5 Steps For Planning A Virtual Engagement Photo Session

The ultimate question has been popped, but now what?

Well, in any normal circumstance, you’d have an engagement photo session to announce your wedding plans to all of your closest friends and family. But, with no clear end to the pandemic in sight, in-person photoshoots aren’t a reality, causing many couples to resort to socially distant photo sessions. So, whether you had just said yes before the stay-at-home order was put in place or are celebrating a quarantine proposal, you can opt to set up a virtual photo session for your engagement photos. Having a virtual engagement photoshoot may require a bit more planning on your end, but if you work closely with your chosen photographer, you can end up with engagement photos that are just as good as if you had taken them in person. To help you with your planning, we’ve worked out five steps you should take when putting together your virtual engagement photo session to get the best photos!

Schedule A Session During the Day or Sunset

Timing is key for virtual photo sessions! You don’t want to schedule your photo shoot at a point in the day when the sun is at its highest, which can cast a harsh light on your photos. The same goes for a nighttime shoot, the darkness can cause your photos to appear grainy and dull, which no amount of photoshop would be able to fix. Instead, schedule your session for sunset or the morning. This way, the natural light will cast flattering shadows on you and your spouse-to-be for a more romantic atmosphere.

Photography by Jennifer Matos Calegari Photography

Choose An Aesthetic Background

Photography by All The Little Stories Photography

During quarantine, you have to work with what you got but try to pick an aesthetically pleasing part of your home or backyard for your photo session because your background will show up in the photos. If you have some lemon trees in your yard or a carefully curated living room, set up there. Ultimately choose a space that will look good in photos but is also a comfortable space for you and your partner to ease some of your potential nerves. If you don't feel that you have an aesthetically pleasing spot in your house, just opt for a white wall or hang a simple white sheet that will catch the light well.

Set Up Your Device Properly

There’s nothing worse than starting a photo session and realizing your WiFi is going in and out or your device won’t stay on the tripod. At least 30 minutes before you are scheduled to Facetime, Skype, or Zoom your photographer, make sure you test your connection in your chosen location and the stabilization of your setup. If you don’t have a tripod to keep your phone steady, try to create a makeshift tripod with a chair and some books or tape it to a flat surface that is across from where you plan to take photos.

Don’t Wear Patterns

It’s your decision whether or not you want to dress up for your virtual engagement photo session based on the look you’re going for, but one rule to follow no matter what? Don’t wear any type of patterned clothes. Plaid, polka dots, stripes, or geometric shapes can distract from your faces in the photos. Aim to wear solid-colored items, and instead of playing with patterns, choose more vibrant colors that can be coordinated between you and your partner’s outfits.

Choose Simple Poses

For virtual photoshoots, the focus makes a shift from action-oriented shots to a more candid capture of you and your partner where you’re most comfortable - your home. Sticking to simpler poses like sitting on the floor or standing in an embrace will make your photos appear clearer because the more action you try to perform in a photo, the blurrier the final product will look. Although your photographer will most likely be giving you the best direction for your photos, make sure to mention that you want the photos from various angles (wide, medium, and tight) and shots (portrait and landscape).