Engagement Sessions

We know that you may have never done some of these things and we understand that you are looking to us to not only be creative, but to help you make some decisions. We put this information together to help you understand what to expect and how to best prepare for your Engagement Session (often called an ESession) with Dallas Classic Photography.

 

What to Expect during your Engagement Session

 

  • Location – If you want those gorgeous settings you see in other blogs and websites, be prepared to pay a fee to a location for use of their facility. It’s not a scam, it is how these venues/locations pay for their locations to look exceptional for your session. If you want to be on a rooftop in Dallas, it will cost 75.00/Hour to have that amazing view that will be seen for decades in your photos. If you want to shoot at a former mill in McKinney, it could run a couple of hundred dollars to have that look and feel present in your images. There are some locations like parks and downtown areas but keep in mind that you will be sharing your location with other people and they have the same right to be there that you do, so patience will be the key to getting a photo that is perfect.
  • Time – Be mindful of the time of the year, time of the day and day of the week. For photography the best time for your session will be an hour before sunset. We typically try to meet a little prior to that to get comfortable, be aware of where we will be shooting and get set up. If you want to do your session at high noon, you will be greatly limited by finding shaded locations. Nobody looks good squinting and in the sun coming down right on top of their heads. We prefer to shoot on days OTHER than weekends to minimize crowds in the area. There are no guarantee’s that there wont be people around, but Monday evening is less likely than other days of the week. Being aware of the time of the year here in Texas is helpful as well. We don’t have a problem shooting in June and July but remember, you may be sweaty from being in the Texas heat and no amount of Photoshop work can make you look like you are enjoying the heat and not “glistening”.
  • Duration – I always explain that additional sessions are 90% setup and 10% photography. Our style for portrait sessions is a specific “rock Star” like, so getting the light how we want it, may take a few moments. Once we are ready to go, it moves along very quickly. This is exactly the opposite of how it works on your wedding day where it will be fast shooting from the beginning and very little time for setup.

 

What to Bring for your Engagement Session

 

  • Extra Clothes/Change of Clothes – Wear something comfortable, but avoid the obvious things like both of you wearing black (or any common color), too tight fitting clothes that will make you look bigger, Horizontal strips are typically a “No-No”. Avoid loud, obnoxious patterns and prints. Remember that these pictures will be around for many years and shown to many people, so leave the T-Shirt’s with sayings at home and wear something timeless. You will thank us later when your children don’t make fun of what you wore that day.
  • Comfy Shoes – It is possible we will be walking a little and you will be on your feet, so comfy shoes are always a good idea. If they don’t go with what you are wearing, just bring them along to wear while we are walking.
  • Signs/Pets/Picnic Blankets/Cute things – Anything that is “who you are” that you would like to bring, please do so. These pictures should represent who you are, just remember to bring along a “handler” for pets and Babies. These sessions can last a couple of hours, you will want to be aware of that as well.
  • Water – It’s Texas, it gets hot! Bring water and stay hydrated. Not only is it good for you, it helps your smile and your skin too.