The guide for your photo session
Tips and preparation before your Wedding photos, Adventure, Elopement, engagement or family photos.
Hello!
I’m so happy that you arrived on this page!
Congratulations, you’ve decided to get married ! I’m glade that you’ve made a first step to chose me to join you for the ride. I would love to be a part of your love story. I can’t wait to get to know you, to capture your wedding day, or your engagement and to join you for this moment.
There’s so much to think about between now and then, and I’m sure your heads are already spinning - making decisions about things you didn’t even realize existed. So to make it a little easier, I’ve created this to help guide you through the whole process!
These are all the tips that as a photographer I’m thinking about. I’ve made it as comprehensive as possible so that you spend less time worrying about the details and more time getting excited for your wedding!
You will see this step is important for you and me to make your project an incredible moment. Organising the photo session is a very complexe work. I had a lot of experience and photographed more than 200 weddings during the last 11 years. During this time I took in note all the little things who could make my work better and give you the opportunity to live a beautiful experience.
But maybe before to jump into it… I should present me better!
I am Mael,
I am pationate by painting of Rembrandt and Caravage and inspired by the light on it. When I built my photos, I think about a black painting super dark when I will add some lights on it, to revel the scene that I’d like to show.
Summary
About me
What to expect
How to make it unique?
The 10 things the most important for you
The get ready
Photographing your sentimental objects (menu and save the dates)
Clean space for your get ready
Hang your dress
Clothes tips - How to dress during your Elopement
Bridesmaid session
Groomsmaid session
Put your story into it
Your ceremony of love
Vows for your ceremony of love (writing your vows)
Weather conditions
Best light for couple photo session
The vows for your ceremony of love
Couple photoshoot
Your roadmap
The best places to get married or to elope
The group photo
Details of the diner
How to be confortable during the photo session?
Family Photo session
Editing of the photos
Security
No risk for a photo
What's in my backpack?
Are you Insured?
What to expect
Thank you so much for taking the time to look in your photoshoot, and fill in the questionnaire. I'm so excited to get to know you guys better. I just wanted to touch base and let you know what to expect on your upcoming photoshoot.
Let me give you confidence by saying first of all that your shoot is going to be awesome, and know that 99% of the time the first 10 minutes of any photoshoot can feel uncomfortable until you relax into it and feel confident in front of the camera! Trust in the fact that I do this everyday; I'll always prompt and direct you and never ask you to do something that feels wrong or awkward or leave you hanging with no idea what you should be doing next. I promise it will be fun and by the end of the session you'll be totally relaxed and having fun. The objective isn’t just to take pretty pictures, but to capture this exciting stage in your life, exactly as it is now.
Here’s a few tips I wanted to send you before we meet up
How to make it unique?
To make your engagement session truly unique, it's all about personalizing every aspect of the experience. Here's how you can create a one-of-a-kind photo shoot:
Reflect on your story: Take some time to think about what makes your relationship special and the moments that have brought you closer together. Incorporate elements of your journey into the session to add a personal touch.
Choose a meaningful location: Select a location that holds significance for you as a couple. It could be where you first met, a favorite date spot, or a destination that has always been on your bucket list. This will add an extra layer of sentimentality to the images.
Infuse your personalities: Let your personalities shine through during the shoot. If you're adventurous, consider incorporating activities like hiking or exploring. If you're more laid-back, opt for a cozy picnic or a casual stroll.
Include special props or accessories: Bring along items that hold meaning for you both. It could be something as simple as a favorite book, a shared hobby, or even a memento from a significant moment in your relationship.
Dress to impress: Coordinate your outfits to reflect your personal style and the vibe you want to portray. Whether it's a glamorous evening look or a bohemian-inspired ensemble, choose clothing that makes you feel confident and comfortable.
Embrace the unexpected: Don't be afraid to embrace unexpected moments or elements during the session. Rainy weather? Use it as an opportunity for a cozy dance in the rain. Let spontaneity guide you and capture those genuine, unplanned moments.
