How to choose your engagement session location

As photographers, we get so many questions about WHERE to take your engagement photos. Luckily, in Italy, there are so many possible locations. The main problem is that there are too many options. We absolutely love to help our clients find their perfect location, especially for those who are traveling in and don’t know the area, but time and time again we’ve been shown that our clients are honestly SO awesome at this.

Couples in Italy are constantly searching for a location to have their engagement photos taken and we love that this resource can be useful for some couples! 

The best advice we can give you is to find a location that best speaks to you, your relationship, and your unique love.

1. WHERE IS YOUR HAPPY PLACE?

It will be helpful to find a location that you both feel confortable where you enjoy spending time together. The goal of an engagement session is to showcase the authenticity of your love and picking a meaningful location makes it that much easier to do!

THINK ABOUT WHERE YOU FIRST MET.

If you choose the location where you first met, then your engagement photos will always remind you of that sweet day when you met your husband.

RETURN TO THE SPOT WHERE YOU HAD YOUR FIRST DATE.

Remember that you don’t have to do your entire session in one location. If the place where you had your first date is near other locations where you’d want to be photographed then communicate that to your photographer and maybe you can make a quick stop at that special place where it all started. 

CONSIDER YOUR HOMETOWN.

If you live in a picturesque area then your hometown might be the perfect location for your shoot!

GO BACK TO WHERE HE PROPOSED.

Imagine having lovely photos of the two of you at the place where he got on one knee!

CHOOSE A PLACE THAT YOU VISIT OFTEN.

For some of our couple Italy is the best option. They went in Italy few times on holiday breaks

FIND A PLACE THAT SUITS YOUR INTEREST AND PERSONALITIES.

Do you love the outdoors? Do you prefer a big city? Think about how you like to spend your time together and choose a place based on that. 

2. WHAT TIME OF DAY DO YOU WANT TO SHOOT YOUR PHOTOS?

Photography is all about light! The location may be beautiful, but if the light isn’t right, you won’t get the dreamy and romantic photos you’re looking for. We love to schedule our sessions 2 hours after sunrise or 2 hours before sunset. This allows you time to get comfortable in front of the camera, and the second hour of the session is what we like to call the magic hour. Make sure to be prompt and arrive on time to your session to maximize your time in this sun’s heavenly glow.

PAY ATTENTION TO THE SEASON.

Some locations are prettier during a specific time of year. If you know you want spring photos, do a little research and find out which locations look best at that time of year. 

3. THINK ABOUT THE TYPES OF OUTFITS YOU’D LIKE TO WEAR.

A beach session with a business suit is as out of place as a floral crown in the middle of the city. Some couples choose to select their outfits prior to their locations. In this case, you want to make sure that the outfits you have in mind are complementary to the location where you are shooting. 

4. MAKE SURE THE LOCATION FITS YOUR NEEDS

This one is especially important if you’re bringing your doggy along on your shoot! You don’t want to choose a place that isn’t dog friendly!

5. MAKE IT THEMATIC

If you have a special holiday, hobby, or season consider planning a session based on those details that are special to the two of you.

6. BUSY LOCATIONS LOOK BUSY

A park session seems convenient until someone has parked under your favorite tree . While there may be a beach you have in mind, keep in mind that other people also like that beach. 

It’s important to be mindful of areas that have heavy traffic on the weekewnds and some locations, like a cute row of stores, ice cream, and coffee shops, may be packed in the afternoon on a weekend.

This is one reason why getting out into nature can be such a huge bonus.