Engagement

 

Have you recently gotten engaged? Congratulations! You deserve engagement photos now! Photos that tell your own story. Photos that can make you laugh, cry, scream, smile, howl, even kiss your fiance.

Most engagement sessions are part of wedding packages. But they don’t have to be. Some couples want to audition me for their wedding, while others may be getting married outside of the area and already have a wedding photographer.

Here are some of my thoughts about how the sort of photos that depict your relationship, in its uniqueness, can be achieved. 

The Idea

Being behind the camera I see three essential elements of engagement photography. The emotions surrounding this period of time in your relationship, our communication, and the photography itself, with its artistic and technical aspects.

The emotional element

Creating a visual story of a couple’s love and all of the emotions surrounding their love is the whole point of engagement photos. This time in your life happens only once. Being able to work quickly means by not missing that single, telling instant between the two of you.

Communication

Great photos come from the connection between the photographer’s ability to create art and the couple’s ability to express themselves for the camera. Any particular photo may look completely candid, artistic, and fresh, but to some degree or another there is almost always some direction from the photographer in the mix. That’s where communication comes in. You need to be able to say what you hope for in the photos and I will exchange ideas with you. The photographer will sometimes “direct” you to lean this way or that, to shake it out to feel a little looser, to “hold it…that’s exactly it…that’s the shot!”

Obviously, everyone is different. Some people love being in front of the camera, others aren’t as comfortable. A good photographer must know how to deal with both ends of the spectrum and everything in between. That’s my job; getting an easy give-and-take going between us. It’s my job to help you relax, express who you really are, have fun with the camera, and actually enjoy the photo session. And it really can be fun!

Photography

What makes a photo unique? In twenty-five words or less, it’s photographer's ability to frame the subject. Combining the choice of the right lens, background, foreground, angle, perspective, focal length, aperture, and so on. A great photographer can shoot in the middle of nowhere and still create timeless art. Having the great backgrounds that we have here in the Hunter area is a real advantage.

 

Some Frequently Asked Questions

What’s a good location?

As a Hunter Valley-based photographer, I’ve shot photo sessions all over the area and I still discover new places and come up with new ideas. This gorgeous Valley keeps me inspired. Nearly any background you can imagine can be found in and around the City. Beaches, architecture both modern and historical, parks, quiet as well as busy streets, marinas, established as well as new neighborhoods. 

What should we wear?

Your expressions are more important to me than what you choose to wear. Your wardrobe choices are important though. It’s important that you feel good in what you wear and feel comfortable as well. In most situations, I recommend something that suits the location. Casual clothing for a beach, for example.

When is a good time to do the session?

I can shoot anytime, day or night, sunshine, rain or fog. In fact some unique photos I've shot have been taken on dark, rainy days. Still, I'd say late afternoon, about an hour before the sun sets and the light is golden, is the best time. And although we can’t predict the weather, at least starting out on a warm day is a help.

How long does it take?

Most often I spend between one and two hours with a couple. In only a few hours I will take a couple of hundred photos. Plenty to choose from!
I do one other type of engagement photo session called a lifestyle engagement session. I spend the entire day with a couple and we work in several venues and sometimes include wardrobe changes.

What will it cost?

I charge $500 for the first hour and $100 for each additional hour. I give you the original, edited, high-resolution images. I can post them online, at no additional charge, so you can share the photos with your friends and family. You can also order albums, slideshows, prints, and other products. But most importantly, you will own the images on CD. In order to reserve my services, $200 non-refundable retainer is required and final balance is due on the day of the session.

Additional information

I am available for engagement sessions on weekends with few exceptions. Travel is included as long we are shooting in the Lower Hunter Valley and may apply if we travel outside. This package offered a-La-Carte for "non-wedding" clients. If you decide to reserve my services for a wedding later on, you may be partially reimbursed as some wedding packages include engagement session without high resolution images.