WHEN DO I SCHEDULE MY ENGAGEMENT SESSION?
You should get your session on the calendar as soon as you can. Patricia only photographs engagement sessions Monday-Thursday (May – November) and Monday- Friday (December-April) because of weddings on the weekends.
We can photograph your session as far away or as close to your wedding date as you would like.
If you want to send out save the dates or make a sign in book with your engagement photos you should schedule your session a minimum of 6 months before your wedding.
WHAT TIME OF DAY SHOULD THE SESSION BE?
In the colder months (November-March) the sun goes down around 4pm so the session will need to be scheduled for 2:30 or 3pm. The rest of the year (April-October) the session time can be later in the day anytime from 5-6:30pm depending on the sunset time. These times of day provide the prettiest light.
HOW LONG IS THE SESSION?
An engagement session generally goes about an hour. Sometimes if the location requires walking a little bit it can take up to two hours.
HOW FAR AWAY WILL YOU TRAVEL FOR AN ENGAGEMENT SESSION?
Patricia will travel up to 30 miles from Saco, Maine. Essentially from Portland to Ogunquit, Maine for a session free of any additional fees or charges. If you would like your session to be outside of this range there will be additional costs involved. Traveling to Boston is an additional $250.00.
We recommend that you choose a location that is important to you and that you enjoy. There are so many beautiful places in the southern Maine area. Coastal Maine provides gorgeous landscape and offers a few different looks for your photos.
Some of our favorite locations to photograph engagement sessions are: Portland Head Light, Two Lights State Park, Ferry Beach, Biddeford Pool, Fortunes Rock, Bug Light, Downtown Portland, East End Portland, Mackworth Island, Gisland Farm, Back Bay, Broadturn Farm, Pine Point, and Nubble Light.
Wardrobe Details
COMPLIMENTARY VS. MATCHING SHOULD WE CHANGE OUR OUTFIT?
Avoid plain black on both parties. While black is slimming unless we are going to be photographing on a bright background it will blend in. Try to pair prints with solid colors. Avoid logos, letters, or distracting images on clothes. Also be careful of anything see through or metallic. It is nice to use “complimentary colors” (colors opposite each other on the color wheel.) Stylists are a wonderful resource that you can collaborate with to come up with the perfect wardrobe for your shoot. If these kinds of services are too pricey, companies like J. Crew and Nordstrom’s offer free personal shoppers to help pick out clothing that flatters your shape and compliment each other or just looking at their images online can help. Besides looking through inspiration on blogs and photographers’ websites, Pinterest is also an amazing resource by simply typing in search words like ‘engagement outfits’ or ‘what to wear for an engagement.’ Being photographed in a few different outfits allows you to have lots of options when buying/framing prints for your walls and lots of visual interests when creating an album of your session afterward. But most importantly, make sure your clothes represent who you are.
VARIETY
Try to match your clothing to the area we are shooting…more formal out ts for the urban city sessions and more casual for the beach and rocky coast. Try to wear colors that are different from the background (for the rocky coast gray will be too similar to the color of the rocks; a eld or forest green will be too similar). A pop of color is a great option as it draws the attention to you in the photo. Feel free to send a photo of the out ts you choose if you want.
COMFORT
Choose clothes that are attering and t properly. It is important that you can move around comfortably and that you feel comfortable in, too.
TIME OF YEAR
Dress for the weather. In the winter, I recommend wearing layers. In the summer, I would stay away from shorts and sleeveless shirts. The eye is drawn to the lighter parts of the image and often times skin tones become those lighter tones—drawing your eyes out of the important part of the picture and directly to the arms or legs.
ACCESSORIES
Choose accessories that suit who you are. Wear big jewelry if you normally wear big jewelry….wear smaller accents if you usually wear smaller accents. It is important that the accessories match and that they look sleek or simple.
DETAILS
Please iron the clothes. It doesn’t have to be perfect (for example sitting in the car probably isn’t going to mess the ironing up) but it should look nice. Get your ring polished and cleaned if you have a chance. It is something we like to show during the session.
You are absolutely welcome to make a wardrobe change at any time during the session. It is up to you and, of course, your comfort level in making a clothing change at the location we decide upon. I generally recommend a casual outfit and a more formal outfit.
SHOULD WE INVEST IN PROFESSIONAL HAIR & MAKE-UP?
It is recommended that you have your hair and makeup professionally done—it is a great excuse for a trial run or a much-needed trim. It is easier to feel confident in front of the camera when you know you have your best look on. It is true that makeup should be a bit heavier than usual for the camera.
SHOULD WE BRING ANY PROPS?
Adding props into you photos can be a fun way to provide some personal insight into a relationship. When used simply, and in moderation, props can add an engaging element to your shoot through additional storytelling and thematic cohesion. Think of props as an element of design used to bring the shoot together, by tying together a theme and/or complimenting the story of your love. Personal props generally have special significance (like a family heirloom) or reflect the couple’s lives together, like a vintage car or Vespa scooter. Creative or cute props are used with the intention of adding whimsy and flair to the shoot. For instance, a large colorful balloon or handmade banner adds a pop of color and a graphic element. Finally, location-based props, like a rowboat on a lake, come with your chosen location.
When Will We Get Our Images?
An engagement session takes about 1 week to turn around. You should have your gallery a week after your session and you can begin working on your save the dates or sign in book. You will be able to download the images from the gallery for your printing use. You are welcome to share the gallery with friends and family.