Planning Guides

Julie Hamilton – Finding a unique location is one of the most important elements in creating engagement portraits that are highly personalized and will stand out from the crowd. But, how does one go about finding a location that will make your portraits dynamic, meaningful and beautiful? When scouting out locations, here are a few guidelines to consider that will help create unique and memorable portraits.

First, consider choosing places that are meaningful to you both. Try to think of places that reflect who you are as a couple. It could be your favorite café, the winery that you belong to, the grocery store where you first bumped into each other, the creek where you canoe in your free time together; these are all great examples of choosing a location that is meaningful. For a recent engagement shoot, we returned to the bar where a couple shared their very first kiss and it was a special time for them. What about the very spot where you got engaged? That is a memory you will never want to forget, and your engagement pictures could help preserve that memory every time you see them.

Don’t be afraid to choose a location that seems mundane, but is special to you. For instance, maybe you and your fiancé spend quiet time together at the library. Find a beautiful library and go for it! Don’t forget to think about your hobbies as well. Is there a hobby that you share together? Bring along your musical instruments, your croquet mallets, whatever it is that makes you, you! For example, one of our recent couples are both on the Ski Patrol at our local mountains, so of course, it only made sense to head to the snow and do a little shooting at the Patrol Lodge and on the snow skis! We had such a great time doing a shoot in the snow and I know the images hold a special place in their hearts because we recorded a bit of their life and something that is important to them. When you look back at your pictures, you will want to see a reflection of who you are and what you love. This is one great way of making sure that happens.

Also, when you are scouting out locations that would be great for photos, try to think “out of the box”. Yes, lush greenery is always classic and beautiful, but if you don’t have that in your area, think of something different and unique! We encourage you to look for two things that will make your pictures stand out; color and texture. Go to your local downtown and take the time to drive through alleys and back streets. You might be surprised at the treasures that you will discover. This is how we’ve found great and unexpected colors and textures for some of our most popular portraits! Look for swathes of color anywhere. It could be a mural on a wall or the painted side of a building. It could be a tiled mosaic or even, believe it or not, just a plain old, blue dumpster. Don’t be afraid to be creative and use whatever you find around you! In addition to using color as a background, look for textures of rock, brick, steel, anything that adds character. Search for old buildings, even abandoned ones, and they can create beautiful backdrops. Look for walls with rich patterns on them. Walls covered with ivy or naturally weathered can give your photos a classic feel.

Lastly, don’t forget to discuss your location choices with your photographer. They may have suggestions on times of day or seasons that would be best for your portraits, depending on your desired outcome. They may have suggestions that would help extend your ideas even farther. If this is a new location for them too, remember to have extra grace, because they might need a little extra time to scope out angles and features of your new location to make your session the best it can be!

Dare to think beyond the ordinary and expected! Take a few moments to think about your relationship and what draws you two together. Take ten or fifteen minutes to drive around your area, keeping an eye out for different colors and textures. When you challenge the limits in terms of finding an “ordinary” location, you will be rewarded with a very unique and meaningful set of portraits that will preserve many memories and emotions for the years to come!