7 Tips for Nailing Your Oregon Engagement Session
7 Tips for Nailing Your Oregon Engagement Session
With Spring having arrived and Summer not far behind, it is time to start thinking about your engagement photos! Oregon is an amazing location for any type of photos-but her beauty really shines with an engagement session. The hardest part of having your engagement session in Oregon is choosing where! Oregon has soooo many amazing locations to highlight your love for each other! Whether you are recently engaged, thinking about popping the big question, or just looking for help, here are seven tips for nailing your Oregon Engagement Session!
1. Wear comfortable clothes.
It is super important that you are comfortable, otherwise your photos will show it! Choose clothing that works well with your body type. If it is too tight or clingy, you will find yourself worrying about it through your whole session. On the other hand, if you choose something too boxy or bulky, your photos won't highlight those amazing curves that mother nature gave you. But remember that comfortable doesn't necessarily mean yoga pants and t-shirts! Lot's of couples use their engagement session as an excuse to buy a new dress or outfit! I am happy to be your excuse to go shopping-but make sure you take it for a test drive before your session-look's like a date night is in your future! If you are wanting to get a new dress, there are some amazingly beautiful and comfortable ones on Lulus (click HERE for their website) for a reasonable price. Wearing a dress that flows beautifully will make you feel like a million bucks!
2. Coordinate, don't match and make sure your outfits are photo ready.
Remember in tip number 1, I recommend that you take your new outfit for a test drive? Well, just make sure that you have time to launder it prior to your session. Make sure that you de-wrinkle your clothes prior to the session. You would be surprised how many people think us photographers can just edit those out, and let me tell you-wrinkles are super hard to edit out. Save us both the stress and steam or iron ahead of time and hang stuff up (don't forget to leave enough room for the bottom half too)! Plan your outfits around your personalities-no one's personality is exactly the same, so your outfits shouldn't be the same either!! Start with a color palette (click HERE for examples). This will give you an idea of what colors go together and compliment each other well. Then add your personality into it! I recommend that you bring a couple of different looks, one that highlights your love and romantic vision (think flowy dress and cute guy outfit) and then one that highlights your everyday fashion (think jeans, skirt, shorts, cute top, sweater, blazer, etc.). Having two different outfits will also give you a chance to showcase different sides of your personalities.
3. Consider professional hair and make-up.
Do you feel really confident in your make-up and hair skills? Great, skip to the next tip! But if you are like me and really have no clue, or maybe you wear make-up everyday, but just don't want to stress over it, then this tip is for you! Hiring a professional make-up artist ensures that your make-up will be photo ready. What does that mean?!! Your make-up artist knows how to apply it so that you are not washed out in the photos-photos require a slightly more saturated look than your everyday look. Hair is also something that can really make you feel special! Working with a hair and make-up artist for your engagement session also allows you to try out a team before your big day if you haven't already booked your wedding stylists. My go to ladies for make-up are Julie Drescher with JulieRuth_Aesthetics and Alyssa Underwood with UnderwoodMakeup. My go to lady for hair is Kendall Peters with RomanticTressesBridal she is amazing!
4. Location is everything!
Oregon has so many options-sometimes it can be daunting!! When narrowing down a location, think about what you love as a couple. Is it the classic long walks on the beach? Is it the adventurous hikes to find that hidden waterfall? Or maybe the love of coffee shops and book stores. Don't be afraid to incorporate your favorite activities into your session. I am game for anything, love to canoe? Bring it! Love to hike? Bring those hiking boots! Love to dance? Well, you can pretty much dance anywhere-but you get the picture! But most importantly, pick something that resonates with you as a couple. Still need help? Take this fun QUIZ to help you decide!
5. Make a day of it!
Setting aside the whole day takes away the rush factor and allows you to just enjoy each other-plus it gets you in the right mood for romance! Think of it as a date...just all day long! Start off with finally going to that little coffee shop you have been wanting to try. Relax while you are having your make-up and hair done. And come ready to have some fun. Basically just keep thinking of it as a date, and I get to tag along. Not weirdly though...
6. Schedule your session for the best light.
There are two times during the day that will give you the best light aka golden hour-sunrise and sunset. There are a lot of factors that go into the timing of the session. If I am shooting a sunset engagement session, I will figure out the time of the sunset, back of 15 minutes (what I call my buffer time) and then schedule two hours before that. That is the equation to figure out the best lighting. We will usually start in the shade until the sun starts to turn creamy and then frolic until the sun is gone. Add some music during this last bit and it is simply magical! If you are an early bird, then the same factors are in play. Figure out when the sunrise is and arrive at least 30 minutes before. This is your start time, and thats when your two hour session would start. Just keep in mind that you will need to give time for getting ready, so your day can end up starting really early! Honestly these can be the most memorable and fun sessions ever!
7. Hire a professional to capture you!
You would think this is a no brainer. Capturing your engagement is almost as important as capturing your wedding. This is the time where your love is really blossoming, and you want someone who knows how to capture those little details. Someone who takes the time to get to know you, and you end up becoming great friends with. That photographer who just gets you and the little quirks that make your love unique and who can put you both at ease ensuring that your personalities shine-not your nerves. Choosing the same photographer for your wedding is an even bigger bonus, because you already trust them, which will ensure that you get the best possible photos on your big day.
I hope these seven tips on nailing your Oregon engagement session help! I would love to adventure with you and am happy to answer any other questions you might have! Cheers! Lindsay