Incorporate cultural elements: If you have a shared cultural background or heritage, consider incorporating traditional elements into the shoot. It could be traditional clothing, customs, or symbols that hold significance for you both.
Focus on emotions and connection: Instead of solely focusing on poses, prioritize capturing genuine emotions and the connection between you and your partner. Let your love and joy shine through, as those candid moments often make the most memorable photographs.
Involve a furry friend: If you have a beloved pet, consider including them in the session. Pets can bring an extra element of joy and playfulness to the shoot, making it even more unique and personal.
Share your vision with me: Communicate your vision, desires, and the 10 most important things you want to capture in your images with me. I will work with you to bring your ideas to life and ensure your session truly reflects your unique love story.
I propose you to tell me, only if you want, what are the 10 most important things who must be in your pictures.
How to be comfortable during your photo shoot?
I summarize here some tips to prepare you for a photo shoot of a couple or family. Whether it's the day of your wedding or a commitment session, a save the date, or a trash the dress, I offer some tips to beautify the rendering of my work with you.
How to connect on the day? Relax, unwind, choose to do what you love on the day of your shoot. There’s nothing worse than arriving at a shoot absolutely frazzled and rushed and disconnected. If you’re able to take the morning off, do it. Give yourself lots of time to get to the location so you don’t feel stressed on arrival.
Have zero expectations: Embrace what comes, the wind, the rain, the laughter, whatever unfolds. Every shoot is unique, and we have no set pattern. It’s all about you and capturing your life exactly how it is on the day of your shoot. I can’t give you any guarantees of what we will capture, let’s see what magic happens on the day.
Logistics
I’ll help you to choose the best time for your photo session, choosing the place with propositions in thermes of visual idea.
You can confirme me the informations that you have by your side and all that you would love to organise for the photo session.
I'll get in touch a few days prior to confirm the location, and meeting time and answer any pending questions you may have about outfits etc.
I'm so looking forward to our session, feel free to reach out anytime with any questions you may have.
Where to make it ?
If you didn’t planed your venue or your adventure session yet, you can check my recomandation on the blog.
Places, History, Adventure
For a photo engagement session, elopement or adventure session, I suggest you choose a place that represents you. For that, I try to surround you better, to know the place of your story where you meet the first time or where you always dreamed to live.
Tell me about your meeting, it will allow me to make photos that you like.
A couple photo shoot, is above all a stroll in a romantic place. This is the way to look for the best visuals and especially to get a real moment and full of emotion. Do not hesitate to propose me your ideas (to take a boat on a beautiful lake, to walk on the top of a mountain, whatever, I would be delighted to know your envy on this subject).
The vows for your ceremony of love
Plan to write it a little before the event and put it all your emotion on it. The emotions klimb in your ceremony in particular for the adventure engagement when the place choose is elected in coherence with your story, the place that mark your life have more sense and will give you more feeling. Choose and write the sentence that you would love to tell to your love with all this context.
Be short but not too much.
I can take pictures of you
Weather conditions
Weather is unpredictlible as you know, and it’s ok if we can’t plan it, let’s think about what we can plan. We can plan confortable clothes, good timing and good organisation. Take with you an umbrella, a leather jacket, shoes to walk on the nature a Blanket to stay warm.
How to dress during your photoshoot?
like yourself! Wear something you feel awesome and beautiful in. Ensure its an outfit you’ve worn before and you know its comfortable. Avoid big patterns, logos, or bright colors. Aim for earthy tones, natural fabrics and clothing with lots of movement.
When preparing for your nature photo session, here are some clothing tips that will help you create stunning images:
Choose outfits that represent you
Opt for clothing that reflects your personal style and personality. This will allow you to feel comfortable and showcase your authentic selves during the session.
Opt for natural and soft colors
Neutral tones, pastels, and earthy colors tend to complement natural landscapes beautifully. Avoid bright and flashy colors that could distract from the environment.
