Old Town Alexandria Waterfront

Engagements are my absolute favorite!

I love to kick off my engagement sessions with my couples by having a fun conversation with them while we walk around on location. Throughout my years of documenting engagements, i’ve really come to learn all couples have a unique style to their relationship, and this really helps to break the ice and ease into the session.

The couple walking, holding hands, laughing, and enjoying their time together helps to get some really natural, candid images!

As we walk around and explore our location, I look for little opportunities that would make a lovely shot, and guide my couple towards them.

The last thing we want during our session is to feel rushed, so I really encourage my couple to take their time, and enjoy themselves. If we think about it, it’s not often we get to explore and enjoy a pretty location. Smell the flowers and enjoy the sunshine with your partner!

When I see an opportunity for a posed shot, I let my couple know and guide them through the posing. I try to keep things fun and comfortable for posed shots, so they have a natural look to them.

Candid moments can be really impactful! It’s important to balance candid shots with more posed and structured ones. I think this gives a good variety while still providing some standard shots of an engagement session.

I use a questionnaire when onboarding clients to identify what kind of images they’d prefer as well, so my sessions are always tailored towards their preferences.

For images of the ring (or rings, sometimes), I love to find cool areas on location that complement the ring, or strike a visual balance. These yellow flowers were in a flower bed we found as we explored and worked our way through the waterfront area. I love how the yellow shows through the diamond!

Let me know your thoughts! I love to hear from my readers! Looking for your own Engagement Session? Reach out today!