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LET'S PLAN YOUR ENGAGEMENT SESSION

I am so excited to be working with you and can’t wait for our time together during your engagement session!

It’s normal to be a little nervous about your session. I’ve been on the other side of the camera, and it can be uncomfortable! I’m fully aware of the nerves, which is why I guide you EVERY step of the way. I promise I won’t leave you hangin’ in our session. I will pose, prompt, and promise you will have some fun!

I’m a big fan of engagement sessions for a few reasons. First, they allow you to get comfortable in front of the camera. It takes time for most couples to warm up to being photographed. Timelines can be pretty tight on weddings days and 30 minutes may be all we have for portraits – which is why I have found that wedding day portraits turn out so much better when couples do engagement sessions ahead of time.

Second, you can showcase your personalities in a more casual setting that is signficant to the two of you (and even include pets!). While they’re great for save-the-dates, we’ve taken engagement photos anywhere from 18 months in advance to a few days before the wedding. Typically folks send out Save-the-Dates anywhere between 3-6 months in advance; this might be something to think about when planning your engagement session.

There is a lot to think about when it comes to planning a session and since I get asked the same things over and over again, I thought it would be the most beneficial if I put together a guide that walks you through everything you need to know.

I’ll cover what to wear, whether to bring pets & how to manage them, location ideas and more!

WHEN AND WHAT TIME OF DAY DO WE SCHEDULE?

Engagement sessions can take place anywhere from immediately following a proposal to just a few days before the wedding. We’ve found that there isn’t a “good” or “bad” time to take your photos. We normally plan sessions based on a particular “look” a couple has in mind, spring flowers for example, or based on schedules.

Sessions typically last about an hour and when when we can—we love to begin sessions about two hours before sunset. We prefer to shoot when the sun is lower in the sky to avoid harsh shadows and bright sun patches. The first two hours after sunrise is also an ideal time to shoot.

We schedule sessions during what we believe will be the best light of the day – which means that it’s super important to be on time. If you’re late to an evening session, we could run out of light before we’ve finished shooting and if your session takes place in the morning, the sun gets more harsh as it rises.

Of course engagement sessions take place year-round, but Winter in Tennessee isn't going to look like Spring or Summer. We don't always have to do scenic outdoor landscapes in the Winter. We could do an "in-home" session, city scape, or even something unique that avoids leafless trees and brown grass.

Along with the changing seasons, we have changing light. We may shoot as early as 2:30PM in the Winter time to take advantage of that early setting sun.

CAN I BRING MY DOG?

Our dog is huge part of our family, which is why I love when couples choose to incorporate pets into their session. Keep in mind that bringing a pet along often means that we’ll need to choose a pet friendly location.

We recommend planning for your pet to be at the first part of your session and then either dropping them off or having a friend take them home. We won’t use the pet in every single photo so it’s also nice to have a friend available to hold him or her in between shots.

If you’re going to bring a pet, we recommend exercising your pet before the session and bringing your pets favorite toy or treats! Depending on your pet’s fur type, it might also be a good idea to groom them before the shoot.

Possible Locations
What to Wear for Your Engagement Photos?
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©2021 COPYRIGHT Kelsey Leigh Photography