We’ve excessively talked about camera shyness before, but it’s very rare to find someone super comfortable in front of the camera. As wedding photographers in Greece, every time we meet a new couple through Skype or Zoom, our clients always start out saying that they’re going to feel and be awkward. We’re are always ensuring them that if you don’t feel at least a little bit awkward in front of the camera, you’re not normal! Camera Shyness happens to us too – Even though we know posing, lighting, angles, you name it. Our approach is that communication is key. On your wedding day, we are on top of things and we’re next to our couples every step of the way. We will help you feel at ease and relaxed, giving us the editorial and romantic shots you chose us for. 99.9% of our couples are not models and we know how difficult it is standing in front of a camera. After all, occasionally, we as well get in front of the camera to understand exactly how our couples feel, experience the same anxiety but navigate through it in the same way we will help them when the day comes.
Why Have an Engagement Session?
One of the primary benefits of doing an engagement session is that it will help you get used to being in front of the camera before your wedding. It will ease your nerves and show you a new perspective. Remembering back what you did at your engagement session will help make your portrait time more efficient on the big day and allow you to get even more photos you want during that time. Practice always makes perfect!
Having an engagement session is also great for building a better relationship with your photographer. It will help us learn more about how you interact with one another, as every couple is different, while shooting, you will get also get to know our personalities and shooting style as well. When you get to look back at your engagement photos afterward and evaluate the experience, you’ll also figure out which poses you love and maybe even some you don’t like. Giving your photographer this feedback will help make your wedding portraits even more successful and almost foolproof!
Many couples identify engagement sessions as a way to get some pretty photos of themselves that are a lot nicer than the selfies they take while out on the weekends. An engagement session will result in photos that express your personality and love, perfect for your Save the Dates and for hanging on the walls of your home or sharing with your friends and family!
When Should You Schedule an Engagement Session?
When it comes to the time of year, there is no right or wrong season to hold your engagement session, as this depends on the weather and scenery you’re looking for in your images. If you’re having your engagement session in Greece, we’d suggest the months from April to September, or when you visit Greece for a holiday or a little romantic getaway. However, if you’re booking a session to use for your save the date, the main thing to consider is when you plan to get your Save the Dates out in the mail. We recommend having the session at least two or three months before getting those done. This will give you time to get your edited images back, finalize your Save the Date design, and get them printed.
While your wedding day timeline may eventually be a little more strict, when scheduling your engagement session, we can have more control over the time of day you’d like to shoot. The best time of day to be photographed is when the sun isn’t so high up in the sky, just after sunrise or just before sunset. We always advise couples to start their session around 4:30 pm in the fall months, but 6:30 pm in the spring or summer, if opting for around sunset time. The light at this time will be more flattering on your skin, you won’t have to worry about the bright sun in your eyes, and you may even get lucky with an epic sunset – hello Santorini!
Engagement Session Location Suggestions
Choosing a location is the fun part of an engagement session and in Greece there plenty of beautiful destinations to choose from! Are there any locations that have meaning to your relationship? Maybe a spot where your proposal took place, where you met, or where you went on your first date. Depending on distance, we can usually squeeze in two nearby locations during your engagement session. When shooting at a public location, one thing to look into is whether or not permission or a paid permit is required!
What to Wear to Your Engagement Session?
Style is important when having your photo taken. The most common question we get leading up to an engagement session is “what do we wear?” We are always willing to help you with this, and even review photos of your outfit ideas and tell you what would work best. An engagement session is a great excuse to go shopping for something new! Wearing new clothes will also ensure that they’re fresh and not yet faded. You can even bring a second outfit, maybe something a little fancier, to change into midway through your session.
On the subject of clothes, our biggest recommendation is to be sure you try everything on in advance to make sure you’re comfortable! You don’t want to be adjusting your clothes during the shoot and the more comfortable you feel in your outfit, the better you’ll feel overall, resulting in effortless images. If you’re going to wear a pair of heels, bring along some comfy flats if you’ll be doing some walking – especially if your session will take place in the summer months on a Greek island.
Color-wise, we are always recommending choosing a set of 3 complementary colors in your outfits so you’re coordinating naturally. Solid colors are generally best, avoiding too much solid white, and one of you can wear some pattern to mix things up. Something a lot of people don’t consider when choosing their engagement session outfits is the aesthetics of the location. Make sure you much the style with the surroundings – we can help you with that!
As you can understand, it’s all about feeling your best. A final way to help achieve that goal is to have your hair and makeup done. This makes your engagement session a great time to schedule your hair and makeup trials! It’s also a great idea to have your nails well-manicured in case of any close-ups, and since your engagement ring will be photographed, you’ll want to clean it in advance with some mild soap and warm water.
Looking for an engagement photographer in Greece to capture your greatest memories! We’d be glad to do the honors! Contact us or schedule your call
