Couple lying on the wooden bridge with dog in the middle | Anne Lord PhotographyAnne Lord Photography

Fun Props for Your Engagement Photography Session

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If you are having your engagement photos taken, having a prop or two handy can add to the creativity and personality of your images. It can also be a tool to help get you comfortable in front of the camera. Your engagement shoot can be much like a practice run for the big day, but it is also about capturing part of your love story. It is a time to use your engagement photo session to get your jitters out, get comfortable with your photographer, and most of all, have fun! 

1. Bring your pet

As an experienced Leesburg, VA wedding photographer, Anne Lord offers the ideal location for your special photo session. She also provides advice on what to wear, what to bring and how to prepare. Some of the best engagement shots are of the couple and their furry friend(s). As an avid pet lover, Anne enjoys breaking the ice and helping you and your significant other relax in front of the camera by capturing the dynamic between your personalities and your pet. It as an extra level of warmth and brings out the natural in all of you. After all a pet does not usually put on airs. They are themselves in most situations.

2. Bring an “Engaged” banner or personalized sign

Banners and personalized signs are not only popular right now, but also versatile. You can hang one up as an engagement photo backdrop or hold it up yourselves from either end. If you are including a four-legged friend in your engagement shoot, you can have your pet wear the banner or a sign celebrating your engagement. 

3. Engagement champagne flutes

Toast to the future with festive engagement-themed champagne flutes. It is not only a fun way to show off your ring, but you can also use personalized champagne flutes to show off your personalities with funny quotes and sayings. 

4. Engagement or Save-the-Date signs

If you are taking engagement photos for your save-the-dates, make sure to not forget the wedding date! If these photos are not for save-the-dates, you can still commemorate your engagement date or your wedding date. Either way, you can use a customizable number for a great photo prop. 

5. Bride and Groom mugs

Having an outdoor engagement session? Why don’t you and your significant other bring along personalized engagement mugs and a blanket for a romantic photo session. Leesburg, Virginia photographer, Anne Lord, knows the local communities and the best locations for taking breathtaking outdoor photos to showcase your romance. Anne has a perfect spot that she likes to use near the Potomac River that provides a beautiful backdrop for you and your loved one to cuddle up on a blanket and toast to your future! 

Choose Anne Lord for your Engagement photography! 

If you are searching for an experienced engagement photographer in and around the Leesburg, Virginia area, please send Anne an email at anne@annelordphotography.com or to start a conversation on what you have in mind call (703) 435-5292.

Northern VA Wedding Photography | Anne Lord PhotographyAnne Lord Photography

The Differences Between A Non-Professional Photographer and A Professional Wedding Photographer Are Important When Planning Your Wedding

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It sometimes seems like there is at least one family member in every family that owns a digital single-lens reflex camera. This camera separates the user from the point and shoot digital camera you can buy at any shopping center.  Thus, the term “photographer” gets thrown around rather loosely. This by no means is meant to discredit anyone who does photography as a hobby – and does it well– or is pursuing dreams of having their own photography business one day. Rather, it ultimately boils down to who you are going to trust to capture the best images on your big day.  Leesburg, Virginia wedding photographer, Anne Lord, has years of experience capturing beautiful engagement and wedding photographs. With this experience she shares a few points to help differentiate the everyday photographer from a wedding photographer.

1.  Varying Skill Set

With many types of photography, from portraits to product photographers, typically most photographers specialize in one area. However, a wedding photographer needs to be able to understand a variety of forms of photography and perform them all in one day. For example, a wedding photographer must understand how to shoot the bride in any type of light or room while she is getting her hair and makeup ready while also photographing the finer details of the wedding day like the dress, the flowers, shoes, jewelry. One minute it’s a portrait of people and the next a shot of still life.

A wedding photographer must also be savvy about timelines to keep up with the schedule (or lack of) and roll with the higher stress levels of the day. At the same time, a good wedding photographer goes along with the flow of the wedding to capture those special moments and play along with the fun of the day.

2.  Client Focused

You are unique, and every wedding client is different. Each wedding client requires a special type of relationship. You are not just hiring a wedding photographer for a portrait shoot, you want someone to document one of the most amazing days of your life, and there are no do-overs. You are not looking for just a few images, or to capture that “money shot”. Most brides are going to have a vision for their big day, a wedding story to be told, and as a Leesburg, Virginia wedding photographer, Anne Lord can take your vision and give you realistic expectations for what you want!

