Tips for E-Session Success

Today we have a guest post from Jacksonville, FL pro photographer Gwendolyn Tundermann. Photo E-Sessions are certainly an important item on most brides list. If you are planning on showing a slideshow of your love story at your reception or will be creating a ‘wedding experience‘ video be sure to find out if you can include the photos from your e-session.

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There are a lot of things to consider for engagement photo attire and even though there are no real rules, the more effort you put in to your engagement photos the more you will get out of them!

Toni & Cedric's Downtown Jacksonville Engagement Photos

Season & Climate
– This should be pretty obvious, but dress accordingly for the weather so you’ll be comfortable!

Location
– Make sure your attire fits with the location of your shoot (unless you are specifically looking for contrast).
– How will the location be utilized? Will you be sitting? Laying down? Climbing? (hey, I’ve seen it happen!)

Time of Day
– Make sure your attire fits with the time of day. Just as an example, don’t wear a black suit to a 10am session unless you are doing photos in a formal setting. It probably won’t look right and you might feel uncomfortable in the hot sun!
– You can usually pull off casual/dressy attire any time of day, but late afternoon and evening are perfect for it!
– If you are doing a mid day session, avoid wearing white.

Jenny & Miguel's themed engagement photos in San Diego

Personal Style
– What do you do together? Do you play sports? Go out to dinner or clubs? Are you laid back and casual, fashion divas, or edgy? Thinking about how you usually dress when you go out together can help point you in the right direction.
– Are you going with a theme for your photo shoot? If you are a dreamer or creative mind, don’t be afraid to step into character with a themed photo shoot!
– How do you want to feel? Cute? Sexy? Romantic? Choose clothes that will evoke the kind of feeling you’re looking for in your engagement photos and also make you feel confident to work the camera!

Colors
– Some couples want to match for their session. That’s entirely up to you, but if you don’t match the colors should at least be complimentary.
– Solids are preferred over patterns because you want the focus to be on you and not be distracted by a busy shirt.
– Consider your location and what kind of colors might pop against the background.

Something Old vs. Something New
– Think about what you are going to wear in advance. Don’t wait until the morning of the session to decide because it may stress you out!
– Use this as an excuse to go shopping! Wearing something new will boost your confidence for the camera!
– Don’t forget to accessorize! Have fun with this!

The Reason For The Session
– What are you going to use your engagement photos for? Save The Dates? Guest book or matted print for signing at the wedding? Sharing online on your wedding website? If you think about how you want to use the photos that may also give you some ideas for your attire.

Since our engagement sessions last two hours, we usually suggest two different outfits – a casual one and a dressy one. That way you get the feeling of two completely different photo sessions and more variety! There are no real “rules” on your engagement photo attire. The most important thing is to make it the best reflection of you!