Good photos come from good planning. Here’s a guide for your session.

Yay, you’re getting your photos taken! And if you’re anything like me, you’re feeling all sorts of anxiety. I get it, I don’t love being in front of the camera for all the same reasons you might be feeling. Worried about how awkward you’ll look, what you need to bring, how many x amount of pounds you need to lose before the shoot; I hate to break it to ya but you’re overthinking! No really, you are. Most of us get our pictures taken with the goal of capturing pretty pictures and thats why we hyperventilate when someone points a camera at our face (maybe thats just me).The need to look perfect is a bit exhausting so why not take pictures with the purpose of simply capturing memories. After all, our double chins only come out when we’re having the best time of our lives! On a serious note, whether if you love having your photos taken or not I want to make sure we can capture a good reflection of you. With these tips in mind and a little bit of planning, I promise you’ll rock it!

Share your thoughts. Share your feelings. Use your words. I need you both to be as honest as possible. I understand that opening up can be a bit hard for some and thats fine, take your time. Words are scary - being vulnerable is scary, but try your best. Remember those quirky laughs, ugly cries, and intimate interactions when you’re both alone? Don’t hide it.

I’m sure by now you’ve done a little bit of research on what to wear for your photoshoot. My advice, dress like yourself! Keep it minimal. Wear something you feel comfortable in. Don’t match but coordinate your outfits. You don’t have to “dress up” just because it’s a photoshoot. Just do you!

Remember that you’re not there for me, I’m there for you! To document this beautiful stage in your life. Most people walk into a photoshoot with the objective to take pretty pictures, and while thats great, shifting the objective to a more meaningful mindset will lift some weight off your shoulders. No, this won’t be like your typical posey family photoshoot or when Life Touch comes to school on picture day. Try your best to forget about even taking photos and focus on how much you love each other, I’ll take care of the rest.

I don’t know about you but after a long day of work and running errands, I don’t feel my cutest. (Introverts, like me, especially would understand that we need to prep ourselves mentally before we can prep ourselves physically.) So if it was up to me, I’d try my best to relax. Take the day off. If you have work, grocery shopping, homework, and all the above things to do, hold it off, do it the next day! Grab lunch, get a drink, smoke some weed (at your own discretion), just relax and do something you both enjoy that way when it’s time for your shoot, you’re filled with love and excitement for each other. Let me capture you on your best day!

Duh! This seems obvious but committing to this can actually be tough.

I want your dynamic to set the tone and mood of the shoot, not what you think a session should look like. Are you goofballs? Are you introverted? I want to experience all those little moments you might otherwise consider the “outtakes”. Don’t act like you think you should, I want to capture you as you are. The truest emotion is in the outtakes!

It’s definitely not just about the location, but its about how you fit into it. The setting, location, and weather will affect your mood, and the mood of the photos, drastically. So I want to make sure you’re surrounded by what you love. Whether that’s your own home or a foggy mountaintop, all that matters is that it’s you!

And I don’t just mean the weather. I want you to embrace the rocks, the dirt, the paths less traveled, the wind messing up your hair, your dress getting dirty, and all the other spontaneous and “imperfect” elements. If it starts to rain, we’ll keep shooting and have fun with it! If we have to stop between each shot to flatten out your hair or fluff up your dress, the whole natural vibe will be thrown off. I want to keep it natural and honest, so just let go!

Leave the big bags, don’t worry about the extra stuff you might need. I want you to be light on your feet and easily mobile, because I will shoot all those little in-between moments. Extra props or bags tend to make spontaneous shooting more difficult, so minimalism is the way to go!

Because, why not? Music brings out the best of us.

Every couple is different, and I want to capture those quirks that make you who you are as a couple. I promise I won’t try to fit you into a mold, I won’t force poses on you, and I’ll adapt my direction to fit your personality. If you keep these tips in mind, we’ll be able to make something great together.