Engagement Session FAQ

Engagement Session Questions… Answered!

  • If you feel shy in front of the camera, doing an engagement session, can get some of those jitters out and give you a feeling of what it will be like to work with your photographer (hopefully me).
  • It is a great opportunity to get fun professional photos of you as a couple in a relaxed environment.
  • If you want to send out a save-the-date or put some professional pictures on your wedding site.

    But in the end, it is a personal choice. Not everyone has the time, budget, or inclination to do an engagement session, so don’t sweat it.

If you have decided to do an engagement session, I will work with you to figure out a date, time, and location that works for us. I usually do sessions in Oakland, Berkeley, or San Francisco. We can do your session at home, at a local restaurant or bar, at a park, at the beach, etc. There are lots of great outdoor locations close by. If you have a specific spot in mind, let me know.

It is helpful to imagine that you are on a fun date/ adventure with your partner. Dress up, dress fun, bring your dog. If we are going to an outdoor area where we will be walking, make sure to wear good walking shoes. Bonus if you have shoes that are fun and are decent for walking in. If possible, avoid wearing solid black and solid white.

The timing is up to you, but you probably want to give yourself a good bit of time if you are looking to use an image for a save-the-date card or some other printed material for the wedding. Midweek is typically a better time for me than weekends.

You can bring a change of clothes, but make sure to consider that you may need to carry the clothing, and find a place to change. I usually like to keep things simple, so unless you are doing the shoot at home, maybe think about just having one outfit. Remember, keep it real and fun. If it doesn’t feel like you, don’t do it.

To take advantage of the best light, I usually schedule my sessions an hour or so before sunset. Sessions usually last about an hour.

If the forecast calls for rain, we can always reschedule. Consider that sometimes it clears up toward the end of rainy days and you get an epic sunset. Overcast days can be great for shooting. But, if you want to reschedule a shoot, it is usually not a big deal.

You should get your images within a week or two of the shoot. Expect between 50-100 images. I will deliver the digital images to you electronically.

Yes. Please feel free to make prints and share the images online. If you do post images online, please tag me with all use.