Engagement Session – Why Do One?
As a wedding photographer, personally I always prefer when our couples opt for an engagement session with us, for a number of reasons. We include engagement sessions in all of our full day coverage packages, so why not take advantage of it? Some couples opt to trade the session for a discounted rate or extra prints, which is fine, but here are some advantages to an engagement session and why it’s a good idea to do one. Typically we meet at a location in the Hudson Valley, depending on if you have a location in mind or not, we have tons of places we can recommend. The location is key for creating the look and setting the mood for the kind of photos you want, Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park is a great choice if you’re looking for a more historic look, views of the mountains and a great waterfall/bridge photo. The Beacon Waterfront in Beacon NY is an outstanding choice because, you can get multiple moods and looks all at one spot, there’s a waterfront park right on the Hudson, benches, trees, swing set and a great little area where if the water is low enough, you can walk a pathway of rocks right on the water…and last but not least, the most beautiful part, there is a boardwalk style pier that always makes for the most romantic and fun photos. Another cool thing to consider if you are into something slightly different and a bit more artsy, checkout the Main St areas with shops in your town or towns around the Hudson Valley, Fishkill & Beacon both have great areas for this. In terms of the actual engagement session itself, we spend an hour or so taking casual portraits of the couple. Our approach is more natural, capturing the love and emotion as it happens, we do pose a few shots, but mostly we encourage you to hold hands, talk, kiss, but our goal is to have you forget we are there, so you are the most true and relaxed in your photos. Some people don’t have any reservation in front of the camera, but some people are camera shy, and this is why we highly encourage an engagement session. It’s great for both the couple and us as photographers to get an idea of how you are in front of the camera, if you have to be worked at to look more natural or if you are completely relaxed already. An Engagement Session is great for the couple because it gives an idea of how we shoot as photographers, and we practice some of the shots we will take on the big day. The photos from the session also come in handy for the wedding, whether it’s using them on the save the date or invitations, framed prints on tables as part of your centerpiece or an 8×10 print in a frame and having your guests signing the matte instead of a guestbook. It’s a good bonding experience for the couple and their photographer, because out of all your wedding vendors, you will spend the most time with and get to know your photographers the most. Usually by the end of the initial consultations with our couples we feel as if we are friends, but by the end of the engagement session, it feels like we’ve known them for ages. In the long run this leads to the best photos because the more relaxed and natural you are with your photographer, ultimately means they can be more creative and romantic, getting the most amazing portraits of your wedding day.
