Engagement Session Guide
Welcome! Your engagement session date is fastly approaching and I’m excited to meet with the both of you to capture part of your love story into beautiful images. I hope this booklet helps answer any questions you might have, and below, I leave you with a few tips for the day itself: •
Please be on time. More than one photo shoot is normally scheduled for the same day and being on time can maximize the hours we have together for your session. Please make proper considerations for traffic, hair delays, and fashion emergencies! ;) An average shoot lasts 1-1.5 hours and I want the BEST photography experience for you. And being on time achieves exactly this! :) Also, feel free to bring an extra outfit if you’d like to change into for the second hour or a different location.
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Be sure to check out the website for engagement sessions and engagement slideshows before the shoot. I’ve also discovered that when the prospective groom views a slideshow in advance, it helps him feel comfortable in front of the camera. Girls are usually more likely to model or what I lovingly refer to as “work-it” in front of the camera. Guys, on the other hand, are sometimes not. However, if they see some of my images and poses beforehand, they know that I’m only there to make them look extra handsome. ;) Here’s a specific link to my site that will bring up only engagement sessions: http://www.luciacintra.com/engagements.
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Don’t hesitate to check out photo shoot location(s) beforehand. If something else has popped up or you have a cool idea, please don’t hesitate to let me know. I encourage you to find a spot that reflects your love and a place you’ll both feel comfortable.
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It’s always fun to bring along props. I view every engagement session like a mainstream shoot--complete with models and props and scenery. I want every engagement shoot to look like it could be in a magazine, so if you’d like feel free to bring things along that really reflect your personalities - anything that truly reflects you individually or as a couple.
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Some girls will have their practice run regarding hair, nails and makeup for the engagement shoot. This helps them feel a little more ‘done-up’ for the shoot and boosts their confidence. I’m not saying you should do this at all! However, what I can say is that in my experience shooting engagement sessions, girls want to feel pretty and confident... and sometimes spending a little extra time getting ready achieves just that.
I think that’s it for now, but we can definitely set up a time to talk so we can go over the details and any questions you might have. I’m so excited and I can’t wait to see you again soon! :) Warmly, Lucia
Reveal & Personal Ordering Session
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nce your engagement photos are ready, I’ll set up a ‘Reveal & Personal Ordering” meeting with you for a slideshow viewing.
At this session, I’ll personally help you select the best images for your wall art, Save the Date cards or photo book design, to name a few, and you will have the opportunity to purchase any prints and/or products at a discounted rate. The promotional discount offered is valid for the day of the Reveal session only. All prints and products offered are guaranteed high quality as I only work with high end professional labs. Should you prefer to purchase the digital files and print photos of your images yourselves, I can recommend a good online lab for the work. I strongly advise against having your images printed at local drugstores or any other retail location as their quality will suffer and all the beautiful color and editing you see on your screen will not be able to be reproduced by bargain printing labs. Professional labs are calibrated to offer higher quality photo paper, higher quality inks, and special coating that ensure your images are resistant to fingerprings, dust and fading.
Engagement Sessions Is it important to have an engagement session? I love shooting engagement sessions! It’s important because it’s a fun way to get to know my couples and not be tied to a timeline like we are on the wedding day. It gives us the opportunity to get to know each other better and help me learn little details about you and your personalities as well as your style, likes and dislikes. It’s also a great way to get you both comfortable and relaxed in front of me and my camera before the wedding. The best part? It’s a complimentary session with all my Collections. Where should we have our engagement session? For locations, I would suggest starting with some place that is significant in meaning to the two of you. Did you meet in a library? Do you love hiking or going to the movies? Football fans? Do you play any instruments? The location could also reflect your style. A city would give you more of an urban and chic feel while a beautiful park or a flower conservatory shows more of your romantic side. For a rustic or grunge type of look, old buildings and graffiti walls can also be a very cool location. If you are unsure, I can definitely make suggestions based on your personalities and the type of look and feel you are looking for. The important thing is that we are able to capture you doing something fun that tells more about who you are. How long will our engagement session be? Sessions usually are between 1 to 1.5 hours. It can be extended for an additional fee if you prefer multiple locations.
Hi Lucia, Thank you so much! I absolutely love my engagement pictures! I can’t stop looking at them. You did a wonderful job!! That one with the umbrella reminds me of a scene from a movie, it looks so good! Thanks again!!! :-) Misty Seemiller
When should we schedule the engagement session? Most of my couples choose to shoot their engagement sessions around four to six months prior to the wedding date. It varies based on what they would like to do with the photos.
A few examples include: Creating a guest album for the reception; making a ‘Save the Date card’; capturing a different season than the wedding (offering more variety of images to display at home). How should we dress? It is recommended that you wear comfortable clothing that reflects your individual style and personality and that it reflects the look you are going for. If you like dressing up, wear some fabulous shoes and pair them with a nice dress. If you like something more casual, a fitted top with jeans and some cute flats are a great option. Like both? Why not?
