Why Engagement Photos Are Worth It | Parksville Engagement Photographer
My thoughts after photographing engagements all over Vancouver Island.
There are so many reasons why engagement photos are worth it. As a wedding photographer on Vancouver Island, I’ve been capturing engagement sessions since 2015, and I’ve seen firsthand how impactful the experience can be for my clients. My full-coverage wedding photography packages either include a complimentary engagement session or allow couples to exchange it for an additional hour of wedding-day coverage. Most couples choose the extra hour to ensure their entire wedding day is documented—from getting-ready moments through to the peak of the reception dancing. However, those who opt for an engagement photo session walk away not only with a collection of beautiful, high-quality images, but also with an experience that helps them feel relaxed, confident, and fully prepared for their wedding day.
6 Reasons Why Engagement Photos Are Worth It!
1. Create Trust and Comfort With Your Photographer
Your wedding photographer plays a uniquely intimate role on your wedding day. They’re present during some of the most emotional and vulnerable moments, quietly observing and ready to capture that energy as it unfolds. Feeling comfortable with your photographer is essential.
An engagement session allows you to experience their presence in a relaxed, low-pressure setting. It helps build trust and connection in a way that phone calls and in-person meetings simply can’t. When it comes to your wedding day, you will feel familiar with their energy and presence, allowing your utmost natural to shine through.
2. Eliminate Any Camera-Shy Worries and Discover How Fun Being Photographed Can Feel
If you feel any apprehension or awkwardness about having your photo taken, an experienced professional photographer can help ease those nerves and allow your true personalities to come through. Feeling comfortable in front of the camera is one of the most important elements of any great portrait.
Engagement photos are worth it if you need a little convincing that you’re truly photogenic! One of my favorite parts of every session is hearing couples say how much fun it actually was—and how natural it felt once we got started. Experiencing this ahead of time helps take the worry out of wedding day photos.
3. Get Comfortable With the Photography Process
I approach every engagement session with empathy and intuition. Through movement, guided posing, and prompts, I get both relaxed body posture AND expressions that feel natural. I am very observant of where people may be holding tension in their bodies (usually hands and shoulders), and I am able to release and relax that. Experiencing a photoshoot with me will feel like you are well taken care of!
4. Tell Another Part Of Your Story
Engagement photos are a wonderful opportunity to tell another chapter of your story! By choosing meaningful locations, incorporating favorite activities, or even bringing along your pets, this session can capture parts of your life that might not appear on the wedding day.
5. A Safe Space to Share Comfort Levels and Concerns
Once the engagement photo gallery has been delivered and you have had time to reflect, I invite my clients to share any areas of insecurity or self-consciousness that they may have. I ask them if there are any photos which they don’t love, and why that is. Learning about these particular areas ahead of time allows me to mitigate them on the wedding day through posing and further guidance.
6. Versatile Images for Your Wedding and Beyond
Engagement photos are worth it for the variety of uses you may get out of having high-quality, professional photographs! Many clients use their engagement photos throughout their wedding; in their wedding website, invitations, save-the-dates, wedding decorations and more. It doesn’t surprise me whenever I hear my clients admit to me that they don’t have very many photos of themselves. Taking selfies is just not the same as having a photographer engage with you, bringing out your human nature and documenting that. Photoshoots are an opportunity to be truly seen.
Why Engagement Photos Are Worth It: H&J’s Engagement Photo Gallery!
“Ahhh, these are incredible! Thank you so much! We’ve been having so much fun scrolling through your gallery, I love the way you captured everything. It looks so romantic and magical!!
Thank you again for your incredible work, we can’t wait to hang these up in our home and share them with our loved ones! We can’t wait to work with you again on the big day! ” -H&J
