Hey y’all! Can you believe Christmas is only a few days away? I feel like this week has gone by so quickly, and I just can’t even believe it! Of course, I’m burning our Christmas candles around the clock and blaring Christmas music on Pandora 24/7 to soak up as much of this season as possible before Sunday arrives… ha!
There are so many things to LOVE about this time of year, and one of them definitely has to be the fact that it’s the start of engagement season! Since Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day are only months apart, a lot of couples get engaged around this time of year, which we absolutely love as wedding photographers! It’s so fun to chat with all the sweet girls who just got engaged and hear their amazing proposal stories… to be honest, it’s one of my absolute favorite parts of our job! (Seriously, I always ask our brides to hear their engagement story when we meet up! I love it.)
Since this time of year is so full of proposals, we wanted to share our 5 best tips for photographing a proposal with you photographers today! Shooting a proposal can be one of the most nerve-wracking things to do as a photographer, simply because you don’t want to ruin the moment. (Sometimes I wonder if I’M more nervous than the guy proposing, haha!) With these 5 tips, all you’ll have to worry about is making sure you don’t miss the proposal because of your happy tears! ????
5 Tips for Shooting a Proposal
Tip #1: Stay hidden!
This is so key!! Many times, the girl will not have a clue her proposal is happening until her guy is literally down on one knee. Seeing a random person (or a friend) with a camera in hand would, of course, be a total giveaway! We usually wear darker clothes, we find bushes or buildings to hide behind, and we try to keep any light source we’re using (such as a video light or a flash) as unobtrusive as humanly possible to protect the surprise until the right moment.
Bonus tip: Going along with Tip #1, give the couple a few minutes of space after the proposal actually happens before approaching them! It’s a super emotional time, and our couples are always grateful for those few minutes alone, un-photographed, before we congratulate them.
Tip #2: Know the plan!
As you communicate with the guy before the proposal day, make sure you know EXACTLY where and when they’ll be arriving at the proposal location. If the guy is open to it and time allows, scope out the location together beforehand and determine where the couple will stand and where you will hide. This ensures you both know the game plan when the big moment arrives.
Tip #3: Show up early and don’t forget the details!
Hopefully, this tip goes without saying! Arriving early and setting up your light in advance is obviously a super important component of a successful proposal shoot! As far as it depends on you, make sure the proposal goes off without a hitch.
Showing up early also allows you to photograph the setup! Don’t forget to photograph the location and any details that are already in place, such as champagne, flowers or even the ring box.
Tip #4: Gift them some portraits!
What better time for a few professional photos than your first moments as an engaged couple?! We always ask if we can take 5-10 minutes worth of photos of the happy couple (AND that brand new ring) after we congratulate them. These are such precious photos to have for YEARS, and they are great for the couple to share on social media when announcing their engagement, too!
Tip #5: Wait to share!
As a general rule, we hold off on sharing photos of the proposal on our business’ social media until we see that the couple has announced their engagement online! Personally, we waited hours to announce our engagement on social media until we’d enjoyed a night of celebration with our families and called our closest friends and extended family! Out of respect for the couple, hold on to your images until they’ve announced the news… and deliver the photos QUICKLY so that they can announce their engagement using your images!
Have you photographed a proposal before? We’d love to know your tips for getting precious photos of that amazing moment. Please share your thoughts in the comments below!
Xoxo!!
