Most couples come into their engagement session with at least a little bit of nerves. That’s completely normal, and it’s exactly why this isn’t a guide to prepping your outfits or picking a location. It’s about actually enjoying the two hours you’re about to spend. You’re about to spend a couple of hours being photographed, which is not something most people do regularly. The good news is that by the end of almost every session I shoot, couples tell me they forgot the camera was even there.

That’s the goal. Here’s how we get there.

Think of it as a date, not a photoshoot

The biggest mental shift you can make going into an engagement session is to stop thinking about it as something you have to get through and start thinking about it as time you’re spending together. The photos are a byproduct of that. The more you’re actually present with each other, the better everything looks.

Some of my favorite sessions have had couples bring coffee and walk while they talk, wander through a market, sit on a blanket and just hang out. Not because those things make better photos, but because they make couples more comfortable, and comfort is what actually makes better photos.

Let the location do some of the work

Choosing somewhere that genuinely means something to you makes a difference you can actually see in the images. When you’re in a place you love, you carry yourself differently. You’re more relaxed, more present, more yourself.

That doesn’t mean you need a dramatic location. Some of the most beautiful sessions I’ve shot have been in fairly ordinary places that happened to mean a lot to the couple. What matters is the connection to the place, not how impressive it looks on paper. If you’re not sure where to start, I’ve spent years scouting locations across California, and I genuinely love helping couples find spots that feel right for them. Get in touch and let’s talk through it.

Give yourselves time to warm up

The first fifteen minutes of almost every session are the hardest. You’re still figuring out how to stand, where to look, what to do with your hands. That’s just part of it. The sessions that turn out best are the ones where couples give themselves enough time to get past that initial awkwardness and settle in.

This is part of why I recommend at least two hours if you’re doing any kind of location or outfit change. Not just for the logistics but because the second hour is almost always better than the first. By then you’ve relaxed, you’ve stopped overthinking it, and you’re just being together. That’s when the real photos happen.

Your job is simpler than you think

I’ll handle the direction, the light, the composition, all of it. Your only job is to focus on each other. Make each other laugh. Be exactly as affectionate or as goofy as you naturally are together. Don’t perform for the camera, just be with each other and let me do the rest.

The couples who enjoy their sessions most are the ones who lean into that. They stop worrying about whether they look right and start paying attention to each other, and the photos take care of themselves.

It pays off more than you realize on the wedding day

There’s a reason I love doing engagement sessions. By the time your wedding day arrives, we’re not strangers anymore. You already know how I work. You already know what it feels like to be in front of my camera. That comfort level makes a real difference when the stakes are higher and the day is moving fast.

Couples who have done a session with me beforehand are noticeably more relaxed on their wedding day. They trust the process because they’ve already been through it once. For more on preparing for your session practically, from outfits to timing to what to bring, here’s a full guide to getting ready for your engagement session.

Ready to plan yours? Tell me about your day.