Planning your engagement portraits

Preparing for your engagement photos may be the kick-off to the *realness* of your wedding day approaching - it's an exciting time! Planning your shoot should be fun and not an added stressor. If I'm your photographer, I want to help foster an environment where you feel comfortable and confident being photographed, which starts with setting some expectations for your session (especially if this is your first time ever being in front of a camera together!), as well as providing guidance to help bring your vision for your portraits to life.

Engagement portraits can be anything you want them to be. So please do not see these tips as a box to fit in, merely suggestions from my experience. My best, biggest advice is to stay true to you. You know yourselves best, so let's plan an engagement session that brings your unique love story to life.

I know that you've probably seen a million different Pinterest images of what engagement photos "should" look like. So right off the bat, I'll tell you that you're way cooler than that; your relationship and individual personalities are not cookie cutter. Although I do appreciate seeing inspiration images to understand your vision, results will vary. I'm not the Pinterest photographer, you're not the Pinterest couple, and likely, our location is different as well. Even compared to the images above (that I have taken!), your results will vary because none of those couples are you!

While I'm a documentary style photographer, that does not mean I won't pose you. I just won't run through a generic list because while we're walking and small talking during your session, I am carefully observing how you interact and keeping an eye out for backdrops that spark an idea. I'll never leave you hanging, but I also may not manipulate your every move, because most times I LOVE where you put your hands or the way you look at each other without me telling you to do so.

Think about this: if you haven't been photographed together before, this will be the very first time you see your love reflected back at you. How your partner looks at you, and you at them. How you hold each other (besides in an iPhone pic you've taken, maybe). The way you laugh at their jokes. I'm here to document it all, so that you may see how loved you are.

In this post, I'll share a little more about my approach so you know what to expect as well as some tips for you to keep in mind as your session approaches, ideas for where to shoot, and how to style your outfits for the occasion.

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Where should we take photos?

Locations set the scene.

First and foremost, I encourage couples to choose a location that means something to them. Someplace sentimental (like a first date, proposal, where you met, a favorite restaurant, or college bar). Someplace that's comfortable (your home, family property, or familiar park). Or maybe even somewhere you've always wanted to go together, engagement portraits could be a fun time to share a new experience.

No matter where it is, I think the most important thing is that you're comfortable there and take time to gauge that comfort level being photographed - possibly in public - and if that's a little unsettling, then we can consider less busy spots and opt for someplace more private. You may like the look of downtown city portraits, but it's all about how you feel, right? Downtown Pittsburgh is busy, almost all the time. While I'm ok with people being in the background of your images, are you comfortable cuddling up with your partner in public? Some people are, some are not! So have that open discussion with your partner about both of your comfort levels and go from there. I talk so much about being comfortable, because being photographed in itself is vulnerable and the most authentic images come from being comfortable which lends into being your most authentic self.

Some couples have a set in stone vision that they want to achieve in their engagement portraits, and while I welcome this always, I also encourage you to think about the "why" behind that vision. Is it because it really truly feels encapsulating of your relationship and personalities? Then let's go for it! If it's only because the "theme" is trending or because you saw someone on TikTok doing it, then maybe let's storyboard something that feels curated just for you. I am familiar with a variety of locations in the SWPA area to bring your vision to life and am open to traveling wherever you hope to capture your love.

Wherever we decide to meet up for your engagement portraits, that location become the "scene" that sets the stage for your session. As does the time of the year, i.e., outdoor sessions may have different colored leaves, more or less flowers blooming, or a need to pivot indoors because of inclement weather. So it's important to choose a location or more than one location that feels aligned to your vision. It goes without saying, but if we're photographing in the wilderness, your photos will not look like any you've seen in a city. If you want the best of both worlds, we can visit more than one location during our time together.

Here are some of my personal favorite engagement portrait locations in SWPA, based on vibe, if you are in need of some ideas:

• "City Park"

  • Allegheny Commons & Lake Elizabeth, North Side

  • Mellon Park, Shadyside

  • Outside of Phipps Botanical Garden

  • Riverview Park

• "Nature Park"

  • Robin Hill Park, Moon

  • Hartwood Acres Fields, Allison Park

  • The Frick / Frick Park, Squirel Hill

  • Aspinwall Riverfront Park

  • North Park, Allison Park

  • Twin Lakes, Greensburg

• "Immersed in Nature"

  • Ohiopyle State Park, Farmington

  • Jummonville Glen, Hopwood

  • Cook State Forrest, Cooksburg

  • Prince Gallitzen State Park, Patton

  • Getaway Cabin, Ohio

  • Pittsburgh Botanic Garden (fee required)

• "Art Museum"

  • Carnegie Museum of Art

  • Westmoreland Museum of Art

  • The Frick

• "Cityscape"

  • Market Square & Mellon Square

  • North Shore / Clemente Bridge

  • Mount Washington

  • Parking Garage Rooftops

  • Strip District

  • The Highline, Southside

• "Side Street, Casual Stroll"

  • Sewickley

  • Ligonier

  • Lawrenceville

  • Oakland

  • Mexican War Streets

  • Ben Avon

  • Squirrel Hill

• "Vintage Romance"

  • Mansions on Fifth

  • Hartwood Acres Mansion

  • Rose House

What should we wear?

