What to Wear
Time for some epic photos!
I am SO excited for our session together - honestly, couple portraits like this are my favorite part of the job.
It’s a great time for us to hangout, get to know each other, and have fun without the pressure that a wedding day can sometimes bring.
I created this guide to help you with a few things. I want to let you know what you can expect from a session with me, prepare you for the day, and answer any questions you may have. This guide also includes some tips and advice about picking outfits and deciding what to wear!
I’m all about storytelling - and that is what this session is for. It’s super important to me that you guys and your relationship are accurately represented in these pictures - so use this guide, but also remember that at the end of the day - these pictures are all about you two and what you want!
“…we are so awkward in front of the camera.”
A lot of couples worry about posing - and I’m here to tell you - don’t be scared. I will most definitely direct the session, and help you guys out. I just try not to use the word ‘pose’ - to me, that means sticking you in some unnatural position and having you hold it forever while your face gets tired of smiling. And that’s not how I do things! I give you guys simple, natural direction that’s going to give you a clear idea of what to do, while also making sure you're moving and interacting in a way that is natural to you and your relationship! Couples also tend to tell me “We are so awkward in front of the camera.” I can promise you - you’re not. Every single couple that has said that to me has walked away from the session saying, “Wow - that was so easy!” Getting in front of a camera can be intimidating but I’m here to make you feel as comfortable as possible.
You’ve got this!
What to Wear
The biggest thing is picking things that you guys are comfortable in! I'm allll about outfits that really represent you guys.
I usually recommend two outfits - one casual, and a nicer one.
For your casual outfit - think jeans, flannels, hats, converse - you can go as casual as it gets! Or a nice button up, sweater, boots - whatever makes you comfortable. Color wise - neutrals and earth tones are always a good choice. But honestly, I love color! So don’t feel like you have to stick to a neutral color palette.
For your nicer outfit - think movement! Flowy dresses are always very photogenic, and can make your pictures stand out! Super tight dresses can be tricky, especially if we do any sitting-down poses. As for shoes, just remember that you will be walking! And usually we are walking on grass. So I recommend picking shoes that you are comfortable walking in, and won’t sink into the grass. At least until we get to our location, and then if you want to change and see how it goes - you can!
There are a couple of things I recommend staying away from - and that is any neon colors or CRAZY patterns. Also - and this is a controversial one - I actually recommend staying away from the color red! It won’t make or break the pictures, but it tends to reflect onto your skin, making y’alls faces look really red.
I'm gonna link to a Pinterest board here, but just know that at the end of the day I want you guys to wear what you feel good in! If your dream engagement outfit contradicts any of this - don’t stress and totally wear it! Your pictures are going to be AMAZING - as long as you are wearing what you are comfortable in!
Things to Bring
“Do we need to bring anything to the shoot?” It depends on what you want your shoot to look like!
Obviously you need to bring your clothes and shoes. But everything else depends on the kind of shoot you want. If you want to read letters to each other - write and bring them. If you want to go for a hike - bring water and snacks. Or if you want photos with your adorable dogs - you can bring them! We will go over this before the shoot so that you guys know what you need to bring with you. Either way - we will make sure you guys are prepared!
Our Location
We are local to Mckinney, Texas - but that doesn’t mean we exclusively shoot there!
We do a mix of local and destination work. If you’ve booked us for a destination session - then we will collaborate with you in order to find an epic backdrop for your session!
If you’re a local Texan - we’ve got some tried and true spots that we LOVE. Obviously if you have a specific location in mind - we can make that happen.
But if you’re not sure, we can give you a list and photo examples of our favorite spots. All we need is the feel that you guys want to go for - as in, do you want to do them in the city, outside, by the water, etc. And then we’ve got the rest covered.
Your location can play a role in what you guys decide to wear. If we’re hiking through the woods - it might make sense to wear sneakers or flat shoes instead of heels. If we’re going for a downtown, city vibe - you may want to avoid hiking boots! The location can also play a part in deciding what color you guys wear. If you know we are going to be shooting in the woods, wearing green might not be the best idea because you’ll blend into the background a little too much. So it’s important to think about and talk with us about where we will be shooting as you pick out your outfits.
Time
9 times out of 10 - I’m going to suggest we start our session about 1 - 2 hours before the sun sets. This gives us enough time to meet up, get comfortable in front of the camera, and still get good lighting! I want to make sure we get pictures with enough sunlight AND get pictures during ‘golden hour.’
If for some reason yours or our schedule prevents us from starting the session close to sunset - that’s okay! We’ve photographed couples in earlier hours of the day - it just means we have to get creative with the lighting, shade, and editing. We could also always do a sunrise session! If you’re down to wake up early - so are we!
Be on the Lookout
About a week or so before your session - I’m going to send you guys a questionnaire through email. It has 7 questions in it - and they are all about you guys and your relationship! It’s nothing crazy - just some simple questions about how you guys interact, your personalities, and how we can best serve you during the session.
It’s not required by any means - but it is super helpful on our end! You’ll get it through email, so you don’t need to worry about it until your session gets closer.
Delivery
On average, couples sessions take me about 3-4 weeks to edit. I go through each and every photo, pick out all the good ones, and then edit them all.
When I’m done, you’ll get an email with the link to your full gallery! You’ll be able to view, download, and order prints through the online gallery we use. I HIGHLY recommend you download the entire gallery onto your computer. I keep them online - but only for about a year. So it’s important that you have your own copies.
When it comes down to it - the most important thing is that you guys feel comfortable and like yourselves at your session.
If you do, your photos will be amazing. And we want to do everything we can to make sure that you guys feel prepared! So if you have any questions that we didn’t cover in this guide, or if you want to send photos of your outfits, or anything at all - please do not hesitate to text or email us! We are here to help, and provide a stress-free experience. We’re SO stoked for this - and cannot wait to hang out, connect, and take some epic pictures together!
