4 tips on how to relax on your engagement photo shoot


Feeling awkward at your engagement shoot is completely normal. You may have never posed as a couple in front of a professional photographer before. Here are a few tips to help loosen up!
The first question you will probably ask is “what should we do?”.

  • Be yourselves

Forget what you think is expected from you. Be goofy, kiss, laugh, hold hands, walk. Feel free to do whatever feels natural to you as a couple. Your photographer will be there to help you, give you directions and tips along the way to help you with body positioning to make sure you look your best.

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  • Make each other laugh

Engagement pictures are meant to be light and happy. So don’t take it too seriously and just have fun and be cute! A great way to do that is tell each other jokes or anecdotes. And if you’re out of jokes, don’t worry. Your photographer will be more than happy to take over!

  • Be close and feel the love you have for each other

It might feel awkward at first to be affectionate in front of your photographer, but soon enough it’ll feel almost natural. And that’s how you end up with great photos. Tip: just remember why you’re taking engagement pictures in the first place.

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  • Trust your photographer ;-)

We’ll always have your back, so enjoy yourselves, have fun and know that you’ll end up with beautiful pictures!

 

BONUS: An engagement photo shoot is a great way to prepare for your wedding pictures. You get to know your photographer, learn some tips on posing and let go of any awkwardness.



The Pearson family


It’s not hard to feel the love they have for each other. This gorgeous family joined us at the Goat Farm for a family session, and senior pictures for their talented and beautiful daughter and son. The pictures speak for themselves!

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Ansley’s senior shoot


Ansley was a natural in front of the camera. Her sense of style made it all so easy, while the Goat Farm offered a perfect location for an edgy, boho-chic shoot!

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Tara’s Maternity Photo Shoot


What a cute couple and mama to be! We had a very fun session at the Goat Farm photographing this baby bump. Tara was a real trooper. We can’t wait to meet their precious baby in a week. Stay tuned for some newborn photos very soon!

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Vickie & Morgan’s engagement shoot


What a unique photo shoot in the middle of Hahn Woods! Vickie used to go to this park in college and it proved to be a perfect spot to celebrate her engagement with Morgan!

Huge congrats to the happy couple!

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5 tips to show your best profile on LinkedIn


With over 300 million users, LinkedIn has become the go-to professional platform, whether you are using it as a business profile, a job hunting tool or a networking platform. Profiles with photos are 7 times more likely to be clicked on than those without and it takes only 1/10 of a second for someone to draw conclusions about you based on your photo.

Here are some tips to help you put your best profile forward!

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 1) Style

  Your photo should be neutral but show some personality, depending on your target audience  (read more on that here).

  2) Outfit

  It’s important to look the part. Since LinkedIn is a professionally oriented platform, make sure you dress accordingly. When in doubt, imagine dressing for a networking event or trade show in your profession. Linkedin is pretty much the virtual equivalent.

 * Quick tip: Keep it simple. Forget the sunglasses or any bold jewelry.

  3) Background 

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4) Up to date

Make sure your photo is up to date. Avoid the awkwardness of people being surprised when they  meet you in person!

5) Size

Because profile photos appear as small thumbnails on LinkedIn, make sure your face fills enough of the frame. Crop the picture from the top of your shoulders to a little above our head.

Your image will be displayed as 200 x 200 pixels, any smaller and it will be stretched.

And here’s a cheat sheet with all the different sizes you need for profile pictures and cover photos on the other platforms, such as Facebook or Twitter.

 

If you are still confused about what picture to chose, head over to our Pinterest for some inspiration and tips! 

 



Kathy & Jarred


Kathy and Jarred said “I do” on a hot but beautiful day at Chateau Elan! They had a colorful and unique ceremony, marked by the “blending of the sands”.

They danced it off with all their guests during a very joyful reception, and made a memorable exit through a cloud of bubbles.

Congrats to the happy couple!

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Julia, a 1 week old bundle of cuteness


Julia was the cutest little bundle! She made it clear from the start hat she wasn’t ready for only “sleeping baby” poses. She entertained us with a myriad of expressions, from mischievous smiles to questioning looks. It was hard to believe she was only 1 week old! And if that was even possible, she kept getting cuter throughout the shoot. Enjoy!

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5 tips for great fireworks photos


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You probably noticed by now that capturing fireworks can be pretty tricky. But don’t worry, we have a few tips to help you, whether you plan on using your smartphone or point and shoot camera.

  1. Stay steady
    • Good fireworks photos require long exposures or you’ll get very blurry pictures. If you don’t have any sturdy tripod, try to stabilize your camera on anything you can find – think railings, walls, cars, etc…If you don’t have any of that, embrace the blurriness and go for artsy pictures!
  2. Turn off your flash
    • This can seem counterintuitive since you’ll be in pitch dark, but trust us, your flash won’t be of any help. It’ll only be illuminating your neighbors’ heads or the tree next to you. This is why tip #3 is key!
  3. Lock your focus
    • Tap the screen of your phone aiming at the fireworks (or press halfway the shutter on a point and shoot), to lock the exposure and focus on the actual fireworks and not on people or trees standing in the foreground.
  4. Don’t use your smartphone zoom
    • You’ll lose resolution. Shoot wide and crop later if you really need to.
  5. Use fireworks modes or apps
    • Point and shoot cameras usually have a fireworks mode, and there are several smartphone apps dedicated to helping you take great photos of fireworks – and they are usually free. (for example, LongExpo).

Extra tip: If your fireworks start before it gets dark, use the sunset setting on your camera to get some great shots at dusk.

Head over to Photojojo for more useful tips and tricks.

Enjoy the show!