Tips for Relaxed Engagement Photos

With all the engagement sessions I’ve photographed, I’ve lately started thinking about how couples can prepare for a relaxed engagement session. So many of the couples with whom I work want to make sure that the photos “look like us” and not overly-posed versions of themselves. I have a few tricks up my sleeve to help you relax and get comfortable in front of the camera, but here are some things you can do to prepare for your engagement session:

1. Treat it like a date or adventure, not a chore. Attitude matters so much – so come excited. If you need to get in the right headspace by going out for coffee or a drink beforehand – by all means, do that. I’ll even meet you early and happily buy your glass of wine or beer.

2. Choose a location that is meaningful to you or an activity you enjoy doing together. We could go to the place where you got engaged or where you like to take your dogs for a walk. If you love mini-golf or visiting bookstores or sailing or exploring neighborhoods in Boston – let’s build an engagement session around that.

2b. Consider doing part of your session at home. You don’t need to have a home fit for a design blog. Embrace where you are now, because I bet you’ll someday want to remember where it all started.

3. Leave yourself plenty of time to get there. Sitting in traffic and running late is a recipe for feeling the exact opposite of relaxed.

4. Pamper yourself a little beforehand. I’m not suggesting you need full professional hair and make-up, but take some time for yourself. Maybe that’s going for a run or bike ride or yoga class earlier in the day (yay endorphins!) or curling up with a cup of tea and a good book. Just do what makes you feel good.

5. Wear something you feel confident in, but also that doesn’t require a lot of fuss. You don’t want to worry about if something is pulling/too tight/falling down/riding up, etc.

Looking for more examples of relaxed engagement photos? Start here.