What happens during a pre-wedding or engagement photo shoot?
I think an engagement shoot could be nice but I'd love to be more comfortable about what normally happens at one of these, obviously it's different to the wedding. I'm pretty awkward in front of the camera.
Gina
Question Asked: 25/05/2022
Wedding Date: 20/10/2023
Most Helpful Response
(12) · Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, servicing all of South East Queensland.
Posted: 26/06/2026
Answered by: 19 Experts
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If you feel awkward in front of the camera an engagement session is the perfect way to build rapport with your photographer and feel more prepared for you big day! In essence it is a short portrait session where your photographer will guide you through some of the poses you will be doing on your day, explaining little things like where to place your hands so that you don't have weird floating hands behind each other or the way you will stand to make sure you look natural and at ease etc. It should also be a lot less pressure and fun - your photographer wants you to be comfortable and focussed on each other on the day so after an engagement session hopefully you walk away being able to trust them to make you look great and in love with the way your photos look.
They are specially for the couple to get to know the photographer and also to get comfortable infront of a camera, It's always a good idea to do a pre wedding session.
(107) · Tamworth NSW Based - Travelling Hunter Valley, Newcastle, Central Coast, Blue Mountains and beyond
Posted: 2/01/2023
With an experienced photographer you will have a nice time right on sunset somewhere beautiful. Being prompted by your photographer as to what movements to create with your fiance to create some natural candid emotional photos for you.
I like to bring music to my shoots to create a relaxed vibe too!
A pre-wedding session is a really great way to 'break the ice' with your wedding photographer,
It also means you get some romantic photos before the big day - win win right?!
Speaking from a creative perspective & as a photographer i think its really important to know your couple which is best acheived by doing a pre wedding session prior to your big day. We will go over a few promts/poses i may throw at you on your day so you feel less awkard in the moment as well.
I calmly direct you into comfortable scenarios, hold hands, walk over there etc so that all the shots look natural and your responses look real, just like I caught you in a moment.
So. much fun!!! + mostly you'll learn how to move in front of the camera and work with your photographer to gain the best light and angles.
At West Coast Weddings, we include a complimentary Engagment or Pre Wedding Shoot in ALL of our Collections (packages). Why? Because we want to share some of our expert "tips and tricks" to help you to get totally comfortable in front of the camera, so that on your wedding day it will come naturally and you can relax and have fun. It also lets you get comfortable working with us so you know what you can expect on the day.
We offer you a choice of locations - Studio, Forest, Beach or Lake (or if you have somewhere else in mind we can accommodate for a small charge). We give you some information on how to prepare and what to wear. The shoot will generally take about an hour, and most of our couples choose a time that catches the beautiful and most flattering golden light. We put up a private online gallery for you to choose your favourite photo which we gift to you as an archival 8" x12" print. We also permit you to use this image for your "Save the Dates", Invitations or designing a guest books should you wish and give you a digitial copy.
Hope this is helpful to you, feel free to give me a call on 0412 562 832 if I can be of any further help to you. Karen
Pre-wedding photo shoots are a way to get comfortable in front of the camera and have some fun before the big day.
Typically, couples will do a photo shoot either at their own home or at a location of their choice. This is typically a more relaxed setting where they can be themselves and have fun without having to worry about getting the perfect shot.
The photographer will typically direct the couple on what poses to do and how to interact with each other, but ultimately it's up to the couple to relax and have fun. After all, these photos are meant to capture memories of this happy time in their lives!
Elohim Studio is here to help. We provide photography services for weddings of all sizes and styles. Our photographers are experienced professionals who will work with you to create memories that will last a lifetime. Contact us today for a free consultation!
https://calendly.com/elohimstudio/weddingconsultation
For your pre-wedding/engagemetn session we start with a phone call to get to know you both and what makes you unique, from this we discover a style and location that is just perfect for your session. On the day we provide bubbles and nibbles to help you relax and enjoy a moment in time, while relaxing into your session.
We work with you to feel comfortable in front of the camera, as well as show you some poses to practice and use on your wedding day. It also give you the chance to see if you vibe with the photographer.
After the session our EKP Studio team also offers design elements for your special day, using your favorite images to create personalised wedding stationary and signage.
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The good news first: feeling awkward is completely normal, and an engagement shoot is honestly the best cure for it. The whole point is that you turn up not knowing what to do with your hands, and you leave knowing exactly how we work and how the wedding day will feel. Most couples are stiff for the first five or ten minutes, then they forget the camera is even there. We never ask you to hold a pose and freeze. We give you little things to do, like walk towards each other, whisper something cheeky, keep walking past us, and we catch the real reactions in between.
On the practical side, we pick a spot that suits you both rather than something generic. Around South East Queensland we love the late afternoon golden hour at places like the beaches near Sandstone Point, Brisbane's botanic gardens, or a quiet bit of bushland or coastline that means something to you. If you're getting married in the cooler months, that softer winter light through the middle of the afternoon is genuinely lovely and a lot kinder than harsh summer sun, so we'll plan the timing around that.
A shoot usually runs about an hour and it's relaxed the whole way through. You don't need to perform or know any poses, that's our job to direct. We're watching how you two naturally interact so we know exactly how to shoot you on the day, and you get to see us in action so we're not strangers when you're standing at the altar. As a bonus you come away with a set of images that work beautifully for save the dates, invitations or a guest book.
One last thing worth knowing: every image we deliver is edited in-house by us, never sent offshore, so the look and feel of your engagement photos will carry straight through to your wedding gallery. It all ties together, which is part of why the pre-shoot is so worthwhile.