I met up with Jos and Sam on the South Bank. They got engaged there a few months earlier. Sam had expressed her nerves about being photographed on her wedding day. An engagement shoot was a great opportunity to put her at her ease. The area was very crowded, so I must admit I felt a little as if I throwing them in at the deep end. It can certainly be quite intimidating to have your portrait made with so many people around.
One advantage of shooting in a big city is that even though it is often swarming with people, everyone pretty much ignores you. So in lots of ways it’s easier to work here than you might imagine. I am originally a Londoner myself and quite familiar with the area. We soon found some great spots to take pictures.
An Engagement Shoot is a great way to boost your confidence if you are nervous about having your picture taken.
An engagement shoot is a great way to spend time with clients, chat with them and get to know them a bit better. I think it really help the whole creative process if you build a bit of trust and develop an understanding. As wedding professionals we can easily forget how daunting a wedding day can be. That’s not made any easier by having someone you’ve never met before take pictures of you while you are getting ready, or repeating your vows. So getting to know my clients first is a must for me, and I think it really helps them. Posing for photographs is definitely something you can improve with a little guided practise, and is always something I recommend.
I think we spent a couple of hours wandering around. My wife and children had decided to take advantage of the trip to go and see a show in the Festival Hall, so I was in no rush. There are lots of little areas around here that seem to change quite regularly, so there’s always something new to find as a back drop.
The pictures were really nice. They really showed the strength of their relationship and were full of character and fun. We managed to avoid having an errant tourist in the background, despite the crowds. From the look of the pictures you would have though we were there at 6 o’clock in the morning. But it just goes to show you can find space anywhere if you look hard enough.
Toby
I work a wedding photographer in West Sussex and Hampshire. An engagement shoot is included in all of my most popular packages. I also shoot portrait photography and commercial work. In my spare time I am currently experimenting with large format film photography.