Avoid overly distracting patterns
Very bold patterns, stripes, or highly contrasting checks can be distracting in a nature session. Instead, opt for subtle textures or delicate patterns that enhance the surroundings without overpowering them.
Embrace lightweight and flowy fabrics
Clothing made from lightweight and flowy fabrics allows for natural movement and adds a touch of softness and elegance to the images. Steer clear of stiff or bulky clothing that might restrict your movements.
Layer for depth and versatility
Consider layering different pieces such as cardigans, lightweight jackets, or scarves. This adds depth and texture to the images while also allowing you to adapt to changing temperatures.
Consider the environment and weather
If you're heading to a cold or windy location, choose warm and functional clothing such as wool sweaters, beanies, or scarves. Likewise, if you're going to a hot and sunny place, opt for lightweight and breathable clothes to ensure comfort.
Avoid bulky accessories
While accessories can add style, avoid going overboard. Bulky or noisy accessories may divert attention from your faces and expressions.
Select appropriate footwear
Don't forget to wear shoes suitable for the natural environment. If the session involves walking or hiking, prioritize comfortable and appropriate footwear to prevent discomfort and ensure mobility. Plan to take a second pair of shoes confortable to walk if necessary.
Remember, the most important thing is for you to feel comfortable, confident, and truly enjoy the experience. By following these clothing tips, you'll create harmonious and timeless images that authentically capture your connection amidst nature's beauty.
Here I can recomande some Brand That I know and like
You can choose one color similar in both of you this is always better to have a coherence rregarding of the result of the image. but be carefull to not make it too much, it must be natural.
For adventure session and engagement in the wild
Take with you a blanket to have a a good look and still be confortable on the session when the weather start to be complicated. For this you can check those brands.
Hat
Choose it well and check this brand : Will and bear.
Bow ties
The custom bow tie is a good way to announce the color of your event. I have put you below a link to an extraordinary partner who make bow ties at your convenience.
During a photo shoot the bow tie to a small casual side and at the same time serious and official.
To create yours: Colonel Moutarde, or Ikonizaboy
Crown rings and accessories
Make Up & Hairstyles
Suit
Faubourg Saint Sulpice is a french Brand based in Paris where you can find a really nice style of suite. I let your the link to discover it.
Dress
I will probably write an article about the dresses. I just can recomande a very popular brand who is Rime Arodaky or you can see this link where there is really incredible creators.
Flowers
Organization and roadmap (mainly for wedding)
What is a roadmap?
The roadmap is the document I will take with me when I leave to join you on your big day. That is why it must be well filled and include correct postal addresses and consistent schedules.
Do not forget to fill it out when it will be sent to you by email (one month before your event) if it is not already done. This will allow me to have in my possession all the important information for your event. Take the time to fill it out once all is well programmed in your organization.
If you want to fill it now, send me a message.
Getting ready
Before to start your gettijng ready, choose well the room where you would like to do it. Considere the natural light, the space available to not be to unconfortable. Think to put all your bags on the same place, it looks a little tip but trust me on the pictures it will be so much better to have all the space as clean as possible.
Think that your guest must be ready before you to help you in your getting ready.
Souvenir photos of your sentimental objects
Some objects of your wedding tell beautiful things and I like to immortalize them on a clean and worked image. The decorations, the stationery and the flowers your table stationery, yours invitations, your alliances etc. Do not forget the day of the wedding to set aside your items of stationery, the small tables, the beautiful envelopes sent to your guests, the paintings, and all the elements that you want to immortalize. I will make a beautiful picture on a beautiful wooden furniture or a beautiful chair so you can remember all these accessories.
Also remember to put aside your beautiful shoes, your accessories, watches and all other objects that are important to you to make a beautiful picture of details on a stylish piece of furniture. Generally I start by photographing all these elements.
Some partners can help you organize your decorations. Through a love session before marriage (Save The Date) you can anticipate and highlight the style and trends you have chosen for your wedding. This will set the tone for your event and your guests will only have to follow your choices in terms of colors, style and clothing. If you need more advice on this point, you can contact me.
