement sessions
Sounds weird, I know. Engagement sessions are shared all over Pinterest and Instagram. You can get an idea of what to expect simply by looking at those posts online. You can also review blogs, like this one that showcase examples of photography. This also helps provide ideas for outfits and locations.
Number 3: Communicate with your photographer
Check in with your photographer if you are nervous and tell them what you are nervous about. I've spoken generally about nerves regarding having the session and not knowing what to expect, but these nerves can be about all kinds of things. Maybe it's about showing PDA during your session, or that you are self conscious about how you might look. These are normal feelings and your photographer should have tools to help you through that. But, we aren't mind readers. If you tell us, we can do things to ease those nerves!
Number 4: Make it a fun date night or day!
There is nothing I love more than a night out with my partner. Head to your favorite brewery for a drink before or after your session, do something new together, or enjoy doing something you always do together. The day doesn't only have to be about your engagement session.
Number 5: Trust your photographer
This is probably the most important thing. If you put your trust in us during your session, your photos will turn out wonderfully! Trust us to listen to your concerns and make adjustments if needed. And also trust us to know how to help you create the right conditions for great photos. Photographers will ask you to do things that are sometimes silly and the best reaction is to just laugh about it if you're feeling uncomfortable.
