Hi friends! I’ve been photographing couples in Colorado Springs for over 10 years and I LOVE helping engaged couples feel prepared for their session experience. Why is this important? Not only is this a super special time in your life that gets documented just once, but you’re most likely investing a good bit of money into your engagement photos in Colorado Springs. So it’s important to create space for preparing for this experience.
Many Melanie Joy Photography couples choose to add on an Engagement Session Guide when they book a wedding. I include outfit and styling help and a location gallery, plus lots of communication to plan for all the dreamy photos you have in mind. Below are a few tips to get you started with planning for your engagement photos in Colorado Springs. Have fun!
5 Tips for Engagement Photos in Colorado Springs
Choosing a Location
Location sets the tone for your engagement photos and has a huge impact on the overall feel of your photos. Are you hoping for a soft, romantic feel? Think fields and mountain streams. Want a colorful, urban look? Downtown Colorado Springs has some awesome alleys if you know where to look. Want a unique, modern vibe? Start your session at a local coffee shop or bookstore. Do you want your photos to shout “COLORADO!”? Make sure you choose a location with a view of the mountains or red rocks.
What do you want your location to say about you as a couple? Do you love hiking and being outdoors? Are you bookworms who enjoy drinking tea together? Do you love city architecture? Consider the time of year and how you want the season to affect your photos. Think outside the box and get creative – pick a location that has meaning in your relationship.
Styling Your Colorado Springs Engagement Photos
Determining the overall sense of style you want for your engagement photos beforehand will make you much happier with the end result. Style includes what you and your fiancé wear, as well as the style of photography and the style of movement within your photos (more on that later). Pick coordinating colors, but please don’t feel like you need to match. Stick to solids and simple patterns (no pictures, logos, words) and add layers and accessories. Clothing with lots of texture looks amazing, and it’s always fun to add a bold pop of color (so helpful in winter) or an accessory. Make sure you FEEL COMFORTABLE!
Next, do you want to include any meaningful props or stay away from them completely? Do you want to incorporate any type of theme or fun storyline into your photos? Think about the overall picture (pun intended) you want to walk away with, and whether you want to create a timeless style or something more of the moment.
Make it a Date!
Making your engagement session an enjoyable time for both you and your fiancé is SO important, especially if one of you is dreading it a little more than the other (ahem, guys?). Think about creating an entire experience out of the day rather than just checking off a to-do on your wedding planning list. If you need to relax a little beforehand, hit up a happy hour and share a drink (note we say share a drink, don’t overdo it!). Pick an activity you both enjoy doing and incorporate it into your engagement session, like hiking, having a picnic, getting coffee, etc.
Worried about stage fright? I love walking our couples through basic posing at the beginning of sessions to break the ice and help you get through that initial awkwardness (they say it takes 15 minutes to get comfy in front of the camera). Reward yourselves after your session with ice cream or a romantic dinner. Most importantly, focus on each other and enjoy being together – aka RELAX!
Choose the Right Colorado Springs Engagement Photographer
Do your homework when it comes to choosing your Colorado Springs engagement photographer! There are many photographers in Colorado Springs, so it’s worth the effort to make sure you choose a photographer whose work matches the overall style you want.
How do you feel when you look at their work? Is their editing “light and airy” or “dark and moody?” Or are they more of a happy medium between the two? Do their images look mostly posed, completely candid, or a mix of both? Is their editing timeless, or do they follow current photography trends? Do they use only natural ligh,t or do they know how to use off-camera flash? What does the photographer include with the engagement session (digital files, etc)? How helpful are they in preparing you for your engagement session? Lastly, make sure you choose a photographer with whom you feel comfortable, especially since there’s a good chance you’ll be seeing a lot of them on your wedding day.
I like to describe our photography style as elegant, bright, and clean with joyful pops of color and emotion. I aim to give you a gallery full of gorgeous, posed images and natural, in-the-moment shots. Helping couples with posing is also a favorite of mine because everyone (even myself!) feels more comfortable when we’re given direction and told what to do with our hands 😉
Expectation and Fears
Most brides and grooms go into their engagement sessions with at least some expectations. Take time to think through what your hopes are for your engagement photos and make sure that 1) your expectations are realistic and 2) the photographer you choose can meet those expectations. While no photographer can be expected to deliver the exact image you have pictured in your mind, you should be able to TRUST your photographer enough to let them capture images that are even better than what you had envisioned.
Don’t be afraid to communicate your expectations and hopes to your photographer, but do respect and trust their artistic vision (assuming you have done your homework in hiring the right photographer for you). Also, COMMUNICATE any specific fears or worries. Are you self-conscious about your height compared to your fiancé’s? Do you have one side that is “better” than the other? Is it important that you get at least one photo of ________ (fill in the blank)? Don’t be afraid to communicate this to your photographer before your session starts. A good photographer should be sensitive to your hopes and fears, but they can’t help if you don’t communicate what they are!
Let’s Save the Date for Your Engagement Photos in Colorado Springs!
If you’re looking for engagement photos in Colorado Springs, click here to contact us, and let’s chat! I also love traveling for sessions, and love shooting engagements in Denver, Woodland Park, Vail, Estes Park, and the surrounding Colorado Springs areas.
Check out our Engagement Portfolio to see more work for recent engagement sessions in Colorado.
While you’re here, be sure to check out more helpful tips for planning your big day!
- Discover What Makes A Spruce Mountain Ranch Wedding Magical
- The Elevated Guest Experience of a Broadmoor Hotel Wedding
- 8 Incredible Colorado Mountain Wedding Venues for Your Big Day
