Choosing The Perfect Time + Location For Your Engagement Photoshoot

Step 1:

The first and, arguably, most important thing to do is to decide on the “vibe” or feel you want for your final photos.

A couple of questions to ask yourself are:

 - What styles of photography/editing are appealing or attractive to you?

 - What is the theme, or inspiration for your wedding?

 - Will you be using some of the photos from your engagement session for “Save the Dates”?

 - What are the styles of clothing that you feel most comfortable and confident wearing?

Step 2:

After you’ve decided on the vibe/feel you want for your photos, it’s time to compile a list of possible locations for your engagement photoshoot session.

A couple of key things to keep in mind are:

 - Consider using your venue.  This is a great opportunity for your photographer to get familiar with your venue, it’ll match the theme of your wedding perfectly, and will serve as a test run for your actual wedding photos. A win-win-win!

 - Look up local gardens/parks OR use Google Maps to Explore possible urban locations.  This one speaks for itself, of course you can drive around different possible locations too, but using google maps will help save you drive time and gas!

 - Ask your photographer for recommendations.  Chances are, your photographer knows a couple of really great locations that would fit your needs perfectly OR they have a location they’re dying to try out!  Asking for recommendations ensures that your photographer knows and loves the location you ultimately end up shooting at!

Step 3:

This is definitely a step you want to consider with your photographer, you’ll want to figure out where the sun rises, sets AND consider the weather locally.

A couple of key things to keep in mind are:

 - Visit the location ahead of time.  If your photographer is familiar with the chosen location, then they’ll already know where the best light is and when the best time to start your session will be. 

 - Consider the weather during the time of year you want to schedule your session.  Florida summers equals hot, humid, rainy, cloudy (and possibly bug crazy) weather.  Depending on factors like location and weather, a sunrise shoot could be better than a sunset shoot.