Hang your dress
Your dress and your suit are elements in the photos report who tells the ambiance of your day. If your doing an elopement photo session or an adventure session, think to organise this part in your planing it gives an other dimention of the pictures and add story to the elements.
Couple photo shoot
I propose you to plan your photo session during the wedding. Plan on your schedule between 30 minutes and 1 hour to make beautiful pictures of you two. The best time is at sunset.
The Best lights for couple photo session
Golden hour
Nothing better than playing with daylight, natural light, coming from a window or a glazed kiss.
For a photo shoot, if there are beautiful moments of light it is at sunrise and sunset. In summer plan a photo session at sunset 30 to 60 minutes before that the sun is down, you will see that it is extraordinary to obtain images with this downward sunlight. so you will not squint and the charm of a romantic end of day will work.
Blue hour
If you want to explore more options on this light, I recommand you to wait after the golden hours just at the moment when the sun is not anymore in the horizon but it passed it. It still continuing to shine and reflect the ray on the clouds. This light reflection is generaly blue and give areally diferent ambiance for your photo session. Sometimes it let place to the moon or some stars. It is awesome!
The poses
No worries about the choice of poses, Be natural, be yourself and think of it like a little moment
Do not look at the lens, live this moment like for a ride between lovers. Be yourself with your attitudes, your romanticism to you. If you do not feel comfortable, I would make you take the appropriate and natural pose by performing for example movements.
What we could do during your shooting?
To make it the most natural as possible, I made an exaustive list to help you to have idea of what we could do. up to you to appropriate those elements to your personality or your preferences, and upgrade it if you need.
Walking in the countryside
Posing with view in front to each other
Vows sequence in the best place and best view ever
Walking hand on hand
Runing a little
Cocooning part with the blanket (siting or not)
On the car to go to the place (adventure mode)
Some gif sequence with the nature moving
Rain and elements of the day
Details of the rings
Details of the papers of the vows
You writing youru vows
Details of suit and dress
Portrait of each other
Details of the hands
Clean shot with bride and groom to see the importance of the wild nature
Drone images
Gifs animated sequences
Picture who show the wind
Accessories corona etc
Walking on the road
Dancing
Jumping crossing a river
Shot under night sky
Group photo session at the wedding
How to organize your group photo shoot?
I propose group photo sessions with all your guests. Plan half an hour in your schedule for this session if you want to get some family photos that will stay.
Little tip that I advice you
Plan a list containing the names of each person to be on each photo.
You can prepare color groups and distribute a color for each person. When you call a color, the people concerned will know that they must come to make the photo. This will save you a lot of time.
How will this unfold?
I suggest you start with a group photo, then we can make the photos of your respective families, friends and so on.
However, I advise you to take too many photos of groups and do not forget that I am also present at the reception where I can make some shots when you drink with them.
Bridesmaid session
Arriving soon
Groomsmaid session
Arriving soon
Family Photo session
Baby shooting photo
Plan the shooting after the nape time.
Don’t solicitate the baby before that I arrive to make pictures to keep him in good condition for the photos.
Don’t plan a photo session after 16.30 to not have bad moment with your baby and to evitate the change moment.
The clothes can be on your choices, but choose confortable ones, choose good material too, soft touch worm etc.
How do you calm him/her when he is angry ?
You can give me details of your family here
Photos Sequences
Closeup on details, hands mouth, hear etc
Feet of the baby, without the socs.
Photos of the parents separated
all together then
Giving food to the baby
When you change him/her
In the bed or sleeping
In his/Her bed sleeping and beeing confortable with the blanket
This kind of shooting in general can’t be more that 1h/1h30. After this time, it’s dificult to have the attentions.
