Engagement photo sessions have become more and more popular among newly engaged couples. While these pre-wedding shoots have been around for quite a while, they have only recently started to become a mainstream trend. Part of the reason is because engagement sessions no longer have to be traditional. Years ago, engagement photos were simply treated as traditional portrait sessions for couples. But today there are no rules - they can be as fun and creative as you want them to be. Many photographers have started treating engagement photography more like fashion photo shoots. Some of them also use this session as an opportunity to experiment with creative freedom and techniques; often producing surprising results.
Why Pay for Professional Engagement Photos?
Obviously there's extra cost associated with an additional engagement photo session. You may ask, "Is it worth it? Why should I have engagement photos done if I will be taking professional wedding photos already?"
There are plenty of reasons why so many couples are choosing this option. First let's be clear about one thing - engagement photo sessions are completely different from the photographs that you will be taking on your wedding day. This applies to the final images, format and the entire experience.
Get to Know Your Photographer: For one, your own private photo session will give you a chance to get to know your photographer's working style and personality before the wedding. You can get acquainted and feel comfortable with one another. It allows a good photographer to capture the real you and obtain a grasp of your needs. For example, having room to experiment provides the photographer the understanding of your self consciousness and preferred angles… etc.
Open Format: Remember that engagement photos are really all about you. There's no set format, so feel free to dress it up or down however you like. One of my client couples were big into mountain biking, so for their engagement photos they decided to wear their biking gear and ride a downhill trail at Bootleg Canyon in Boulder City. The pictures came out great and everyone raved about how different they were.
Try before You Buy: If you have not yet selected a photographer, an engagement photo session is the perfect opportunity to test the waters and preview their work. Judge the quality of the images and how well the photographer works with you, you can then decide if you want to make the bigger investment by choosing the photographer to shoot your wedding.
Learn to Work with Your Partner: An engagement session provides a staging ground for you and your future spouse to get some experience working in front of the camera. Often times during the wedding you will be busy with family, friends and guests, but you won't have much time to yourselves. You will not only learn what to expect from your photographer during the photo shoot, but from each other as well. If one of you is camera shy; what better time to practice how to loosen up? There's absolutely no pressure.
Engagement Photos Usage Tips
Aside from the wedding images, many couples won't have any other professional photos of themselves. The engagement session photos can be included in your wedding album to create a prequel; leading into the wedding day story.
If like most couples, you are looking for a fun way to entertain your guests during the wedding reception, consider using the photos as part of a slideshow. Reception slideshows have become a favorite choice because they are personal, easy to put together as well as operate, and they beckon for everyone's involvement in an unobtrusive way. The slideshow is something that your photographer can easily put together. However, if you are computer savvy, you can also create one on your own. The best part is that all of your guests will enjoy viewing photos of the newlyweds on a big screen. Below is a short list of affordable slideshow creation tools:
Another option is to use the images in a guest book where guests can sign on the day of the wedding. Your photographer can put together a beautiful custom guest album with blank space for signing along with your engagement photos. This is one of the more popular options because it makes a great memorabilia and everyone will enjoy looking through your photos during the wedding.
If you want a display piece, you can select one or two of your favorite photos from the engagement session to be enlarged and displayed at your wedding. The cocktail hall or gift table is a great place for this. Rather than a guest book, you can opt to have a signature mat around the enlargement where guests can sign. Usually, if your photographer is providing the enlargement, he or she can also provide an easel for the photograph.
These are just a few of the ways that engagement photos can be used. There are many great reasons to have professional engagement photos taken. It should come as no surprise that so many couples are seeking this option. If you are interested in learning more about engagement sessions, just talk to your photographer.
About the Author: John Morris - NV, Nevada
John's work has been featured in publications including PhotoPlus in the UK and up! magazine in Canada. His commercial and architecture work have appeared on the covers of Casino Enterprise Management and Nashville Home and Garden. John has also been featured in Las Vegas Bride magazine as a wedding photography expert and won the WeddingWire Bride's Choice Award in 2010.
You may directly access John's full Wedding Photographer Bio, Wedding Photography Portfolio, and Las Vegas Nevada Wedding Photographers Index.
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