If you get the chance to know me as a photographer, it won’t take long to understand that joyfully playful images are my jam. I am constantly giving my clients prompts that will encourage interaction and lots of laughter. And while I can create this in any space, there are a couple of sure fire ways to generate natural reactions between the two of you. You’ll never guess it…

Ok, maybe you will. 😉 It has everything to do with your relationship. Off camera, unedited, and exactly as it is. Imagine this… you casually get ready together, grab your favorite bottle of wine, and then walk to your favorite pizza spot. That’s where I come in. With pizza and wine in hand, I will walk you through it all. We will snuggle up and create images that will hold tight to what your relationship looks like in the here and now.

picking a location for documentary engagement photos

As a photographer who thrives off delivering images that feel uniquely you, I will walk side by side with you in picking a location that is authentic to your relationship. Between questionnaires and my planning assistance, I have no doubt we’ll find the perfect spot! Maybe you choose the restaurant where you had your first date or your favorite park to go on walks together! Taylor and Christian chose their Minneapolis neighborhood where they do so much life together. Creating photos in that space made it feel like any other date night- plus one and a camera.

When you start planning for your engagement session, answer questions like these to help you brainstorm!

1. Where was our first date?
2. Where do we feel the most comfortable?
3. Do we like the aesthetic of our home/neighborhood?
4. What places do we frequent for date night?
5. Where did we first say I love you?
6. Where are some of our favorite memories?
7. What are our favorite things to do together?

From here, you can create a list of places that are characteristic to your story and I can help you narrow down to the perfect location for you session!

planning engagement photos that feel like date night

I am no stranger to the fact that for most people being photographed is at least a bit uncomfortable. I have all kinds of tricks up my sleeve to provide an inviting atmosphere for your session! Top of the list? Creating your session around a normal date night activity. On top of generating natural interactions, you’ll recieve photos that document your love the way it really exists.

Hanging out in Taylor and Christian’s neighborhood was a natural bridge into their favorite date night activities! Picking up a Black Sheep Pizza, sharing a bottle of wine, and walking Monte Carlo for a martini and an old fashioned on the patio. Sounds pretty ideal right? As their photographer, it also gave me the opportunity to get to know them better. In turn, that will lend to an even more relaxed and fun environment on their wedding day.

The sky is the limit, friends. It could be playing cribbage, making cookies in your kitchen, going for a bike ride, setting up a movie night with all the fixings, picking up take out and bringing it to the park, hitting up the thrift store, trying out a new brewery. Make it personal to your relationship and you can’t go wrong.

If you are into the idea of photos that document your love in a truly authentic way, utilizing either one or both of these approaches is sure to make it happen. We can rock out your photos in any place with nothing but the two of you but… pizza and wine makes everything more fun. Am I right or am I right?

For those of you completely convinced at this point- hop on over to my connection page and start telling me about your love. Let’s start planning out a session full of the bits and pieces that led to you falling head over heels.