Here’s a guest post from our incredible photographer friends, Nyk and Cali! We absolutely love their work, and their tips will help you make the most out of your winter engagement session!
“Winter engagement sessions are some of our favorite to shoot for many reasons! When most couples start planning their engagement session they try to avoid the winter months because the only thing that comes to their mind when they think of being outdoors during the winter is red, runny noses and dead trees. While those things can very much be a reality, there are some other things about winter engagement sessions that most people don’t think about that make them awesome! Here are some tips on getting the most out of your winter engagement session.
1. Dress for the weather.
One of my favorite things about winter is the clothes. Believe it or not some couples schedule a January engagement session and bring shorts and short sleeved shirts to the session and try to “brave the cold”. This often leads to hunched shoulders and goosebumps and a more rushed session because the couple is cold and just wants to be done. Embrace the cold and put on some clothes. I love the layered look and most people look more stylish if they have on more than just a t-shirt and shorts. Breaking out the scarves, fingerless gloves, and winter vests can go a long way in making even the most Plain Jane look like a fashionista. The “bundled up” look also gives the session a more intimate look in my opinion. Couples tend to cuddle up closer together and their embrace looks more natural when their clothes match the occasion.
2. Don’t feel like you have to avoid the naked trees.
One of the tell-tale signs that winter has arrived is when the trees are naked. It can feel depressing to some and they want to avoid getting leaf-less trees in the background, but that is one thing that we really love! The winter color palette of browns, tans, and whites is beautiful if your clothes coordinate with them. Pick neutral colored clothes instead of the bright, summery colors. If you’re wanting to wear brighter clothes or the winter color palette isn’t your thing, consider doing the session in a more urban area with buildings as your backdrop instead of trees. Often times the winter urban sessions don’t differ very much from the summer ones because temperature is less apparent.
3. Break out the accessories.
Like I said above, winter accessories can really bring out a whole new level of depth to the session as well as make you look more stylish. Bring all of your scarves, gloves, winter caps, etc. to your session so your photographer can play around with them and help you choose combinations that suit you best for the location. Having more than one option of accessories will give your photographer more creative freedom to make you look your best. Also consider things like hot chocolate or coffee, Christmas lights, and campfires (make sure you can light a campfire on the location beforehand!). We’ve found that most couples are drawn to photos that tell a story so we try to do some kind of activity during our sessions, whether it is a campfire, a hiking trip, a picnic, or grabbing a coffee at a cafe off Broadway. Adding an activity to the session will add depth to the photos.
4. Embrace the season.
Have fun with each other. Have a snowball fight, kiss under the mistletoe, make snow angels or build a snowman, surprise each other with wrapped gifts, drink hot cocoa by the fireplace or Christmas tree. When you’re having fun with each other if will definitely show in your photos!
5. Don’t be afraid to go indoors.
When it gets super cold outside all you want to do is stay in anyway. If you’ve got a super slick house (or know someone who does), consider doing part of the session inside. Have your photographer take photos of you two making a meal together or working on a hobby (or if you’re the artsy type, painting a picture). Snuggle up next to the fireplace or build a fort out of blankets and watch a movie on the laptop with popcorn and hot cocoa. There are some pretty amazing indoor locations in the city that you can check out also!”
