stef elizabeth photo
Kentucky wedding + family photographer
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
ENGAGEMENT SESSION
NEW! Download my couple's/engagement session PDF guide here!
Q: What is the point of getting our engagement photos done?
A: Many couples have engagement photos done just because they're "supposed to." It's a thing you do before your wedding. But there are other reasons to have a professional photographer take photos of you and your future spouse. iPhone couple selfies are quick and free, but totally different than having a professional photographer capture the relationship that you and your love have before you are married. Having a virtual stranger take photos of you and someone you're planning to spend the rest of your life with may seem strange, but it does provide an interesting perspective.
Q: I'm so uncomfortable in front of the camera. Is this whole engagement session thing going to be super awkward?
A: Hopefully not! I would say 99% of my clients consider themselves "un-photogenic" and not at their best with a lens pointed at them. I can totally empathize with this as I am completely out of my element in front of the camera rather than behind it. For this reason, I make engagement sessions more of a game by asking both of you questions about each other, and then shooting your reactions. I am shooting you reacting to each other through prompts rather than placing you in awkward poses and asking you to give me your best smile. I have found that this approach is far more successful in eliciting genuine expressions and interactions that will show through in the photos.
Q: What in included with the engagement session?
A: If you are booking a wedding with me, the engagement session is included! If not, the standalone session's $400 fee covers:
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1 - 1.5 hours of session time
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up to two locations
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one outfit change
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a minimum of 50 unique images delivered via online gallery
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access to prints and other products via my online shop
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print release
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PDF prep guide for couples (see above link)
You can see examples of what kind of engagement photos you would get on this page!
Q: Do you charge a travel fee?
A: I'll travel anywhere for a session, although most of my engagement sessions take place in Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and sometimes Tennessee. For engagement sessions outside a thirty mile radius of Louisville, Kentucky, I charge according to distance. Contact me for more information on how much the travel fee would be to your engagement session location.
Q: Where should we have our session? Can you recommend places?
A: For places in and around Louisville, I can usually come up with a lot of free places to shoot. I'm open to any sort of engagement session you have in mind - whether it's in/around your home, at a botanical garden, a farm, at an amusement park, nature preserve, or popular downtown spot.
Here are some of my favorite spots for Kentucky and Indiana engagement sessions:
Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve (no fee) - check out my Pinterest board here
Bernheim Forest ($150 fee)
Cherokee Park - Louisville, no fee
Falls of the Ohio / Ashland Park, Indiana - check out my Pinterest board here
Yew Dell Botanical Gardens ($75 fee) - check out my Pinterest board for this location here!
Louisville-themed locations:
Downtown Louisville / Frankfort Avenue / Central Park / Highlands / Waterfront Park / the Belvedere - check out my Louisville engagement session Pinterest board here!
Keeneland Racecourse in Versailles, Kentucky - check out my Pinterest board here
Whitehall Gardens ($100 fee)
Please remember that if you choose a places that is not free to shoot at, you are responsible for paying my entry fee as well as any necessary commercial photography permit.
Q: How far in advance do we schedule our engagement session?
A: That is totally up to you. I do engagements all year round and can schedule them months in advance if you need a weekend day. Spring, summer and fall engagements are my favorite, although I have done a few Christmas/winter engagement sessions and they can be quite magical!
**Prices are subject to change at any time, although I will honor the price at the time you make your booking.