Hi, I’m Jess, a Colorado wedding photographer. I’ve been a wedding photographer for 15 years and have some helpful recommendations to make the most of your engagement session.
You are engaged! This is a really special time in your life. Let’s document it with some beautiful photos that capture your story, joy, style, personality and love.
You are only engaged once and it goes by so quick. Don’t let the time pass without getting some great photos to remember all the excitement. It is a great opportunity to get some casual and fun photos to accompany your more formal wedding portraits.
It is also great practice for your wedding photos. It may sound strange, but taking engagement photos actually improves your wedding photos. You become more comfortable working with direction and understand the process so that we move more quickly through different posses and you know what you like.
For the shoot, the most important thing is to have fun–Relax, laugh, be comfortable and enjoy the session. Here are a few things to keep in mind to make the most out of your photographs.
Spring? Summer? Winter? Fall?
To plan the best time to take your engagement photos, think about the season, the weather, your seasonal outfit options and the locations that might be available. Also consider what might be in bloom. You may also want to plan your session based on when you want to send out save the dates or an announcement. If it turns out that the weather is bad on the day you’ve selected for your shoot, we can reschedule, no problem. We just need to decide 24 hours in advance.
I try to plan sessions on weekdays because most location will be much less crowded than on weekends.
Punctuality is important
Sessions are planned during golden hour–that magical time of day when the sunlight is golden and very flattering, just before sunset. Natural light is very important to beautiful photography. The timing of your session is really important, because the sunlight greatly affects the shoot. Please arrive on time. Once the sun goes down, it is too dark to continue the shoot.
You can check the sunset time for any day of the year by googling a date, location and the word “sunset.” For example, at the beginning of May the best time is around 6:30-7:30pm. For July it’s closer to 7:15-8:15.
What should I wear for my engagement session?
Plan to wear something that makes you feel comfortable and beautiful. For the standard hour long session, please bring one outfit change. Most couples choose one casual and one formal look to add variety to their images. Consider your environment and what will work well with your surroundings. Don’t bring more than one outfit change or the time it takes to change will cut too much into the session. Accessories are also great ways to add variety including scarves, hats, cardigans, etc.
Keep in mind, depending on your location, you might have to change in your car.
Check out some wardrobe ideas on Pinterest. It can also be fun to bring items that tell your story like a picnic, bikes, your dog, records, coffee cups, or a bottle of champagne.
For brides to be:
Consider having your hair and makeup done professionally. This could be a great day to schedule a makeup and hair trial with the stylist you are using on your wedding day. I will also be taking close ups of your gorgeous ring on your finger. Why not treat yourself to a manicure. These ideas are absolutely not necessary, but I like to recommend them because how often do you have professional photos taken? Why not take advantage of this special time in your life and make yourself feel pampered and beautiful!
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Where should we have our engagement photos taken?
There are so many amazing locations perfect for photography. I am happy to help you plan the best spot for you that fits your relationship and expresses your personality and style.
Ideas for great locations for engagement photography in Colorado:
*Please note some locations may require a photography permit or entrance fee.
Engagement Photography Locations in the Mountains/Foothills Near Denver:
Red Rocks, Mt Falcon West or East, Lookout Mountain, South Valley Park, Lair o’ the Bear Park, Evergreen Lake, the Denver Botanic Garden, Highlands Ranch Mansion, Clear Creek Canyon Trail and downtown Golden, Bear Creek Lake Park and Soda Lake, Roxborough State Park, Kenosha Pass, Echo Lake, Guanella Pass
Engagement Photography Locations in the City of Denver:
City Park, Wash Park, Chessman Park, downtown RiNO, the Denver Botanic Garden, Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, Bluff Lake Nature Center, Denver Art Museum, Denver Zoo, Union Station, The Byron White Courthouse in downtown
Engagement Photography Locations Near Boulder:
Chautauqua, Lost Gulch Overlook, Flagstaff Mountain, CU Boulder, Brainard Lake, historic downtown Pearl Street, Coot Lake, Eldorado Canyon State Park. And a bit further north: downtown Fort Collins, the Horsetooth Reservoir, Lory State Park, and the Gardens on Spring Creek
Engagement Photography Locations Near Colorado Springs:
Garden of the Gods, Palmer Park, Ute Valley, Red Rock Canyon Open Space, the Broadmoor, Palmer Lake, Pikes Peak, Blodgett Open Space
More adventurous locations:
Paint Mines, Sand Dunes, Estes Park, Sapphire Point, Loveland Pass, Dream Lake, Trail Ridge Road, Maroon Bells, and so many more.
Other places to consider:
Vineyard, ski town, orchard, farm, train station, trendy bar, beach, dock, ice skating rink, strawberry patch, zoo, biergarten, etc.
What will be in bloom?
Some couples want photos with aspen trees (late September to October), cherry blossoms (late April), sunflowers (August to September), or wildflowers (June and July). Consider the time of year that will work best for you.
Another idea is to choose some of your favorite spots:
The place you first met or a favorite cafe, restaurant, book store, etc.
Your don’t need to bring anything, but you may want to bring with you:
• picnic blanket (something with a very simple, neutral color) for some seated photos
• water bottle
• chapstick
• small mints (not gum)
• touch up makeup
• a hair brush (sometimes it can get windy!)
• a pair of sneakers. If we have to do a little hiking to get to scenic spots and you plan on wearing heels, a set of sneakers could really help. You can throw everything in a backpack or duffle and I can hold your bag while we shoot.
• for winter shoots: consider bringing a thermos of hot tea or coffee to help you stay warm.
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Your engagement photos will be delivered through an online gallery with password protection. You can expect to receive a minimum of 75 images per hour, with a handful of black and white versions.
Editing and retouching: Every photo you receive will be edited for light, color, contrast and cropping so that it looks beautiful and is ready to be printed. I also do some retouching to photos that may include removing a distraction, for example, an exit sign, a person in the background, or a stray leaf or rock.
Please let me know if you may want additional retouching, for example, removing a blemish.
Extensive retouching is available for an extra fee. For example, tan lines can be a concern. If you are worried about how tan lines might show up in photos it is usually be best to choose an outfit that will hide them.
If you have any concerns about how something will look in photos please let me know before the session so that we can talk through ways to address them. For example, if you want to hide a tattoo or rash or if you are concerned about anything let’s talk. I want to be sensitive to any concerns and ensure you love your photos.
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Posing and Direction
Please don’t feel like you have to know what to do. I will guide you through simple and easy direction and prompts to keep things light and fun so that you can enjoy every minute just being together.
If you have any specific ideas in mind, please share. I want you to love your photos!
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To take a closer look at an engagement session, check out these links:
Denver Botanic Gardens
Lost Gulch Overlook, Boulder
Red Rocks Engagement
Lookout Mountain Engagement
Aspen Engagement, Grottos Trail
Maxwell Falls Engagement, Aspens
Brainard Lake Engagement
RiNo Art District Engagement
Barr Lake Engagement
Wash Park Engagement
Kenosha Pass Engagement
Central Park Engagement, NYC
Duke Gardens, North Carolina
Mt Falcon Elopement
Cherry Blossom Engagement
Central Park, Denver, Winter Engagement
If you have any questions, please ask. I want your session to be great!
This post has been updated many times. Most recently, in February of 2025.
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