When you book with a professional photographer you can count on them having a plethora of knowledge to know placement of lighting and posing, but one thing within your control is the setting. Of course when you book with someone like Pharris part of it is the guarantee of high quality photos no matter where you go. BUT your engagement session is about capturing you and your partner’s essence and the location plays a big part of creating the perfect aesthetic.

Choose a Place That Fits You as a Couple

Do you have a favorite coffee shop? Go there. Spend most of your evenings dueling it out over scrabble? Set up a session at home. The location of your engagement shoot should be one you two are comfortable in. You don’t have to go all out and glamorous if you both are more the laid back and casual. Nor do you have to search for an open field to shoot in if you’d rather shoot in front of a street mural. The location can be any place that will allow you two to act naturally and can have a story behind it.

Take the Lighting Into Consideration.

If you are choosing a location because of the sunset or sunrise you’ll have to schedule your session accordingly. You’ll also want to take into consideration the season as well where the sunset starts later or earlier. If you are shooting at multiple locations for your engagement session don’t forget to account for travel time.  If you’re going for a sunset or sunrise backdrop you may want to keep your locations closer together to give you more time.

Consider the Visuals and Background

Whether you are going for a rustic or urban look, brainstorm some locations that have interesting backgrounds. Find some interesting architecture or brick walls for an urban feel or fields and trails for a more urban and country feel. Try not to choose a location that has too much foot traffic since this can result in your images getting photo bombed by a passerby.

Still not confident in your ability to choose a location? Well we have good news. Part of being a Pharris’ client is receiving direct info on best locations via your area. We’ve collected quite the list of venues, both the good and the bad. When you book with us you get access to people who have been doing this for 10 years and have traveled all over. Our advice isn’t limited to just locations. We can also give you lists to vendors to set you up with the perfect props for your shoot. Book now with us by clicking the button below!