Love and Lobster Coastal New England Weddings

Your beloved proposed. Check. You said yes. Check. You’ve got a sparkly new ring on your finger. Check. Now what?

Realize your wedding checklist is about to get a whole lot longer. So before it does, make the most of your post-engagement bubble of bliss (and free time) and consider an engagement portrait session. Not only does a photo shoot give you and your sweetie a chance to revel in your newly committed romance, but the images can be used for much more than just the traditional newspaper announcement.

Maine-based photographers Jennifer Stone and Patrick McNamara have captured many a smitten couple from behind the lens of a camera. So they’ve answered all the questions about engagement sessions before — How early should we plan? What to wear? Are non-awkward kissing shots even possible? Here, they share their answers to couples’ most common conundrums.

When should couples first start thinking about arranging their engagement portrait session?

JENNIFER: As soon as they book their photographer. I like to do engagement sessions fairly far in advance because my engagement sessions include a guest signing book designed with pictures from their engagement session, so the design and having the album made can take some time.

PATRICK: Ideally, I think couples should start thinking about setting up their E-shoot soon after they book their photographer, which is typically a year or less from their wedding day. When clients book, they are pretty excited about having found a photographer that is a good fit and I like to keep that excitement level peaked by doing the E-shoot right away.

What are the most popular ways couples use engagement photos these days?

JENNIFER: Save the date cards and guest signing albums.

PATRICK: Many clients are producing their own wedding websites but hands down, the most common request is for sharing them on Facebook. Creating slide shows with the images is popular idea as well as digital photo books that many people have their wedding guests sign at the reception. Having an image mounted on a large matte board for guests to sign is always popular and many of my clients will have little framed photos scattered throughout the wedding venue too. I shot a wedding recently at The State Room in Boston, where they blew up three or four E-shoot photos to make poster-size, backlit Dura-trans images, giving the clients total rock star status as the guests filed into the venue.

Should a couple’s engagement portrait photographer also serve as their wedding photographer?

JENNIFER: If it is possible logistically, definitely yes, it’s a great way for them to get to know each other before the wedding day. A lot of my couples are getting married in Maine as a destination wedding so they are planning their wedding long distance and may not be able to get to Maine for an engagement session.

PATRICK: If at all possible, this is a great benefit to both photographer and client. There is no better ice breaker for all parties than the E-shoot. It’s an opportunity to get to know each other and establish a working rapport. As a photographer, I’m also thinking of the technical side too. I’ll study a person’s face and body language to determine if they are comfortable in front of the camera or if I need to loosen them up. Do they need any posing tips or does it come naturally to them? Do they have deep-set eyes that might require flash fill for shadows, do they have wispy hair that catches every puff of wind creating those distracting “fly aways”?

How much should couples budget for their engagement portrait session?

JENNIFER: The cost for engagement sessions can vary greatly between photographers, just like wedding photography, so it’s important to research different photographers and determine your budget. My sessions are $650 and include a guest signing album, as well as one digital file for a save the date card (the rest of the digital files are delivered with the wedding images).

PATRICK: This can vary greatly from photographer to photographer. Some include the E-shoot as part of their package price. I prefer to price all aspects of my packages with the “a la carte” approach, so a client only pays for services that are important to them. I do strive to keep my E-shoot pricing affordable for my wedding clients, as I would prefer to have the opportunity to establish that working rapport.

What advice do you offer couples on choosing a look and location(s) for the shoot?

JENNIFER: I encourage couples to choose a location(s) that is important or has special meaning to them.

PATRICK: I always ask a client if they have a location in mind — someplace special, perhaps where they were engaged. I try to set up the sessions for the late afternoon, early evening. Not only is the light the most dramatic, it’s also around dinner hour and the beaches and coastal paths are more likely to be deserted. Nothing worse than getting into a groove and then losing your mojo while you wait for the family with beach chairs to finish walking through your background.

Advice on wardrobe choices?

JENNIFER: Wardrobe choices will depend on the location for your engagement session and I encourage couples to bring several changes of clothes for a different look. A city session might have a more dressed up look while a beach session will have a more relaxed look. I want the session to reflect them, so they should choose clothing that fits their style and they are comfortable in.

PATRICK: Everyone has at least one favorite outfit, something that they feel they look pretty good in. That is a good starting point; however, I also encourage people to bring change of wardrobe which we can review when we arrive on location. When possible, I prefer to stay away from busy patterns that can be distracting. If I know we are shooting in a vivid, green grass park, I may suggest a color that contrasts nicely and really pops (e.g. a yellow polo shirt against green grass). I tend to have my subjects lean or sit frequently, so loose baggy clothing that bunches around the midsection when seated results in a client that will be less than thrilled with the photos.

What are your tips for natural-looking photos?

JENNIFER: Relax and have fun! My sessions are more lifestyle sessions, so I have couples interacting so I can capture real moments between the two of them.

PATRICK: Before we start, we review what kind of shots they envisioned and I jokingly remind them that we are trying to avoid anything that looks like two bowling pins standing side by side. I really like to find a way to get relaxed, natural body language. If people are nervous or self-conscious, there is something comforting about having them lean or sit on something. Embracing each other is something that every couple finds comfort in. However, when a tall groom leans over to get his head close to the bride’s, it can kill a shot and make him look like he has a broken neck. For me, it’s always important for a groom to keep nice posture, thus allowing his fiance the ability to kind of collapse into his body frame. Finally, I’ve always believed that humor results in the most natural and pleasing smile that you can capture.