But what do you need to do to get ready for the big day? Here are my tips from the engagement shoots I’ve done, using some photo examples from the more recent of the two.
Always aim to make the woman look beautiful. She’s likely the one who’s most interested in the whole photoshoot idea anyways…. that’s not to say to make the man look terrible, but you know what I mean. Aim to make her look slim and gorgeous and the couple will likely be satisfied with the photos. If her hair is out of place- fix it. Ask nicely before touching her if you’re not comfortable, but she can’t see herself and if you think she looks amiss, she probably will too when she gets the prints. Take a few seconds to make her look perfect.
Go for a wide-open aperture if you can.
I almost exclusively use my 50mm 1.4 lens for photoshoots. I love it. I can get a nice crisp focus on faces and that really makes the shot. This is the only other lens I currently own for my DSLR and its a great investment. If you are looking for a lens, look into this one (and I’d strongly recommend saving the extra pennies to get the f1.4 over the cheaper 1.8).
Get some kissing shots. Its sweet. They’ll appreciate it when they’re 70, even if it feels a little cheesy now. Insider tip: Giving the soon-to-be-groom an alcoholic beverage or two in advance of the shoot is not a terrible idea. Just enough to loosen him up, mind you. You need a coherent subject.
Focus on the ring. Its special. Its new. Its something the bride will want to show off. Use the close-up on the ring to highlight special moments and small, more intimate touches between the couple. This is one of my favorite shots. Its not a traditional portrait- their heads are purposely cut off, but look how much emotion is still portrayed.
ISO: 800 f.14 1/1600
Don’t be afraid to get silly! Encourage them to tell each other jokes- or have some of your own at the ready. Go spur of the moment and try something you hadn’t planned. It can pay off big!
Mix up the backgrounds. A hanging flower basket below a window adds a little femininity and warmth to the brick and mortar of the city.
Go for the shots that may not be so obvious. We can’t see their faces, but we can feel the connection between these two. Its going to be a long {happy} road ahead.
Don’t forget that your subjects will need some direction. I wanted to capture another side of their faces that I hadn’t yet seen. In this case, I asked them to look up at a lamp post. I think there was a bird nearby and I got talking about the bird… maybe we named the bird, or made up a silly story. When in doubt, give the direction and just keep talking. It will make even a fairly comfortable subject more at ease with a rather forced, unnatural situation- not to mention that the uneasy subject will be very grateful.
Bring some props if you think it will help. A picnic blanket if you’re going to a park. Maybe some wine glasses if you want them to pretend to toast. A flower for the man to present to the woman… be creative. And again- make sure it fits what the couple is looking for.
Thanks so much for these tips Jen! The pictures you took of this couple are awesome! 😀
You have great tips. One of my favorites is the walking shot. I melt at those always and take them often of my kids with my folks, my husband and each other.