Wedding season in full swing is just around the corner, it only makes sense that you know how to prepare for a photoshoot. For the sake of simplicity I’ll mainly focus on engagement shoots as they provide the most flexibility and options, unless we booked a separate bridal session.
Communication
Hopefully by this point you’ve have ample opportunity to e-mail/call/text/snapchat your photographer. You’ve figured out the day, time and location but have also communicated the types of photos that you want (yes, everyone has their own style but there are special requests that you may want). Make sure that you have your photographer’s phone number just in case you end up at a different spot than you negotiated.
Location
This should have been sorted in the communication part but figure out a location for the shoot. Your photographer may suggests some places if you’re not sure. Keep in mind though that most of the “popular” spots require some sort of a photography permit, meaning that it’s an extra cost. Permits can range from $30 to a few hundred dollars. The key here is that the location is just the background, yes we can get some awesome photos in some of the biggest landmarks of the city but we don’t have to. The shoot is about you and the focus is on you, so don’t stress about the background too much, as long as it follows thematically with what you imagined your shoot to be like - it should work.
Change of Clothes / Makeup
The makeup piece is up to you, about half of our couples do the usual, the other get professionally done makeup, the point home is make sure that you’re comfortable and if you have to lean into each other that a blob of makeup doesn’t end up on your clothes!
The clothes piece on the other hand - since we have 2 hours for an e-shoot most of the time you may want to bring a change of clothes to create the illusion of the shoot being done on two separate days.
Props
If you have props that you want to use, you should let your photographer know ahead of time, these may be anything from sentimental items that you’d like special focus on or thematic props, i.e. if your shoot revolves around a picnic, or if you want to incorporate your furry best friend in some of the shots.
Timing
I wrote a whole blog post on this earlier, you can see it here. The best time of day to take photos is during the golden hour which is generally 2 hours before sunset or shortly before and after the sunrise. We definitely don’t have to stick to that guideline but if you want your photos to have a softer more romantic feel, that’ll definitely do it. The other piece to keep in mind is that this may not be possible if we’ve arranged to shoot at a location with specific operating hours, think museum, Casa Loma, Winery etc…
Take a Deep Breath...
Some couples are naturals infront of the lens and some are camera-shy, we will ensure that you're comfortable and relaxed. Soon enough you'll forget that we're there, so no need to be nervous :)
These are our top tips to keep in mind when thinking about your photo session, for more information or for a consultation contact us today.