Weddingbee PRO

I am a big fan of engagement photos, and I often do the bride's makeup for the shoot. Engagement photos are so important for many reasons.

1. Helps you become more comfortable in front of the camera: The more times you are photographed, the more at ease you will be. The best photos are when people are comfortable, happy and authentic. For all of those people who hate “posing” for photos or think they aren't photogenic, a professional shoot can be completely different. Most photographers don't want you to pose, they want you to be in the moment and interact with your partner. When you take a couple hundred photos with a pro you are likely to get a few good ones.
2. Builds a bond with the photographer: You will spend a good portion of your wedding day with your photographer, and this is a great opportunity to get to know how you work best together.
3. See how you photograph with makeup: While it isn't necessary to wear the exact same makeup as you will on your wedding day, you can get a sense of how much the camera diffuses makeup. I recommend putting on more blush than you normally would, go for a slightly brighter lip and apply a thicker, darker eyeliner (on top lash line). Since the makeup is just for a photo shoot you don't need to worry about what it looks like in real life. I guarantee you will be amazed how little makeup reads in photos.
4. You get to have fun with your honey: Wedding day photos are done on a tight schedule, in confining clothing, and with a lot of people watching you. Engagement photos are just about the two of you enjoying each other and showing why you fell in love in the first place. Make it a fun part of preparation!

This is my cutie-patootie bride, Randi. We did the same makeup that we will do for her wedding, and you can see how natural it looks. BTW, this “natural” look took one hour, and it included foundation, blush, bronzer, concealer, false eyelashes, lip pencil, lip gloss, eyeshadow, eyeliner, brow pencil, and powder. Natural makeup doesn't necessarily mean very little makeup. To me it means applying products in a way that highlight the person's natural beauty, not overshadowing it.

Duet Photography