Hi, I’m Jess, an award-wining wedding photographer, working in Colorado, NYC and destinations. I’ve been a wedding photographer for 15 years and have some helpful recommendations to make the most of your engagement session.

You are engaged! This is a really special time in your life. Let’s document it with some beautiful photos that capture your story, joy, style, personality and love.

You are only engaged once and it goes by so quick. Don’t let the time pass without getting some great photos to remember all the excitement. It is a great opportunity to get some casual and fun photos to accompany your more formal wedding portraits.

It is also great practice for your wedding photos. It may sound strange, but taking engagement photos actually improves your wedding photos. You become more comfortable working with direction and understand the process so that we move more quickly through different posses and you know what you like.

For the shoot, the most important thing is to have fun–Relax, laugh, be comfortable and enjoy the session. Here are a few things to keep in mind to make the most out of your photographs.

I try to plan sessions on weekdays because most location will be much less crowded than on weekends.

Punctuality is important.

Sessions are planned during golden hour–that magical time of day when the sunlight is golden and very flattering, just after sunrise or before sunset. Natural light is very important to beautiful photography. The timing of your session is really important, because the sunlight greatly affects the shoot. Please arrive on time. Once the sun goes down, it is too dark to continue the shoot. 

What should I wear for my engagement session?

Plan to wear something that makes you feel comfortable and beautiful. For the standard hour long session, please bring one outfit change. Most couples choose one casual and one formal look to add variety to their images. I have had so many question about wardrobe I decided to make a seperate guide: What to Wear for an Engagement Shoot.

For brides to be:

Consider having your hair and makeup done professionally. This could be a great day to schedule a makeup and hair trial with the stylist you are using on your wedding day. I will also be taking close ups of your gorgeous ring on your finger. Why not treat yourself to a manicure. These ideas are absolutely not necessary, but I like to recommend them because how often do you have professional photos taken? Why not take advantage of this special time in your life and make yourself feel pampered and beautiful!

Where should we have our engagement photos taken?

There are so many amazing locations perfect for photography. I am happy to help you plan the best spot for you that fits your relationship and expresses your personality and style.

Some popular locations include: Central Park, Bryant Park and the library, the MET, and more.

Your don’t need to bring anything, but you may want to bring with you:

• picnic blanket (something with a very simple, neutral color) for some seated photos
• water bottle
• chapstick
• small mints (not gum)
• touch up makeup
• a hair brush (sometimes it can get windy!)
• a pair of sneakers. If we have to do a little walking to get to scenic spots and you plan on wearing heels, a set of sneakers could really help. You can throw everything in a backpack or duffle and I can hold your bag while we shoot.

Your engagement photos will be delivered through an online gallery with password protection. You can expect to receive a minimum of 75 images per hour, with a handful of black and white versions.

Editing and retouching: Every photo you receive will be edited for light, color, contrast and cropping so that it looks beautiful and is ready to be printed. I also do some retouching to photos that may include removing a distraction, for example, an exit sign, a person in the background, or a stray leaf or rock.

Please let me know if you may want additional retouching, for example, removing a blemish.

Extensive retouching is available for an extra fee. For example, tan lines can be a concern. If you are worried about how tan lines might show up in photos it is usually be best to choose an outfit that will hide them.

If you have any concerns about how something will look in photos please let me know before the session so that we can talk through ways to address them. For example, if you want to hide a tattoo or rash or if you are concerned about anything let’s talk. I want to be sensitive to any concerns and ensure you love your photos.

Posing and Direction

Please don’t feel like you have to know what to do. I will guide you through simple and easy direction and prompts to keep things light and fun so that you can enjoy every minute just being together.

If you have any specific ideas in mind, please share. I want you to love your photos!

 

See a full session at Cheesman Park or in the Fall in Central Park here.

If you have any questions, please ask. I want your session to be great!

This post was updated in November 2025.



If you are looking for a wedding photographer in the NYC area please reach out. I’d love to connect. Reach out today to begin the conversation.