ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS
$650 | 1-1.5 hour session with Betsy | 75-100 images | online gallery
Hi! Thanks for your interest in an engagement session. All sessions are done at the location of your choice with me, Betsy as your photographer. I love engagement sessions. I get to know the dynamic of your relationship, I get a feel of your best angles and favorite poses. It gives you the chance to start feeling comfortable in front of the camera. But best of all, I love having the opportunity to really get to know you before your wedding day. I want to capture you completely as you are, not too posed, not too many ‘smile and look at the camera’ shots, but really capture you. in love.
It’s my hope you leave your engagement session feeling even more excited about your wedding day and completely confident with me as your photographer.
Below you will find answers to some of the most popular questions I get, from wardrobe to possible locations. If you have questions that are not answered here, please feel free to reach out to me directly at hello@betsyandjohn.com
I can’t wait to work with you!
-Betsy
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is your photographic style? Whether it’s a session or a wedding, it’s my goal to capture you as truly as you are. If you are calm, serious and intimate, I want to see that at your engagement session. If you are outgoing and wild, show the camera. Be yourselves. That’s what I will capture, as long as you bring it. I want to give you images that are lovely, but also really capture you and the love you share. Looking at my instagram should give you the best idea of my style (I post there most frequently)!
When should we schedule 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. You could schedule your session a year before your wedding or a week before your wedding and it would benefit all of us because it’s like a trial run before your wedding day and things can only get better from there!!
What months/days of the week are best for our engagement session? Because of the extreme heat in the Arizona summers, we suggest scheduling your session between October - April. As far as days of the week, 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.
How many images will we receive? You will receive around 75-100 images from your engagement session, possibly more if you are super chill, love to be with your person and just have fun being together!
What should we wear? Wear something that you feel amazing in. Something you love. Wear something that you feel the most like yourself in. Have you always dreamed of photos of you in a long, flowing dress with you hair and makeup done? Go for it!! Want real, down to earth photos in your favorite jeans? I am totally on board with that. I want you to feel your absolute best and that's all that matters to me.
As far as colors go, we feel like neutral / earthy colors are best. They compliment almost any landscape and make you (not your clothes) the focus of your session. We suggest avoiding super bright colors (like bright reds, neon oranges, pinks, bright blues, purples and lemon yellows that don't mesh well with the surrounding landscape. Some of the colors that pair beautifully with the desert landscape are whites, tans, lighter blues, greens, blush, carmel and navy, but it really depends on the location and your personal style. Generally tighter patterns like plaid or small stripes do not photograph well, so keep that in mind also.
*Please take all this with a grain of salt. If you love color, please, do your thing. We want you to love your photos the most and this is your session, this is just what we have gleaned from photographing people in love in the desert for the last 8 years :)
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 for most sessions, two outfits is ideal!
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! *I love to travel with my family and often offer discounted travel rates for dates.*
What are our options for engagement session locations?
For your engagement session location, pick somewhere you love. Choose a location that you guys feel totally comfortable in. Want to go to your favorite restaurant for happy hour drinks, then walk through downtown? Let’s do it. Want to book that pretty airbnb you love or do an in home session by the pool? I’m down. Just want to go watch the sunset in the desert and pop some champagne? There are so many ideas that could turn your engagement session, from a photo session into a fun date night documented by yours truly.
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. 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.
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 our 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. However, we can always reschedule your session for a later date and use the balance paid for one year.
Can we have our photos in black and white and color?
Most of your photos will be in color, with the occasional black and white photo mixed in.
What kind of equipment do you use?
We use all professional Sony & Canon cameras, lenses and flashes with a little bit of film gear mixed in :)
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