Outfitting for self-expression.

The best outfit you can wear is one you feel most comfortable & yourself in! There is no box to fit in. When couples ask me for advice on what to wear, that's the biggest thing. But, I know a lot of people are seeking practical advice, so here are some pointers:

• Coordinating. There’s a balance to coordinating, not “matching” with one another (aka both not wearing a white t-shirt and jeans, unless you’re into it!). i.e., if both wear jeans, do different shades of denim or one wears black pants to differentiate. Or one person wears solids and the other, patterns.

• Dressing for your location. If you want your images to feel immersive/cohesive, then I suggest dressing to complement your location/s. Likeeee if we're shooting in a field, a flowy dress/skirt, or loose fitting trousers with a tee or linen button down would be fitting (think: twirling in tall grass). I am happy to provide examples for your specific location, based on your vision and preferences.

• Color. Solids/neutrals photograph "better" (more naturally in an environment) than busy patterns or loud colors. I am a big fan of color, it’s just that whatever color you wear “becomes” the color scheme of your portraits if that makes sense. So if you're going for a color scheme, incorporate that palette into your look/s.

• Accessorizing. Anything to pull personality in or to use as a prop (like a bag, sunglasses, hat, scarf). Adding a layer, like a jacket or sweater, that you can take on and off for different shots can add even more variety.

• Changing. Working with me, you’re more than welcome to change if you’d like! Most couples plan one casual look and one more dressed up. Entirely up to your preferences!

How do we prepare?

Tips for letting go in front of the lens.

Being photographed is vulnerable. It's a relationship that takes two and it takes a level of openness from clients for me to honestly tell their story, pull their authentic personalities out, and create a space where creativity can flow. While I can realistically put every couple into a laundry list of traditional poses, the best photos (to me & what you've likely hired me to do) are photos where your personalities shine through, your love story feels like it has come to life, and the images are distinctly unique to you. It's what I do best, especially when clients welcome me in with mutual openness.

A few things I believe:

• The best photos come from being yourselves! (Comfortable!)

• Your photos should not look like anyone else's, you are unique.

• You are not awkward in front of the camera (everyone says it, and I promise you are not)

• Letting go of expectations and leaning into the experience is where the magic happens!

Where do we put our hands?

Being in front of a camera (maybe for the first time?)

Before sessions, I ask if my couple has been photographed professionally before - most often no, but sometimes yes, and either way, not yet by me. Every photographer has a different approach and speaking for myself, I can be whoever you need - more hands on or a fly on the wall, letting things happen. My style is always a balance of observing organic moments and providing guidance into poses. I promise you'll get more comfortable in front of the camera as we go!

Here's a few tips for being comfortable in front of my lens:

• Ask for more, different, or less direction if you need it.

• I have a rollidex of poses/prompts in my brain at all times and can adapt based on the location, lighting, and your vision. So, I got you! I will not leave you hanging and you may always ask what do I do with my hands if I didn't make it clear.

• Lean into any posing, get comfy together as to not feel or come across stiff. You may always joke around, chat together, or show affection anytime. You know your love languages best and how you interact with one another naturally, don't hold back!

• Movement, movement, movement! The "inspiration" images you've saved that are "candid" are more likely than not from a pose/prompt that involves movement, which I can only direct so much. How the photos turns out is based on whether or not you are truly having fun doing it!

• Switch up your smize & gaze - soft smile, giggly smile, regular smile / look up, down, all around. Poses aren't meant to feel like you're a mannequin.

• Even in a 'static' (no movement) pose - check each other out, steal a kiss, do an impromptu twirl, place a hand on the other's cheek, or small talk. I will always let you know when to look at the camera and smile.

• It can be tough at first, but either ignore the camera or consider it/me as a friend, I will communicate if there's a pose or different angle I want to get but go a little silent if you're doing something adorable.

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When my husband and I had our engagement pictures done, I remember thinking "wow I have never actually looked at him with direct eye contact for that long." It's one of those occasions that you've likely never been in before and besides your wedding or any other portrait needs, quite possibly never again, to this extent. I set my sessions at 90 minutes because 1 hour feels too short and I won't penalize you if we go over, either. However, you'll soon see that smiling at the camera for hours on end can become a little tiring. Your cheeks may hurt from smiling! I am always on your timeline, so you tell me when you're at your limit.

I also like to tell couples that engagement sessions are so unlike wedding days. So, doing engagement portraits is a wonderful warm up. During your time with me, I'd love if we could chat the whole time, but I understand you've hired me to take pictures. So in between conversations, we are doing a lot of different things to achieve a variety of shots in a relatively short time frame. Versus your wedding day, where I'm with you all day and there will be little sprinkled pockets of portrait time amidst the celebration where you'll be engaging with friends, family, each other. Far less intensive on your end! Some direction from me and smiles at me here and there. I focus on telling the story of your day and you focus on enjoying it.

Let's wrap this up! If you take away anything from this post it's that being photographed should be fun (!!!) I want nothing more than to create a space where you can be yourself and that I capture the love you share on camera, so you can see it for yourself. If you're a client of mine and your engagement session is upcoming, please let me know if you have any outstanding questions or ideas from what you've read! I can't wait to create with you!