After the Shoot
Images
Our work as a photographer you discover it through various media. Especially my website, but also the different blogs. All these images that you discovered before contacting me, are visible thanks to you. I always ask the bride and groom for the distribution of a selection of promising images and especially images that could make other couples dream for years to come. Nothing is obligatory of course, it is up to you to refuse this publication or to accept it and to specify the photos that you do not wish to diffuse.
Essential retouching
Alterations are essential in my work to make your wedding photos the most beautiful with a touch of texture. Be careful, editing does not mean transforming reality too much or editing it with colors too strong. My retouch of a photo is to crop it, give it the right orientation, look after the colors, the shadows, and give a style to the photographs. It's the improvement of it. What you will have is something similare that you can see in my website.
Delivery of the Galery
I'll send you some sneak peaks 48 hours after your session and the full gallery within 4 weeks via a downloadable web gallery.
Depending of your choice and your pack, you will recieve or not a beautifull box made by a designer with a USB and some prints. Don”t forget to confirme your delivery adress.
Insurance & security?
Yes I have an insurance, for my material and for Covid.
Do you have more questions?
Do you want to know more?
You can check those articles to have more informations.
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Adventures
- Feb 26, 2021 An Elopement in Chile, the South-west American best places
- Feb 26, 2021 What to choose between Elopement, minimony and Micro ceremony?
- May 21, 2023 Creating Comfort: Tips for a Relaxing Photo Shoot Experience
- May 21, 2023 How to make it unique?
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Before the Wedding
- May 30, 2018 Souvenir photos of your sentimental objects
- Aug 6, 2018 The clothes for your photo session
- Nov 21, 2018 The adventure photo session
- Jun 21, 2020 In the intimacy of the bride
- Feb 21, 2021 Organization and roadmap of your wedding
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Book & print
- Jul 15, 2020 Print a book of your photo session
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Bride
- May 30, 2018 Souvenir photos of your sentimental objects
- Aug 6, 2018 The clothes for your photo session
- Jun 21, 2020 In the intimacy of the bride
- Ceremony
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Elopement
- Feb 26, 2021 An Elopement in Chile, the South-west American best places
- Nov 13, 2021 The best places for an elopement in the beach
- May 21, 2023 Creating Comfort: Tips for a Relaxing Photo Shoot Experience
- May 21, 2023 How to make it unique?
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Family
- Jun 30, 2020 Family photo session
- Mar 12, 2021 How to organize your group photo session?
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Get Ready
- May 21, 2018 Choose and prepare the room for your preparations
- May 30, 2018 Souvenir photos of your sentimental objects
- Aug 6, 2018 The clothes for your photo session
- Mar 29, 2019 I create your story in pictures
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Groom
- May 30, 2018 Souvenir photos of your sentimental objects
- Aug 6, 2018 The clothes for your photo session
-
Micro wedding
- Feb 26, 2021 An Elopement in Chile, the South-west American best places
- Feb 26, 2021 What to choose between Elopement, minimony and Micro ceremony?
- May 21, 2023 Creating Comfort: Tips for a Relaxing Photo Shoot Experience
- May 21, 2023 How to make it unique?
- Minimony
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Photo session
- May 15, 2018 Couple photo session during the wedding
- Aug 6, 2018 The clothes for your photo session
- Nov 21, 2018 The adventure photo session
- Jul 5, 2020 What could be a little elopement in the French countryside?
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Publication
- Sep 28, 2018 Live an adventure with your photographer
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The style of photography
- Jul 28, 2018 Drama photography style
- Mar 29, 2019 I create your story in pictures
- Feb 22, 2021 Editing process to create your emotional photos
- Feb 26, 2021 What to choose between Elopement, minimony and Micro ceremony?
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Wedding
- Mar 12, 2021 How to organize your group photo session?
- May 21, 2023 Creating Comfort: Tips for a Relaxing Photo Shoot Experience
- May 21, 2023 How to make it unique?
What's in my backpack?
To follow me
Do not forget to add me to your social networks, I am present on instagram under the pseudonym Mael Lambla
You can also find me on many blogs.
It's time to prepare your beautiful story!
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact me.