One beautiful engagement shoot – The Lakes, UK

The Shoot.

Engagement shoots are all about capturing the true connection between bride and groom to-be. This is such a special and unique time for you as a couple and one which is an absolute joy for me to capture.

I wanted to take a little time to go over what happens during an engagement shoot with me and explore the benefits to you as a couple. Thank you so much to Yasmin & Michael for allowing me to share your images, read more about the couple and how they felt about the shoot.

Get ready to say “ahhhh”….

The Space.

These images are exclusively for the two of you. You are sharing such a special side to your relationship, you may want to keep the images private, however, if you are happy to share the love then fantastic! On that basis, I prefer to find a secluded space with an extensive horizon or stunning surroundings. Your wedding venue may be a wonderful space for example, and you can experience the quiet and calm which you may not get on your actual wedding day.

The Story.

I want to hear all about YOU! How did you propose? How did you feel? Were you surprised?

Time spent during our pre wedding shoot can be a rare opportunity to reminisce about your relationship and to actually BE together. It is my job to photograph your faces as you remember those happy times and begin to look excitedly towards your future together.

The image above captures this perfectly and I love working with couples who hold onto each other, even when the camera is down.

You.

During this shoot with Yasmin & Michael, we had time to feature three outfit changes and three different environments, stone, bullrushes and beach. With a bit of planning, we can make the most of the shoot and get a wonderful range of images.

One outfit is more than fine, just make sure that you are happy to see the outfit on your wall or when you look upon the images in years to come. Wearing clothes that have neutral tones are preferable over loud and bold colours. Baggy clothes can be unflattering but tighter items with layers that blow in the wind are lovely. Be ready for close ups so having professional make up can help increase your confidence.

I am a tactile person so don’t be shocked if I hug you randomly or squeal with joy when you are both looking lost in one another’s eyes.

It is all about the two of you so I don’t encourage props or gimmicks as they can distract us from the intention of the shoot which is to capture the LOVE. The environment may provide the perfect killer image such as leaves, shadows, sunbeams, wind, rainbows and I just love using the environment in its rawest form.

“I just adore seeing couples continue to embrace one another, even when the camera is down.”

Love.

Be yourselves. I spend a while getting to know you both whilst having a wander around the location and don’t worry, you will have some direction on how to pose but after a little while, I promise, you do all of the work by moving in ways most comfortable and natural to you both. If you aren’t a fan of kissing and cuddling each other, then we may have a problem.

The Fun.

Be ready to laugh a lot!

Of course this is a romantic and beautiful session, but I guarantee there will be some funny moments where you just can’t help but giggle uncontrollably. It may feel strange, but look at the result above. One for the wall!

Let me tell you a bit about our amazing couple here:

Yasmin was dragged to a party back in 2012 by her friend where she met Michael and now, they are getting married in 2017!!!

When asked what their favourite thing about each other is….

Yasmin “I can not stay mad with him. He always manages to make me laugh. I love the way he’s always smiling and laughing. He’s romantic and also weird like me!”

Michael “I love her beautiful eyes and gorgeous smile! Super whites! The fact that she puts up with me is beyond me!”

Why did a pre wedding shoot appeal to you once you were engaged?

 Getting engaged was one of the happiest times in our life and we wanted that moment captured forever. Having a couples shoot not only prepared us for what it would be like on the day but give us chance to get to know the photographer.

What were the benefits of having the shoot?

We now have pictures that not only capture our youth but also allow our personalities to shine through!

What was your favourite aspect of the shoot?

Our favourite aspect was seeing how everything came together in the end. We also got to know our photographer and had a lovely seaside ice cream together after the shoot finished.

Would you recommend couples have a pre wedding shoot and why?

Definitely, I think it’s a fantastic way to get to know your photographer and get a feel for what it will be like on your wedding.day!

Most men hate getting their photograph taken however, after the shoot Michael told me how much he had enjoyed it and couldn’t wait to see the images.

Any tips on choosing what to wear for the shoot?

I think that sticking to more fitted clothing is best, wearing baggy clothing makes you look frumpy, especially for women.

What was it like being photographed by Sarah?

Sarah made us feel so relaxed we barely noticed she was there. We felt that we could be ourselves behind the camera, which made it enjoyable for the both of us! She also picked up on the fact that Michael loves my eyes and decided to take a special image of our eyes close together, which we will cherish forever.