Can I tell you guys a secret? For one of my first engagement sessions, back in 2010 (and before I had a smart phone), I DREW STICK FIGURES on Post-It notes of the poses I wanted to use throughout the session. I kept them in my pocket and tried to sneak a peek at those butter-yellow squares of paper whenever my couple wasn’t looking. I’d walk ahead on the pretext of “wanting to scope the next spot,” when really, I needed to consult my pocket encyclopedia of engagement photographs. AKA MY POST-IT NOTES. Smooth, Abby.

There was a complete lack of confidence. I didn’t feel capable, I didn’t feel equipped- to be honest? I felt like a bit of a fraud. Trying to balance [somewhat] correct camera settings, composition, posing, and maintaining a stream of steady conversation with my couples sort of felt like juggling live chainsaws while fighting off an extremely excited St. Bernard, all while walking a tightrope that was also on fire behind me. It was rough.

But it was rough because I didn’t have a PLAN! I had no strategy for engagement sessions other than “show up and hope for the best.” And that, my friends, is not a strategy at all. But I didn’t know what to do- I didn’t have anyone to walk me through professionally preparing for and shooting engagement portraits.

Our newest class, A Practical Engagement Course, is meant to be the solution I never had! I’m so, SO excited for this course- it’s a power-packed bundle of

• TWO video lessons
• a workbook to help you work through the material, and
• a bonus pocket guide for your phone to save you if and when you ever freeze up during a session!

In Part 1’s video, I’ll walk you through everything that goes into prepping for an engagement shoot– how to schedule with your couple, helping them choose a location, selecting outfits, what time of day/year to shoot, and the exact gear I take with me for every session.

And in Part 2’s video, I’ll take you behind the scenes with me at an actual engagement session! I’ve never done this before, you guys are the only ones who will ever have the chance to “shadow” me during a real shoot! You’ll get to hear what I say, see what I do, hear my couple’s reactions and see resulting photos as we’re shooting. I break down my process into easy, understandable takeaways that WON’T leave you overwhelmed, and instead leave you feeling capable and EXCITED for your next session.

Because just like you’ll hear me say in the trailer- the engagement session is your BEST opportunity to earn your clients’ trust and CONFIDENCE before their wedding day. The wedding day itself is often running at a thousand miles per hour with dozens, sometimes hundreds of other people vying for the couple’s attention, and in order do your best job possible, you need your clients to be able to trust you implicitly. The engagement session is your chance to WIN them, and win them well!

We would absolutely love to have you join us- if you’re ready to shoot your best engagement session this week, click HERE to get A Practical Engagement Course!