Spring time means portrait time for Intrigue Photography and our clients. This is the time of the year when everyone is tired of being cooped up in their homes, and are ready to head outside and enjoy the nicer weather… when it’s not raining, that is. And as such, this is when our Intriguing Brides & Grooms start to think about booking their Engagement Sessions with us. So, we are writing 5 Easy Tips for Planning Your Perfect Engagement Session with us!
1. Choosing the Season
You may be thinking, “It’s spring! That’s when everyone gets their Engagement Portraits created, right?” Not necessarily my friends! We are happy to create the perfect Engagement Portraits with you and your significant other at any time of the year. We prefer Spring and Fall best of all, but we can get quite creative in winter, and we will endure the heat of summer as well. Here are some ideas for the off-seasons for your Engagement Session to consider!
Winter: Be adventurous and head outside and let us create a magical winter wonderland themed Engagement Session with you! If you happen to find that there isn’t enough snow for that, then let us know and we can all take a lovely drive up north to create the perfect portraits for this time of the year.
Summer: Did you know that Michigan is the “Land of Lakes”? Michigan is certainly special in the fact that we have a LOT of lakes. Why not take advantage of this and allow us to create romantic portraits of you and your significant other at the beach, in casual whites or in your beach best!
2. Choosing your Location
“Where do you recommend we go for our Engagement Session Portraits?” This is a common question we hear, and we are always happy to assist you in finding the perfect location for your Engagement Session adventure to begin. We always recommend that you think of a place that is special to you and your significant other, however, what if you already have this location planned for your wedding day portraits? In that case, we can easily recommend locations nearby that will be perfect to express your love for one another.
Some of our favorite locations are: Downtown Detroit, Elizabeth Park in Trenton, Heritage Park in Taylor, Lake Michigan near Little Sable Point Lighthouse, Sterling State Park in Monroe, and Frankenmuth. However, talk it over with your significant other and reminisce about your favorite times throughout your relationship together. You might be surprised at what we can find in almost any location!
3. Choosing your Outfits
Alright, we want to warn you guys first and foremost… We are photographers and not fashion designers! But, that’s alright! Because we don’t expect our clients to look like runway models for their Engagement Sessions with us. What we do expect and tell our clients to wear is quite simple; Dress in something comfortable, and something you don’t mind getting a little dirty in. You may have noticed that we like to have our clients sitting down in grass, leaves, and dandelions, and if you’re dressed for a black tie event, this simply isn’t feasible. And don’t worry, we will likely be lying down in the grass, mud, watering hole, or maybe even some goose-fraba (goose poop) just to ensure that we capture the perfect magical portrait.
We also recommend that you start with a basic color palette, and choose three colors from it. One of the colors should be a neutral color (white, black, brown), while the other two go with it well. Solid colors and small prints are good choices for the style, while keeping in mind the three colors you chose. Remember, you don’t want to match exactly with each other, but you do want to coordinate your colors. We recommend that you don’t have too many accessories, large and busy prints/patterns, logos, etc. Oh, and jeans are always okay with us.
4. Choosing your Makeup
I want to apologize to you in advance for this, but I’m not a makeup artist, just as I am not a fashion designer. I pretty much wear zero makeup, except for maybe weddings… if it’s not too hot. However, thankfully the natural look is in right now for makeup it seems, and we feel that this aligns with our style the best. We recommend wearing a little more than you normally would, but still keeping with neutral and light tones, so they don’t detract too much from the rest of your ensemble. However, if you really want to accent a certain part of your face for your close up portraits, I highly recommend keeping the focus either on your eyes with soft lips, or soft eyes and luscious lips.
We also recommend that you touch up your nail polish a few hours before your Engagement Session, as it is highly likely that we will want to focus on your hands at some point to show off your beautiful engagement ring. Also, bring any lipstick or lip gloss along for touch ups, as we will have you randomly smooching throughout your session.
Guys – If you wish to wear some makeup for your Engagement Session, I highly recommend some simple foundation. Eyeliner and lip gloss might be a little much, but to each their own, right? 😉
5. Choosing Special Props
We typically don’t include any props in our clients’ Engagement Sessions, but we find that they can spice things up a little more, and add a certain romantic element to your session that you wouldn’t have otherwise. If you’re thinking about some props, but are unsure of what you would like to use, consider one or more of the following props we have seen.
A blanket, signs, books, your dog (okay, he or she isn’t a prop, but honestly, we love animals so bring Fido along!), or a frame. Any one of these things would add an element of YOU to your session and we are sure that you will love the final result.
6. BONUS TIP: Don’t Stress
We’re going to be 100% honest with you here. Most people have never once had an Engagement Portrait Session before. Most people aren’t used to being in front of a camera. Don’t stress these points. Our sessions will feel a little awkward at first, but, once you get used to our silly humor and the way we pose, you will find that your session is quickly over and that you had tons of fun. Our goal is to get relaxed and yet beautiful portraits showcasing your love for one another. So, don’t stress and allow yourself to relax and have fun with us! That’s the best part about our adventures with our clients, is the fun memories we all make together.
I truly hope you enjoyed this article, and that it helps you when planning your next Intriguing Engagement Session with us. Jeff and I can’t wait to work with you in creating some beautiful magic that is reflective of you and your love for one another!
