Engagment pictures - Newbie help please

[synapxe]

Hey everyone, I have been searching and learning on the forum for a short while now and require some help. I have been asked to take some engagment pictures for some friends of mine. Too cut it short, I have never really done any portrait style photos. Luckily the couple is not picky about pictures and just need some general pictures of themselves together.

Could you please give me some tips as to how to make some great engagments pictures? Believe me, any tip would help!

[dave.richards]

Try to make the couple laugh....showing real emotion in a photograph is one of the best things you can do IMO. good luck

[tim]

There are a couple of recent threads about how to pose people. Even better just try to make people comfortable expressing their emotions around you and your camera, and capture that.

[WilliamL]

I agree with Dave... find a place that's kinda special to them maybe and get to talking the fun times they have had... i'm finding out the more I talk to them the more they wam up and the let they "real" out... :-)

[sam0329]

I agree with Dave... find a place that's kinda special to them maybe and get to talking the fun times they have had... i'm finding out the more I talk to them the more they wam up and the let they "real" out... :-)

Agree, ice breaking is very important, when they start to feel comfortable around you, they will start to enjoy the photoshoot. I always trying to help them remember the "Good time" and a little sad time for some fun shots... :lol:

[Nan08]

Perhaps ask them where's the most memorable place for them, if it's a locale, accessible and decent to shoot at, go there. I'm sure they'll appreciate that. If not, then do artsy shots, make sure composition are right, it's the shooter that makes the photos better. Break the ice, make them comfortable in front of the camera. Learn how to direct poses and make them show they're feelings (no matter what it could be, being silly/laughing/have tears).

[coreypolis]

Check out Jessica's Blog. She is amazing at engagements and look at how the people are interacting and how the are incorporated into the surroundings.

http://www.jessicarstrickland.com/blog/?cat=2

[Philco]

Images don't seem intimate when couples are standing apart or don't seem very involved with each other. I've learned to tell couples that it's important to always either be touching each other in some way, even better if they're looking at each other, the 80% of the time when they're not looking into the camera.

[B-H-P]

I agree with coreypolis, check out Jessica Stickland's blog. You might also want to check out Jessica Claire at www.jcsphoto.com (http://www.jcsphoto.com) (main website), www.jessicaclaire.net (http://www.jessicaclaire.net) (blog).