How to Love Your Photography Experience: 3 Tips to Guide You in Your Planning

I duck when there is a camera pointed at me. I usually feel like the way I look in pictures doesn’t match how I think I am or how I want to look. And I am a little too self-conscious. I love to create, not be the subject!

But I value great images that will remind me of a time, place, and moment in a relationship. 

I desire that experience for myself and for you, so I was prompted to write these steps to help you get great results and how you can love your photography experience, too!

There have been a handful of times when I have actually been excited to get my pictures taken. The images throughout this post are an example of one of them: our self portrait session last summer at Owen Beach. I needed some new images for my website/social media and I wanted some shots of my husband and I in our new town that we are growing to love. At first I was dreading it, but it actually ended up being a really fun experience.

For these few circumstances, I followed these three steps and it made all the difference!!!

1. Hire a photographer you trust.

Choose someone who’s work you love and who you know will take great care of you. This is SO important. Recommendations from other people are a really great starting point, but don’t stop there. Get to know their personality and work a bit.

Do their images spark joy in you? Do you feel like you can’t wait to see how they will capture you because their work is vibrant and beautiful, and that is how you feel and how you want to look? If so, you are in great hands!

I had my wedding photographers picked out before I even met my groom… good thing when he came along he loved them too! I had no idea what the wedding would look like or colors would be or any of those things ladies often dream about- I just knew these were “my people” and their work made my heart happy and I couldn’t picture anyone else being there to capture the day. In our engagement and wedding images I feel confident and radiant. Because when you have a connection to the people behind the camera, wonderful things happen! (Of course, they are crazy talented and skilled and my handsome hubs was by my side, so that maaaaay be part of the reason for this as well, but that is a whole other discussion ;))

The same goes for our 1st anniversary pictures on the coast of Northern Ireland. If I didn’t find a local photographer who I really loved, we just weren’t going to do it. When I stumbled upon Frasier’s instagram and started looking through his work I remember so clearly thinking, “I don’t even know any of these people, but Im so happy and I can’t stop smiling!” And you know what? When looking through those images, instead of feeling self-conscious like I so often do, I can’t stop smiling!

2. Get gussied up!

This kind of luxury experience is probably not something you are going to do all the time, so treat it like the special occasion that it is! Kind of a no brainer for a wedding, but what about that anniversary session you’ve been dreaming of? Or the engagement session you weren’t going to make a big deal of? Or the family session you only were putting effort into what the kids were going to wear?

At the time I was planning for these pictures, I was also planning an anniversary session with Karey and Nate. I had been looking at dress rentals and I came across this dress and just loved it right away! I thought, “gosh, this dress is just so me. It would be really fun in pictures, I can’t wait to rent it for Karey to wear” And then I realized the absurdity of that statement! If the dress was so me, why not rent it for me! I wasn’t originally planning to put that much effort into these shots. I thought it was just something I needed to get done and check off my list. I am so glad I made it a big deal!

Skipping this step for this shoot would have been a mistake, and I am almost certain I would not have loved the result.

I also got my makeup done (shoutout to the lovely gals at the Tacoma Nordstrom MAC counter!) Gosh it was so fun. I recommend having your hair done as well, even if you are wearing it down. Full disclosure-I did not because heck, I didn’t even get my hair done for my own wedding…! My hair has a mind of its own and I trust it to no one!

3. Location matters!

A pretty park can be nice, but does it have meaning?! This step is too often overlooked. I mean, I want the background of the images to be beautiful just as much as you do, but if that is the only goal the experience will fall a little bit flat. There is so much value to be added by choosing somewhere important to you!

Our relationships all exist in context, right? None of us fell in love in a vacuum! That context should be in your images to help bring your mind back to what the moment felt like when you see these images years later.

And that context adds richness to the story as you are showing your grandkids your album from the session.

Garrett and I fell in love hiking in the Columbia River Gorge. It is where we had our first date, where we spent large chunks of our time while he was out visiting me, and it is where we got engaged. Naturally, it was the backdrop for our engagement session. There are a lot of beautiful places in and around Portland where I was living at the time, but nothing else had the meaning for us like this place!

For you, it may be your home. Or your back yard. Or the restaurant you had your first date. Or your favorite winery where you bring all your friends and family from out of town to show off the beautify of the city you now call home. The list of examples can go on and on… The important thing is that you choose something that matters to you!

**Bonus Tip***

Do something fun together after your session! Go out to a fun dinner, go for ice cream, etc. Anything that will allow you to spend some time together after your photography session. It really is a perfect way to end the experience. You’re already out and dressed up, make the most of it with the added memory of a special date night/family time!

I hope these tips get you started on creating a meaningful, memorable experience. I can’t wait to help dream and plan with you!