Part 2 - Why You Need an Engagement Session

Welcome back! This is the second article in a four-part series, "Bride's Guide to Great Wedding Photography." In the first part, we discussed the kinds of questions to ask and qualities to seek when hiring your wedding photographer. We discussed style and vision as well as the value of hiring a professional for your unique celebration. Before starting on with this post, you may want to read Part 1 if you haven't yet. In this article, we'll talk about the importance--I would even say the necessity--of an engagement session.  Let's continue.

Why An Engagement Session? Back in the day (as the kids say), an engagement portrait was often simply that: a single portrait of the couple to be used in newspaper announcements or maybe a desk portrait or two. Today, the engagement session is a much more significant affair. Not all couples (or their photographers), however, opt for an engagement session before the wedding.  I think this is a mistake.  There are a number of good reasons to do an engagement session and you miss out on an important opportunity if you don't do one. So: why is an engagement session such a critical part to the enjoyment of your wedding experience?

They're Fun If you've done your homework and hired a professional, expect to have fun during your engagement session. Most people have never had a professional photographer make their pictures before* and a two-plus hour session can be a lot of fun. Take the time to enjoy being with your fiance: be silly, laugh, be serious, look and act like models--whatever you want. If you've seen images or poses that you might like to emulate, discuss the ideas with your photographer before the session. If you're short on ideas, trust your photographer to come up with something that fits your personality and style. His creativity and vision can bring out the best in you.

Many couples today like to have an engagement session "on location" at a park, some downtown area, or a place that is special to them. When I'm photographing a couple, I like to do both location and studio images when possible. This gives my clients a broader range of choices and gives me more flexibility in the kinds of images we can create. You may want to see if your photographer offers the option of studio as well as location shooting for you.

Create Images for Your Home, Announcements, and Guest Books You'll likely want to get at least a few desk prints and maybe a wall portrait from your session. I recommend that couples think about their engagement images as the photographs they'll keep around. Your wedding pictures will show you in your wedding attire (obviously) and, as contemporary as they might seem now, they'll seem dated some day. If you choose simple, classic clothing styles for your engagement session, you'll have images that you can keep on the walls for years.

Many couples like to use the images for save-the-date announcements and wedding invitations. You may also want to have a custom book made from your session photographs. These work well as guest sign-in books at your wedding: your guests will enjoy seeing the photographs of you and you'll appreciate having their personal comments and well-wishes right alongside your images. Ask your photographer about these options. Your photographer may also be willing to license some of the images for a slideshow during your reception--this is a fantastic way to showcase your photographs for your wedding guests.

Get Comfortable with Your Photographer

Besides coming away with a number of fantastic images of you as a couple, one of the best reasons to do an engagement session is to get to know your photographer better--and so your photographer can get to know you. This session lets you learn how he'll want to work with you on your wedding day, ensuring a better experience for you.  While I ask a number of questions of couples when we have the informational interview, I learn much more about them when we spend time with one another during the engagement session. Since it's a more relaxed and less structured event than the wedding day, we can take time to joke, have fun, and banter when there's little pressure.

The engagement session also affords your photographer the chance to study you and determine how to pose you in the most flattering ways. You'll look more natural and confident in your photographs if you feel comfortable with the person behind the camera as well (and remember that good chemistry is essential to getting good images). On a recent engagement shoot, for example, I learned that the groom-to-be was a bit apprehensive about PDAs (public displays of affection). Knowing that, I didn't push him to kiss his future bride in front of the camera that day. This enabled him to trust me and to relax. Once we got to the wedding day, I asked (as I always do) if the couple would be willing to try a pose or an idea or--gasp!--if the groom would kiss his now-wife. He simply told me, "Do whatever you want. We trust you."

Precisely.

Your wedding day is not the day to be camera-shy. Having an engagement session with your photographer before your wedding will help you gain confidence and help ensure that you look your best in all of your photos.

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Looking Ahead - Wedding Day Flow You've booked your photographer, enjoyed an amazing engagement session, and now you're ready for your wedding day.  In our next article, we'll discuss recommendations for getting the images that you want for your wedding book.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. If you found it helpful, drop me a note to say so or leave a comment below--I'd love to hear from you. If you're interested in contacting me about a photographic project, whether a portrait, wedding, commercial job, or event, please let me know.

*Many photographers distinguish between "taking" a picture and "making" one.  Anyone can point a camera at something and press a button--that's taking. Making a picture, however, involves an eye for composition, a flattering pose for the subject, consideration of light and exposure and many other variables.  Remember: cameras don't make photographs; photographers do.

Here are some articles that will help you in your photographer selection:

Bride's Guide to Hiring Her Wedding Photographer - Part 1 (How to Hire a Wedding Photographer)

Bride's Guide to Hiring Her Wedding Photographer - Part 2 (Why You Need an Engagement Session)

Bride's Guide to Hiring Her Wedding Photographer - Part 3 (A Smooth Wedding Day)

PPA: Top Ten Things You Need to Know to Ensure Wedding Photo Bliss

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