Does this sound like you?

“I’m nervous about feeling unnatural and looking awkward in front of the camera.”

If so, that’s okay! You’re not alone!

This is one of, if not the, biggest common concerns I hear from prospective clients. And it’s often because:

1. Being in front of the camera isn’t an everyday thing

2. You don’t know how to pose

3. You don’t feel pretty or “good” enough

4. You’re terrified that your partner will hate every second of having their photo taken

And who wants a grumpy, uncooperative partner on their wedding day? Probably not you…

When I hear these concerns (and boy, do I hear them A LOT), I encourage couples to have an engagement session before the wedding day. 

Why? Because it proves to you that you don’t have to be supermodels. And that I’ll guide you throughout the process so that you look and feel great!

By alleviating those initial fears and minimizing some stress, having an engagement session can make such a difference on your wedding day. 

Intrigued yet?

Keep reading to get an even better idea of why an engagement photo session is an ideal solution for all your camera shyness concerns. 

And while you’re here, check out Josh and Sophie’s gorgeous engagement photos – which may or may not get you inspired to do one of your own.  

How an Engagement Session Can Boost Your Confidence

When you book an engagement photo session with me, you never have to worry about being thrown into the proverbial water to force you to learn how to swim. I’m there – guiding and directing you from the moment we say hello. 

I understand that most people’s fears come from a lack of experience. They’re not used to being in front of a camera – at least not for anything longer than a couple of selfies or group photos with friends. And some people just aren’t as confident in themselves. They don’t feel like they’re attractive enough to have professional photos taken. 

Throw in having photos taken by a stranger, and the fear level soars. 

A lot of pressure builds up around the whole photography experience, and couples feel nervous about looking tense and awkward in their wedding photos.  

An engagement session squashes most (if not, hopefully, all) of that negativity. It helps me see how you and your fiance interact together and vibe off of each other. It also gives the two of you a chance to see what I’m all about and how I work. So, when the big day rolls around, we’ll be more like friends than strangers. 

I’ll encourage you to just be yourselves in front of the camera while also providing plenty of direction, so you never feel awkward or uncomfortable. 

Over and over again, I’ve found that the couples who have an engagement session are so much more relaxed and comfortable on their wedding day. And they always send me an email with how much they loved their session and the photos they received. 

Even More Reasons to Do an Engagement Session

An engagement session is a great opportunity to get amazing non-wedding photos you can use in multiple ways. Such as:

• Save-the-dates
• Thank you cards
• Holiday cards
• Creating a coffee-table-style guest book or other piece of art for guests to sign at your wedding
• Displaying them at your wedding 
• Displaying them in your home
• Including them in your wedding album to tell an even more encompassing story of this time in your lives

You could also use the engagement session as an excuse for date night! We can plan a romantic picnic which I’ll take photos of and leave you later to enjoy. Or! Go out for dinner afterwards since you’re already dressed up.

Featured Engagement Session – Sophie & Josh

Sophie and Josh were totally on board with having an engagement session. They loved my photography style and knew they wanted this short but sweet moment in their lives documented.

When we started planning the session, we discovered that the location was one of the most important elements. Because Sophie is a florist, we needed to find a place with epic scenery and diverse landscapes. And beautiful light for romantic and intimate images. 

I immediately thought of the Stockton Beach Sand Dunes and knew that it was the perfect place to capture a large variety of images they hoped for with lots of stunning scenery and light. 

We did their session in Spring when the fennel flower bloomed – which only happens at a certain time of year. It turns out, these flowers are one of Sophie’s favourites. So, it was no surprise when the couple agreed on the location. 

Aside from the location, I also helped the couple choose what to wear to their engagement session by sending them a Pinterest board for inspiration. I also suggested keeping in mind the environment that we would be photographing in. For example, heels don’t fare well in sand. 

As you can see, the photos turned out beautifully. And with a bit of guidance from me, Josh and Sophie turned out to be complete naturals in front of the camera. 

If you ask me, you can really see their love come through in their photos.

So you see – an engagement session is one of the best ways to practice for your wedding day photos. You’ll be able to find your rhythm and feel much more comfortable (and less stressed) about how you look. And you’ll see how natural and amazing you can be in front of the camera – with no prior experience necessary. 

Interested in an engagement session? Send me an email here. 

And together, we’ll create some dreamy photos while relieving some stress before your wedding day.

See Sophie & Josh’s full gallery HERE