ARIZONA ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS BY BETSY & JOHN

Hey you wonderful soon to brides & grooms! Thanks so much for choosing us to photograph your engagement session! We love engagement sessions because it gives us the opportunity to really get to know each other before the big day. We get a feel of your best angles and favorite poses and you start getting used to being in front of the camera! In the end, we hope you leave your engagement session feeling even more excited about your wedding day and completely confident with us as your photographers!

 Below you will find answers to some of the most popular questions we get asked, from wardrobe to locations, we'll cover it all!  If we missed something, please send us an email.

Lots of love, 

Betsy & John

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

When should we do our engagement session? 
Most couples like to schedule their engagement session 6-8 months prior to their wedding so they can use their engagement photos on their save the dates. Regardless of the timing, we think engagement sessions are an invaluable tool to prepare for your time in front of the camera on your wedding day! 

What months/days of the week are best for our engagement session?
Most months of the year are gorgeous in Arizona and perfect for photo sessions! As far as days of the week, because of weddings, it's not always possible to schedule engagement sessions on the weekends. Though we may have occasional weekend dates available, most engagement sessions take place during the sunset hours of Monday-Friday.

Want to do your engagement session outside of Arizona? Shoot us an email for more detailed information! 

How many images will we receive? 
You will receive around 90-100 images from your engagement session.

What should we wear? 

Here is our best advice, wear something that you feel amazing in. Wear the outfit that best showcases your personality. Wear something that you feel the most like yourself in. Have you always dreamed of photos of you in a flowy dress with you hair and makeup done? Do it. Want real, down to earth photos in your favorite jeans? We are totally on board with that. We want you to feel your absolute best and that's all that matters to us!  Do we have advice about what looks best on camera? Of course, so here it goes :)

For the ladies...in our experience, every woman, regardless of her shape has an area of her body that she’s self-conscious about, so recognizing what area that is in advance is key. Choosing flattering silhouettes and colors that complement your natural features is the best way to ensure you’ll love the way you look in your photos. Three quarter length sleeves create an awesome slimming effect on all arms, so be on the lookout for an option with a longer length sleeve if that is an area you are concerned about! You could also bring a cute jacket, blazer or cardigan along, too. Skinny straps or strapless dresses have the opposite effect on arms on camera, so we recommend avoiding those whenever possible if your goal is a set of slimmer-looking arms.

If you want to dress it up a little bit, long, flowy dresses and skirts look amazing on camera because they bring extra movement to the photos, especially when juxtaposed with nature, like the desert! Cute, shorter-length dresses with heels photograph beautifully as well, but can be difficult if we are shooting in a desert terrain. 

Heels elongate a woman's legs, making them look fabulous. Closed- toes heels in particular look great on camera because they carry out the line of your leg all the way down to your toe. Don't wear heels? That is totally fine with us, but maybe avoid tennis shoes and dress it up a little instead. If you do wear heels, we suggest bringing a pair of flats to wear when moving from place to place. (Your feet will thank you later.) If your toes are showing in a peep-toe heel, you might want to schedule a pedicure before your session so you don’t regret letting your feet show. Speaking of the nail salon, it's a great idea to get your nails done and your ring cleaned so you and your new gem look perfect and sparkly on camera! These little tricks make all the difference.

All that being said, what's most important to us is that you feel 100% comfortable in your outfit and totally you. Confidence is always the best accessory.

For guys...if you want to dress it up a little bit, we suggest something like a pair of slacks or nice jeans and a nice button up or if you're feeling really snazzy (and it fits the location you choose), a nice fitted suit. Please make sure your clothes are ironed! It's not always possible to edit out wrinkles and it will make your photos look so much nicer (trust us). Plaid and stripes can look a little busy in photos, so we suggest a plain colored shirt. Most guys wear a white dress shirt on their wedding day, so they choose to have a different look for their engagement photos. If you're not into dressing up, wear your favorite jeans and t-shirt, just make sure your look coordinates well with your partners.

As far as colors go we ask that you avoid super bright colors (like bright reds, oranges, pinks, bright blues and lemon yellows that don't mesh well with the surrounding landscape). Some of our favorite colors to photograph are blues, greens, blush, grays, tans, navy, mustardy yellows and deeper reds, but it really depends on the location and your personal style. If you need more inspiration, you can see some of our favorite looks + shoppable links here! 

We also ask that everyone void tennis shoes, cargo shorts & printed tees, please (and thank you). ✌🏻 

How many outfit changes can we bring to our session?  You are more than welcome to bring as many outfit changes as you like, but please keep in mind that the more changes you make, the less time we will have for photos. We suggest 2 different outfits -a more dressy look first, then finish off your session with a casual look! 

Can we do our engagement session in a different city?  Of course! We love to travel and it's so fun to have your engagement photos with a different scenery than your wedding photos. However, travel fees may apply and they must be paid in full upon booking. Send us an email for more information! 

What are our options for engagement session locations?
There are so many amazing options for different photo locations around Arizona! Check out each of the following locations to see some of our favorite spots! Have something in mind that you don't see? Let us know and we will look into it! Want to do something outside of Arizona? Send us an email and we will create a custom quote for you. The password for each link below is " 2019 ". 

Can we order prints on our own or do we have to order them through you?
You will be able to download your images and make full size prints wherever you'd like. However, you can also order prints straight from your online gallery! When you order through our easy ordering system, you will get high quality prints from our professional print lab shipped straight to you. Please note that we cannot guarantee the quality of printed images if they do not come from our lab. 

How long will it take to receive our photos?
You will receive your high resolution images delivered through an online gallery within 2-3 weeks of your session. 

What is your photographic style?
We have a fine art style. That means that we want to give you images that are not only joyous memories of this time in your lives, but also photos that are truly pieces of art to hang in your home for years to come. Our photos have a soft focus, with a dream like, romantic quality.  We love to capture real, genuine emotions that capture the relationship of the people in front of our lens.

Do you deliver every image you shoot?
No. Sometimes we take 2-3 photos of the same pose, to ensure we don’t have any photos with closed eyes, funny facial expressions or unflattering gestures. We choose the images that we present to you very carefully, to ensure that you are getting the best and most beautiful photographs of you and your honey!

Will you feature our images on your website?
We put so much heart and effort into our sessions and weddings, sharing our clients sessions online is so meaningful to us. It helps us reach new clients and share what we are most passionate about. It's incredibly helpful to us if you allow us to share your images online. However, we understand that there are some circumstances where that is not possible. If you prefer not to have your face shown online, please let us know and we can amend the contract. 

Can I bring my pet to my engagement session?
While we are happy to photograph you and your furry friends, these kind of photo sessions can get a little bit crazy. If this is something you would really like to do, we suggest taking 15 minutes of photos with your pets and then spending the rest of the time on couple portraits! We also suggest bringing someone along to take your pet after we are all done with that part of the session so they aren't a distraction for the remaining time.

If we cancel our session, do we get our money back?
Unfortunately, no. The deposit/booking fee and all monies paid are non-refundable. We may make exceptions in case of an emergency, however this will be done on a case by case basis.

Can we have our photos in black and white and color?
Most of your photos will be in color, with the occaisional black and white photo mixed in.

What kind of equipment do you use?
We use all professional Canon cameras, lenses and flashes, with a mix of film and digital throughout your session.

Thanks for reading our frequently asked questions. We hope this was helpful! 

HAVE MORE QUESTIONS? SHOOT US AN EMAIL!

Betsy and John Allen | www.BetsyandJohn.com | Hello@BetsyandJohn.com