I just love capturing young love.
It fills me with happiness and I smile the whole time!
I am photographing Jenelle and Josh’s wedding soon and they loved the idea of visiting Hollybank in Northern Tasmania, in winter, for a fun engagement photoshoot. The forest there is amazing and diversified so we had lots of backgrounds and settings to choose from. There were no cold winds, just warm sun peaking through the foliage so the light was ‘perfect’ that afternoon. With hardly another soul around, we virtually had it all to ourselves and relished in the moment. 
For lots of people, preserving the memories of their wedding day is a very close second to actually creating them. And real, meaningful memories come about from having a photographer who truly understands and cares about you. On your wedding day, you don’t want the pressure of not knowing what to expect from your photographer or the worry of not knowing how you have to ‘act’ in front of the camera. You need someone who has made the time to get to know you as a couple and that is where I think an engagement photoshoot comes into its own. I believe that this session should reflect the couple’s personality and be relaxed. It should have special meaning and I always discuss options with my couples, placing them in beautiful, meaningful settings (which is very easy in Tasmania). I look for ‘the light’ and just allow them to be themselves.
As a photographer I like to take the opportunity with my couples during the engagement session to pass on things I have learnt over the years. I tell them tips and hints on posing, kissing and walking that flatter and are simple to remember on the day. No complicated explanations, just quick easy directions that come naturally when you know how.
It is important to know the most flattering way to stand as a bride. I tell them about easy relaxed poses for both the bride and groom to achieve which ultimately makes the wedding day far less complicated. A big thing for me is to give some tips on ‘kissing for the camera’ so the couple don’t end up with squashed noses and I encourage them to practice which I am regularly told later was ‘fun homework’. It always makes for some laughs as we practice the concepts I share and it creates a connection between us where my couples know that I care about them and truly want them to feel comfortable with me.
I personally believe that an Engagement Shoot is very important and more important than you probably realise during your wedding planning. Going through the process will help you end up with pictures on your wedding day that best reflect both of you as a couple and your love for one another. If you have enjoyed yourselves and are relaxed from the engagement shoot, if you have been given permission to be yourselves in front of the camera already, I can assure you, you will have all the skills necessary to completely enjoy your wedding day and end up with the best memories.
I can’t wait for Jenelle and Josh’s wedding day. So excited xx