3.  Industry Knowledge

Anyone can pick up a camera and figure out how to point and shoot, but wedding photographers know how to collaborate and communicate with other industry professionals. With 19 years as an experienced Leesburg, Virginia photographer and wedding photographer, Anne Lord has been involved in many weddings and knows the surrounding area’s wedding industry. With this knowledge, she can point you in the right directions to other wedding vendors who fit your style (DJ’s, cake decorators, florists, etc.).

When it comes to entrusting someone to photograph your wedding, make sure you are choosing someone who also knows weddings. It is a lot more than portraits, details, or photojournalism. It means being able to handle all different facets of photography and creating a cohesive story using images to communicate who the bride and groom are and what makes this day so special to them.

Capture once-in-a-lifetime-moments with Anne Lord

Your wedding day is going to fly by quickly. With years of experience as a wedding photographer, Anne Lord goes above and beyond to prepare for the big day and to capture the unique story of every wedding. Browse her wedding portfolio to get a better idea of her work. Are you ready to discuss your big day? Contact Anne at 703-435-5292 or anne@annelordphotography.com and let’s talk about it.

Anne Lord Photography - engagement photo of a young man and woman embracingAnne Lord Photography

3 Tips For Feeling Comfortable During Your Engagement Photo Shoot

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Engagement photos can be a nerve-wracking process, especially if you are not fond of being in front of the camera. As a Leesburg, Virginia wedding photographer with over 19 years of experience, Anne Lord has a few tips to help you feel more comfortable taking your engagement photos.

1) Feeling comfortable with your photographer

Your engagement should be about being in love, soaking up the excitement, and getting ready to start a brand-new journey together. You should take every opportunity to celebrate, and an engagement photography session is a fun, informal way to celebrate just the two of you! It also will give you the opportunity to feel more comfortable with your wedding photographer before the big day. You will get to work out all the quirks and be more relaxed in front of the camera. All while getting to know the other person you will spend your entire wedding day with.

Your engagement photographer will get a chance to gauge you as a couple, how you connect, and the best way to capture that. Some couples are quiet and intimate, while some are very energetic and vivacious. The more you know about each other, the more natural and relaxed you will feel on your wedding day.

Most couples are not comfortable in front of the camera, so this can be much like a practice run before the big day. There is so little time on your wedding day for couple shots. You do not want to spend the first half of your photo session warming up or figuring anything out. Having an engagement shoot is also a great way to have some gorgeous portraits of you and your loved one together. You could even use them for the wedding invites or your guestbook, and of course creates great social media content.

2) Wear something that is comfortable and gives confidence

It may seem silly, but if you do not pick an outfit you are comfortable in for your photo session, you could potentially spend your whole time picking at your clothes or covering yourself up. If you choose something you have not worn before, you will be worried about how you look in it or may discover it is actually quite uncomfortable. This discomfort can translate into how you come across in your photos. This does not mean you cannot ever choose a new outfit for your engagement shoot. If you do purchase something new, take it out for a test run and make sure you like both the fit and the feel. You want to choose outfits that make you feel like a million bucks. Anne aims for a casual, relaxed time and therefore suggests a casual outfit as opposed to being very dressy.  Oftentimes Anne will have the couple pose on the ground, so shorts or short skirts are generally not recommended.

The thing to remember is that these photos are representative of your own personalities, so you should feel like yourselves and dress like yourselves too!

3) Choose a comfortable location

Location can be everything, so think about what you really love as a couple and what place reflects it. That said, Anne has a perfect spot near the Potomac River that she generally uses and that works well with great photo opportunities.

Typically, Anne finds that men are more uncomfortable in front of the camera than the ladies.  She tries to keep the photo session fairly short and fun. The couple get to know her better and on the big day the groom is more comfortable having already met Anne and knowing she will do a great job in a short space of time.

Another reason for a comfortable outdoor location is Anne (being an avid pet lover) always asks if the couple have a dog they would like included in the session.  Couples are more relaxed when they have their pets with them and not all the attention is being focused on just them.

To sum up, relax and remember this next season of life is going to be one of the best!

Choose Anne Lord for your Engagement photography!

If you are searching for an experienced engagement and wedding photographer, please send Anne an email at anne@annelordphotography.com or to start a conversation on what you have in mind call (703) 435-5292.

Couples are ­always welcome to include their pets in the session since we are pet friendly.