Picture Perfect Photo Tips & Tricks from Top Houston Photographers

Not everyone can be a photography pro, so when it comes to looking picture perfect for your romantic session, helpful photo tips from top Houston photographers might be just what you’re looking for! Chronologizing your love on film from the time of your engagement ’til the moment you say “I do” can seem stressful to some, so we compiled tips and tricks from the best in the biz to make sure all your shots come out looking as picture-perfect as the love story they are telling. Read on to avoid getting caught up in wedding chaos and get the most bang for your buck out of your engagement and wedding photography with these tips and tricks.

Engagement Pic Tip: Get Camera Ready

Engagement Photo Tips from Tiny Mum Photography

How do you help couples get comfortable in front of the camera during their engagement session?

My biggest thing is to acknowledge the awkwardness upfront. I like to get my couples moving almost immediately so that they start thinking about that rather than “looking good.” Walking and holding hands is an easy intro, while I start asking them about their likes and dislikes and joking with them a bit. Aside from the beginning jitters, my goal is for the session to feel like a hangout. By the end, we should all be relaxed and laughing. 

How do you capture the natural candid shots of your couples?

I try to rely more heavily on the emotions I see portrayed between the couple. If they seem playful, I’ll ask them to spin each other around or play fight. If the couple is giggling and sweet, I will ask them to rub noses and hug. The biggest factor to capturing candid emotion is getting them out of their own heads because once they trust the process, that’s when everything comes together.

Engagement Pic Tip: Location Inspiration

Engagement Photo Location Tips from BLVD Photography

Any advice for couples choosing a location for their engagement session?

Think of places you love to go to together that hold special memories. Where you had your first date, where did you propose, a park you love to walk through together, or even just a place you find to be beautiful that reminds you of home. We have so many couples that just don’t know where to begin, and that’s alright. Start by asking yourself what places you two love to visit, and if you still can’t think of anything, we always have places in mind we can point you toward.

Do you prefer meaningful locations to the couple or beautiful backdrops?

Engagement pictures to us are all about the couple’s relationship and their personalities! As long as it’s meaningful to them, it will always be a beautiful backdrop. So we’re going to have to cheat and say both! We’re just artists that want to make what you envision as beautiful as possible.

Engagement Pic Tip: Engagement Ensembles

Tips on Engagement Photo Outfits from Kati Hewitt Photography

Any tips or advice on couples planning outfits for their engagement session?

Your engagement session should be a fun time when you’re getting to know your photographer and most importantly, getting excited to marry the love of your life! When pairing together the perfect outfits, a great starting point is choosing two or three outfits that you feel comfortable and confident in. We usually recommend bringing at least one date night casual outfit and one more formal outfit. For formal outfits, dresses are great for girls and button-ups with blazers are great for guys! To add more detail and dimension to your images, consider wearing outfits that have textures, such as a dress with lace sleeves in the summer or a cable knit sweater in the fall. During your engagement session, we like to capture a mix of traditional and candid images. Outfits that emphasize movement, like long flowy dresses, photograph beautifully! 

What tips do you have for your couples when it comes to incorporating colors or patterns in their attire?

We recommend choosing complementary outfits that tie together through an accent color in both outfits. For example, a white dress with a pink and navy floral pattern would pair well with a navy blazer. Or, a gray flannel with light blue stripes would tie into an outfit that had the same color of light blue in a scarf. When deciding on a pop of color, subtle or muted tones look more classic in photos than bold or vibrant tones. Alternatively, you can choose to both wear colors from the same palette, such as pastels or neutrals. We recommend wearing timeless colors that match the overall aesthetic of your home so you can easily display your favorite images as part of your home decor!

Wedding Day Moments: Heirlooms + Special Details

Tips on Capturing Wedding Details from Brandy Palacios Photography

What heirlooms or details should a couple have ready for photos? 

My brides will typically incorporate their grandmother’s or mother’s veil, rings, bracelets or hair accessories into their wedding day to make it special. My grooms will sometimes have their father’s watch, but anything that has sentimental value can be an heirloom to your family. 

Why is it important to not overlook the detail shots?

Including your heirlooms into your images gives your future children and family the chance to look back and remember how it was used in this certain way, and it might make it even more special to them if they choose to use it for their wedding day. 

Wedding Day Moments: Timing is Everything

Wedding Timeline Tips from Courtney Leigh Photography

Why is lighting important to consider when scheduling the wedding day timeline? 

When it comes to photography, lighting is everything. In order to capture those dreamy sunset photos and have ideal lighting for portraits throughout the day, your photographer should have input on your wedding day photo timeline. I typically contact my clients 2-3 months prior to the wedding day and ask a series of questions which helps me to draft up the best possible timeline for ideal lighting in photos. 

What are the best times to capture those dreamy couple shots? 

I typically schedule my couples for portraits on the wedding day about an hour prior to sunset! This ensures that we will get the best lighting of the day!

Wedding Day Moments: Perfect Poses

Tips on Nailing Wedding Photo Poses from Emily Figurelli Photography

What posing tips do you provide your couples for their wedding day? 

One of my biggest goals with all of my couples is for them to be flooded with emotions all over again when they view both sneak peeks and their full wedding gallery. I incorporate many candids in their galleries, but when directing wedding portraits of the newlyweds, I want to see their relationship and connection come alive in photos. Just because images are still, doesn’t mean you can’t see life and movement in them. I always joke with my couples that ‘the more hands or touching, the better.’ Feel the joy behind it, whether it’s a gentle touch or a grab…and whatever you do, don’t kiss! No really, it’s extremely rare that you’ll find posed images of mine where the couple is kissing — the movement leading up to the kiss is the money shot!

How do you go beyond the standard portrait into more natural movement, capturing the emotions of the day?

I usually start with my couple facing each other, with literally no space in-between their bodies and just tell them to stop for a second and breathe — once we’ve grabbed a few stills I like to loosen them up a bit by prompting them to walk toward me as if they’ve had a few too many margaritas, this will always get them laughing at each other, bumping into each other and feeling much more at ease while I guide them through additional prompts. It’s super important to get to know your couple before the wedding day because each couple is different, and so are each of their personal relationships. Bringing those out in images is going to drastically change their overall experience viewing the gallery. Whether it’s light-hearted, passionate, playful, romantic etc., we’re here to turn it into art.

Check out even more incredibly talented Houston wedding photographers here. Happy planning!