Engagement Session

Engagement sessions are a perfect time for you and your fiancè(e) to get to know me and for me to get to know you. I think that’s pretty important. The more you know me, the more comfortable you will be expressing yourselves as a couple in front of my camera. The end result of a better connection between me and the two of you is more relaxed and produce genuine photos.
Here’s some information on engagement sessions to keep in mind:

When should we do our engagement session?

The answer mostly depends on your schedule. If you want photos for your save-the-dates, we’ll need to get the session done before you make the save-the-dates. If you’ll only be using the photos at your wedding, or don’t plan on using them or any reason besides having great, casual photos of the two of you, we can really do it anytime. Weekdays are best, but in the off-season (generally November through April) I can make many weekends work. Shooting within a few hours of sunset is ideal, but we can also do mornings if you’re a morning person.

What should we wear?

Wear clothes that you love and feel confident in. If you can’t decide, feel free to bring a few different options. Most couples bring a dressy outfit and a more casual one, and change halfway through the shoot. Definitely bring shoes that you can walk off-road in, since we’ll probably find ourselves walking on a trail or across a field. Keep weather in mind – if it’s going to get chilly that evening, bring something warm. You don’t want to be freezing during your engagement session.

Where should we shoot?

If there is a location that’s special to you two, let’s shoot there. If you just have a general location preference (i.e. field, park, urban, etc.) I can definitely take those preferences and run with them. If you have no preferences at all I’m happy to pick locations too.

Here are some example of places you could choose from.

  • Georgetown, Washington D.C.
  • National Mall
  • Oldtown Alexandria
  • Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Vienna VA
  • Greatfalls Park, Greatfalls VA

What will the session be like?

It won’t be awkward and posey. It won’t feel like a Sears portrait session. The main goal of your engagement session is for you to have fun hanging out with your future spouse, and the more that you can relax and have fun and be snuggly with each other, the more unique your session will look and the better it’ll come out. Having said that, I know it can be unnerving to be in front of a camera, so I’ll tailor my approach to your individual needs. If I notice that you’re feeling a little uncomfortable, I’m happy to direct you a little more.

But honestly, I don’t want your session to be all about my poses. If it was, most engagement sessions would look really similar. I want to see genuine joy, love, companionship, and laughter. Have a good time with each other – treat this like a fun date!

I also don’t want you to think I’m just going to stand you somewhere and start taking photos without giving you any direction. I want you to feel comfortable, so I definitely remain aware of your level of comfort at all times.

How long until we get our finished photos?

The turnaround time is about 2 to 3 weeks.