Jim & Pam: A Perfect Engagement Session

posted December 14, 2010 in Client Resources

Shot this totally cute couple in Saguaro National Park yesterday. He was a bit stiff, and she prickly. We met not long before I started shooting. And since neither had been photographed by a professional photographer, naturally they were a bit tense. Their worries quickly faded as we enjoyed the scenery and our time together while blasting The Temper Trap’s “Sweet Disposition.”

When saw them, I was cruising at 40 mph on a dirt road with the top down, passing them in dust. Seconds later, I slammed on the breaks, shifted in reverse, and the rest became history.

A few observations which made their portrait session super fun and memorable:

They weren’t really concerned about choosing a perfect outfit. And if they were, I would have told them to “Be yourself. That is what matters most.”
They weren’t really concerned about choosing a perfect location. And if they were, I would have told them, “Be comfortable in a place that matters most.”
They weren’t really concerned with having a perfect complexion/wardrobe/weight. And if they were, I’d reassure them, “You are who you are, and that matters most. Although, I’ll make you shine brighter than you ever thought, which is why you are working with me. In 50 years, your images will still be timeless. Trust in me.”
They weren’t really concerned about perfect weather or time of day or lighting conditions. And if they were, I would have told them, “We could shoot at 9am on a Monday in a desert with harsh lighting in 20 minutes and we’d still pull off a timeless portrait.” (And we did.)

Can’t wait to see them in a few years to see how they’ve changed. One day I hope to photograph their furry little offspring. wpid-saguaro_national_park_couple_portrait_session_-2010-12-14-22-465.jpg

P.S. IMO, There’s no such thing as a perfect engagement session, a perfect outfit, a perfect location, a perfect complexion/wardrobe/weight, or perfect weather, perfect time of day, or perfect lighting conditions. As a Denver Wedding Photographer, I shoot creative portraits of natural people in real moments with a fun atmosphere blended with a modern edge for light and romance. That is why my clients hire me to be me.

P.S.S. This image represents recent work from a long-term photography project documenting saguaro cactus personalities.