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How I Photograph Amazing Engagement Photos Step By Step!

english photography tips posing + portraits
Photographing Engagement Photos

 

 

Behind the Lens of an Engagement Session

Come along with me as I take you behind the scenes of a real couple’s engagement session. I love sharing the process with you — not just the final photos, but also the little posing tricks, direction, and laughter that help bring out those authentic, natural moments.

We started with something simple. I always like to ease couples in by giving them natural poses they can feel comfortable with. I placed them in the middle of the space, pointed out their mark, and let them settle in. Just holding hands, relaxing their shoulders, and remembering that it’s not about being “perfect,” it’s about being themselves.

From there, I guided them through a series of poses — looking at me, looking at each other, then glancing away in opposite directions. These small shifts create a variety of emotions in the photos, from sweet and romantic to playful and fun.

One of my favorite prompts is to have couples get nose-to-nose, just close enough that they can’t help but laugh a little. That moment of connection? That’s gold. It’s in those in-between seconds where the real magic happens.

We also added some movement, because walking shots always feel genuine. I asked Mike to imagine he was on a balance beam, while Jamie crossed her steps a bit. This gave their walk more flow, keeping their bodies close together and naturally creating those little moments of connection — glances, laughter, and hand squeezes.

Throughout the session, I adjusted my lenses, shifted perspectives, and kept the energy light and fun. My goal is always to help couples feel comfortable, because when they feel at ease, the photos reflect the real them.

By the end of the session, not only did we capture a gallery of beautiful images, but I also designed a sample album to show how their photos could come together as a story. Because at the heart of engagement photography, it’s not just about a few good pictures — it’s about telling your love story in a way that lasts forever.

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Meet Vanessa

Photography education that gives your art an edge

Vanessa has been photographing weddings, events, portraits and lifestyle for over 20 years.

She's a Canon Explorer of Light, an honor given to only 5 photographers in the United States, and her work has been published by Yahoo! News, Grace Ormonde, Style Me Pretty, Rangefinder and more.

With her practical and open-book style of teaching, she shares everything she knows with hundreds of thousands of photographers as an educator and influential sparker.

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