I received a request from one of my lovely brides (HOLLA, Beth!) to do a post on “proper e-session etiquette.” AKA things for you to know before going into an e-session that your photographer may forget to  mention. Beth, you’re a genius.

Disclaimer: everything I’m about to say is from my own experience and are just my personal opinions. I’m not saying they’re the “correct” ways to do anything, just how I’ve done them and had them work. Feel free to take any or none of my advice 🙂

So the first thing I usually discuss with my brides and grooms is the location.  My favorite areas to shoot are places with character. Glen Echo, as seen in Robbie and Juliann’s e-session, is a perfect example. That park has a personality! You don’t always have to go somewhere as busy as Glen Echo, though. Do, however, try to pick a place that has several different options. I like being able to just wander around and, whenever I see what I think is a good backdrop, we stop and shoot there. The shot below is from Bald Head Island- Meg, William and I drove around the island until I saw places I thought had potential . This was definitely one of them!

After choosing a location, we set up a time. It’s not secret that I ADORE morning light- it’s my absolute favorite time of day to shoot (proven by the fact that I got up at 5:15 on a vacation day to drive out and shoot Sarah and Chance’s session).  If you’re not an early riser, though, later afternoon yields some pretty good light, too. The image below, however, is from a 6:30 am session. See what I mean? Butter.

What I’m generally looking for when choosing a time is a period when the sun won’t be directly overhead. My first ever engagement session with my dear friends Ashley and Shawn was a lighting-disaster. I had no idea what I was doing and suggested we meet at HIGH NOON, because I figured it would be the brightest and we’d have the most light possible to work with. My friend Aurora kindly told me (afterwards) that shooting at noon is, generally, viewed as a terrible time to shoot outdoors. Looking back on the photos, the shadows on their faces are really dramatic, and I wish I’d waiting a few hours later to start shooting.

The next thing I typically discuss with my brides is their wardrobe for the shoot. I always tell my girls (and guys!) to wear something that makes them feel, for lack of a better word, sexy! Ladies, you can’t deny that when you’re wearing your favorite dress, or those killer shoes your man bought for you, you walk with your head held a little higher. That confidence always comes across in film. You smile more, you’re more willing to try different poses, you open up a bit with your fiance emotionally.

All of these different aspects factor into your photos, and I can guarantee you images come out better and closer to what you’re expecting than if you were to wear the typical matching white tees and jeans. Not that there’s anything wrong with that outfit choice. But if you’re hoping for a classy, almost editorial feel to your images, wear your favorite pair of pumps. That dress you know makes your fiance look at you with googly eyes. You’ll see the results in your images. And don’t hesitate to bring several outfit options so that you can change part of the way through the session- I love it when my couples bring choices! In the photo below, Juliann is wearing a dress she told me she loves, and it definitely influenced the images.

I feel like I may have completely overwhelmed you, so we’ll stop here for today and I’ll continue on with part 2 tomorrow. Questions? Always feel free to shoot me an email!