Why You Should Have an Outdoor Engagement Session

Guys, I could literally go on for days about this. There’s nothing that makes me more frustrated than seeing wedding and engagement photographers churning out the same engagement photos for uniquely different couples. Every girl is wearing the same dress as the next. Every pose is predictable and formulaic and “Pinterest worthy.” I get it. We want to give our couples the pictures we know work. The ones that they love time and time again. I’m all for capturing these new classics, but what ever happened to capturing a couple’s unique aesthetic and vibe? As a photographer, you can totally do one of these classic photos, but give it a twist that is distinct to that couple. How, you ask? ADVENTURE ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS.

Before I go any further, what exactly is an adventure engagement session? Unlike your typical engagement session, an adventure session typically involves some sort of outdoor activity where the two of you are moving, playing, and having fun with each other. You’re not stagnant during these photos, and nothing really feels forced. You just allow you and your boo to get swept up in the environment you’re in. When we take our couples on an adventure during their engagement session, whether that’s frolicking through sand dunes or hiking up a mountainside, they let go of all the tension and stress that typically comes with getting their photo taken. They feel free, active, and in their element. 9 times out of 10, they are much more willing to play and get goofy with each other, and when they do, we’re able to capture those moments that can’t be recreated with a stiff pose.

Even better, when they look back at their photos from their adventure session, they really see themselves in the images. To those brides out there pinning the images they’d really like taken during their engagement session, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But make sure you find yourself a wedding or elopement photographer who can also capture those in-between moments of you just being yourself and having fun with your boo. Those are the photos you are going to look back on and really feel connected with.

I can tell you from personal experience that the most “Pinterest worthy” photos we take are almost never the ones our couples connect with most. They connect with the ones that show the two of the really interacting and existing with each other. When you’re sharing a secret look or an inside joke with each another. When he’s brushing your hair behind your ear. When you’re just taking in the scenery around you. So don’t cheat yourself out of photos that feel like you. What’s the point of looking back on photos that look like someone else’s relationship? That’s not a memory. It’s a production, and you deserve so much more than that.