Why do an engagement session?

Have you ever wondered about the benefits of having an engagement session? Then this post is for you.  The Sea to Sky provides some wonderful locations that are all in close proximity to the city of Vancouver.  Whistler, Pemberton and Squamish, are beautiful outdoor meccas that people travel from all over the world to visit.  These towns are wonderful places to make your engagement session happen.

Have you and your partner ever had your photo taken professionally? It can be a very vulnerable experience. The majority of couples I photograph, aren’t comfortable in front of the camera.  If you are feeling this way, you aren’t alone, I promise, and I understand how it feels to put yourself in front of someone’s lens.  There is always an element of awkwardness and it takes a bit of time to work through.  Therefore, having an engagement session prior to your wedding, can be a wonderful idea to help alleviate the fear and help you be more comfortable.  It’s also a great time to get to know your photographer.  If you’re travelling from afar and you’re using a different photographer,  the benefits are still there.  After having an engagement session done, you’ll feel more prepared for your wedding day, and you’ll go into your portrait session knowing what to expect.  As you’ve done it before, it will come more naturally.

One thing I hear from a lot of couples, that have booked me, is they like the feeling of candidness portrayed.  I love a natural feeling portrait, but in order to get that, I really need to try to capture a couple’s natural interactions with each other such as those laughs and the inside jokes you share.  As I direct you throughout, I really want all the in between moments and the more you move and have fun with each other, the better those will be.   So don’t shy away from dancing, running, tickling, whispering something ridiculous into each other’s ears. Have fun with these sessions, as the more you do, the more natural your photos will be.

I like to book engagement sessions around the best possible light which is either early mornings, or close to sunset.  In the winter, this could be around 3pm.  In the spring to fall, this tends to be later in the evening. I also book most of these sessions mid-week.  I know that doesn’t always work well for work schedules, but here in Whistler, our wedding season is year round.  Weekends are reserved for weddings as I book them throughout the year.   In the winter, there is definitely a little more flexibility on Sundays.  The nice thing with spring and summer, is there is so much daylight.   A lot of my couples will come  after work for a sunset session, since I recommend the later timing.

Of course, we don’t always luck out with that perfect light.  Living in Whistler, and within the coastal mountain range, we definitely experience all the weather but those foggy, or snowy days, can be just as magical.

If you’d like to check out some more Whistler engagement sessions, click here