Tag Archive for: engagement photos

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.

Anne Lord Photography

With COVID Restrictions Lifting, It is Time to Celebrate Your Engagement!

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With restrictions lifting in and around the Washington, D.C. area, parks, scenic overlooks, and other outdoor options are now accessible for taking environmental engagement photos that were put on hold due to the Coronavirus.

Now is the time to start enjoying and showing off the new phase in your life; being engaged! As an experienced wedding photographer in Leesburg, Virginia, I have the equipment and the know-how to get the best quality photos of you and your loved one while following safety protocols that make you feel comfortable.

Schedule a time

Even though restrictions are being lifted, safety precautions are still strongly being advised. One way to follow social distancing but also getting the engagement photos you have always wanted is by planning where you would like to have the shoot ahead of time. I like to schedule a shoot for the late afternoon, early evening, just before sunset. This allows for the best light to capture your special moments. I also keep my sessions short and fun. By planning the engagement shoot ahead of time, you are expediting the process and taking into consideration what is going on around you.

Your imagination is the limit

Getting to help you create the images of your engagement is a privilege and I love seeing what my clients come up with for their photos. It is your engagement, showcasing you and your love. The sky is the limit on the poses and composition you want. Along with your ideas, as I get to know your personalities and relationship, I can help suggest ideas as well. I use my experience, skills, and technique to help pose my clients in a way that is both flattering and natural. I also like to encourage couples to bring along their pet if they have one. Pets bring an added natural bit of fun to any shoot.

Anne Lord: Your engagement photographer

I have been photographing weddings in Leesburg, Virginia for over 19 years, and the experience always moves me. The opportunity to capture the joy, passion, and love during an engagement shoot never ceases to amaze me. If you are searching for an experienced engagement photographer, please send me an email at anne@annelordphotography.com or let’s start a discussion of what you have in mind — call me at (703) 435-5292.