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ost of my couples bring two outfits: something casual, and something a little dressier! I would recommend sticking to no more than two outfits in order to maximize our time together and halfway through our session, we’ll take a break so you can change. Fun, colorful outfits make your pictures pop! These pictures will reflect the two of you during one of the best times of your life, so have fun with your style and don’t be afraid to layer and accessorize. Try to coordinate with each other but don’t get too ‘matchy’. Tops and shirts that are complimentary to each other (not the same color) works really well. And watch so if one person chooses a fancy outfit, the other is not dressed too casual. An elegant pair of heels and a chic dress wouldn’t go with flip flops and a t-shirt. Shoes: Most every location requires a decent amount of walking, so girls: it’s a good idea to bring along a pair of comfortable shoes. You can put on your fabulous heels once we start shooting. How about props? I love making images that have something unique and personal to my couples. Think of something you love to do together and go from there! If you are a baseball fan, bring your bats, gloves and write your names and/ or wedding date on the baseballs. If you like to read, why not bring your favorite books? Can I bring my pet? Yes! I love animals and I personally have three guinea pigs and a Boston Terrier. If this pet is special to both of you and can be controlled during the day I definitely recommend bringing them. You could even bring someone along to watch them while you have your photos taken. But please take in consideration that engagement sessions are an intimate moment and sometimes it’s difficult for some couples to relax and be themselves in front of an audience. Hair & makeup I encourage my brides to have their hair and makeup done professionally because it will make you feel more confident in front of the camera. It’s also the perfect time to have your trial run before the wedding, so you will know how it will look. Make sure, though, that the hair and makeup represents you and is not too glamorous or overdone for a natural engagement session. And because we will also be taking photos of your gorgeous engagement ring, remember to have your nails done for some awesome close up shots of your hands!
Engagement Sessions What can we do with our engagement images? You can use your photos for ‘Save the Date’ cards, engagement albums, wedding guest signature books, miniature brag books, among many others. You can also purchase beautiful edited art work for your walls and customized prints and products from my studio showcasing your engagement images. General tips for couples Although it’s obvious that a camera is there, it’s always a good photo to have you looking at each other, looking down or away, one person looking at me while the other is looking at them affectionately. Say things to each other that will spark a natural laugh as those spontaneous moments can often create much more natural images. And don’t worry, when I need you to look at me, I will let you know. Some moments should be paused a little bit longer. For example, if you kiss, hold it for
a few seconds so the photographer can get the photo. Please know that if you want the photographer to catch something, give them a chance and try not to move from one pose or moment to another too quickly. If you are up for it, sometimes I will ask my couples to do some crazy and silly things to get a great shot, whether it’s climbing on top of something, hopping over a fence, jumping into each other’s arms or laying on the ground. But nothing too crazy, I promise. Finally, have fun and enjoy it! You will be doing lots of hugging, kissing, walking, running, jumping, sitting, laughing, talking and looking at each other. This is about your love story, so there’s absolutely nothing you can do wrong! Just have fun, be in love and I will take care of the rest.
Personalized Canvas Designs & Prints
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he idea to personalize a canvas came to me when I decided that I wanted my wedding vows on a favorite photo of my husband and I. From then on, I started designing them for my clients and it quickly grew into also designing vows, favorite quotes, poems and song lyrics not only onto canvases, but large photo prints for their walls as well. Each design is unique, fully personalized and if needed, retouched to eliminate any distracting backgrounds or to give it a special effect. My design services also include ‘Thank You’ and ‘Save the Date’ cards, among many others. For more information, please contact me directly at lucia@luciacintra.com or visit the design online shop at www.etsy.com/shop/lucintra.
Personalized Canvas Designs & Prints
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Photo Cards & Products n addition to personalized photo canvases, below are a few other options for your engagement photos. You will be able to touch and feel different products at our ‘Reveal’ meeting, where you will see your photos for the first time after the engagement session.
Photo Books Engagement photo books are available in several different leather colors and 2 sizes: 8x8 and 10x10.
Canvas Collage Display 9 of your favorite engagement photos that tell your story, as a beautiful and fun collage on your wall.
Guests Sign In Photo Guests books are designed with some blank space around the engagement photos so your guests can sign and leave you personal messages at the wedding.
Save the Date Cards ‘Save the Date’ cards are available in several different designs for your favorite engagement photo!
Thank You
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lease feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. I can’t wait for your engagement session and I’m excited to learn a little bit more about you as a couple as we have fun capturing your personalities and your love into beautiful photographs.
Lucia Cintra Photography www.luciacintra.com 412.229.7791 Facebook: LuciaCintraPhotography Blog: luciacintra.com/blog Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/luciacintra
Š 2016 Lucia Cintra Photography