virginia beach photographer

Now that you are Engaged: Engagement Series: Incorporating your hobbies into your e-session

Incorporating Hobbies 

Things to remember when trying to come up with a ‘theme’ for your engagement session:

Clothing – If you are super into sports, you can dress up in your favorite team’s jerseys or other team swag.

Props – Bringing props is going to be the easiest way to incorporate your hobbies into your session.

Location – Another way that you can incorporate your interests is to think about locations that have significance to you.

Now that you are Engaged: Save the Date!

ave the Date Session/Products

Sending out Save the Dates are important for a few different reasons: 

-It is especially important to send them out if you have a lot of out of town guests planning to attend the wedding. This gives them plenty of time to prepare for travel. 

Now that you are Engaged: How to coordinate outfits to get the best look in your photos

How to Coordinate Outfits for Your Engagement Session

Not sure what to wear to your engagement session? We’re here to help! You should bring two to three outfits to your session so we can get a variety of different looks for you. We suggest the following:


  • Bring a ‘Dressy’ Outfit

It’s not every day you get to get all dressed up with your sweetheart and take photos together. Use this session as an excuse to really go all out and get fancied up! I’m not saying you have to wear a gown and tux (unless you want to), but maybe a dress or skirt for you, and a suit or nice slacks and a button up shirt for your fiancé. This outfit will be great for save the date cards, or the announcement in your local newspaper.


  • Go Casual

We also suggest you bring a more casual outfit. This outfit is ideal for your more fun, relaxed photos. Tailored jeans and a nice shirt are always a great choice, especially if we are going to be walking around in nature a lot. Make sure to bring shoes specifically for this outfit, too.


  • Coordination is Key

The most important thing to remember is to coordinate. You don’t want to be matchy-matchy, but you want to coordinate. Choose similar colors and styles that photograph well together. For example, you don’t want to wear jeans if your fiancé is wearing a suit and tie in the same photo. Also remember to dress for the location. For example, if you are doing a natural, rustic or vintage session, you’ll want to stay away from bright colors and opt for neutrals instead. 


  • Things to Avoid

- Logos, unless we’re doing a sports session and you’re wearing jerseys, etc.

- Patterns – Try to stick with solid colors or minimal patterns. Plaid shirts are fine as long as your fiancé isn’t wearing stripes or polka dots. It’s a good rule of thumb to only have one partner wearing a pattern at a time. 

- Fluorescent colors – These don’t photograph well and also can cast bright color tones on your skin.


If you have any further questions or want to discuss your outfits, you can contact us at smartshot757@gmail.com

Before you Graduate: How to be the BEST Senior Rep Ever!

How To Be The Best Senior Rep 

We are so excited to begin our journey with you! We’ve put together a few tips on how to gain the most referrals through our program. If you have found that something else works too, let us know and we’ll add it in. 


Have a good online social media presence. Actively post on your social media pages – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. When we do your session, post the photos to your pages, make them your cover photos and blog about your experience. Keep the hype up by talking about your photos on your social media. Talk about your session before and after it happens. We can even stop and post a selfie during if you’d like! Tag our page when you talk about us, so your followers will link to our page.


Pass out your rep cards. We will give you personalized rep cards with your photos. Pass them out to your friends, teammates, classmates, etc.


Mention us to juniors/seniors in other high schools. If you are in a lot of extracurricular activities that allow you to be around students from other schools, be sure to pass your rep cards along to them and let them know how much you love our company. We take on clients from within a 50-mile radius of our studio. If you need a list of approved schools, just ask and we’ll send it over. The more people you talk to about the session, the greater the chance of getting referrals.


Talk about your session and how much fun it was. Whenever you show people your photos, talk about how much fun the session was. Include details from your experience to make them want to do it as well. We’re selling more than just beautiful photos, but the experience as well.


Get your parents involved. Have your parents pass out rep cards to their friends at work who have teenagers that will soon need our services. 

Now that you are Engaged: Finding Your Engagement Session Style

How to Find Your Engagement Style

This is one of those things you really don’t need to be stressed about. The key is to look inward and to consider your current life habits, hobbies and interests. From there, you’ll be able to find your engagement session style and incorporate it into your photographs seamlessly.


  1. Think about your respective, and shared, hobbies and passions. For example, do you both love music? Or is cooking every night something you always do together? Maybe you love to go swing dancing. 

  2. Your respective professions can definitely contribute to your e-session style. Is he a firefighter? A scientist? A farmer? Is she a chef? A kindergarten teacher? A geologist? Whatever the case may be, incorporate your professional lives into your photographs. Maybe it’s as simple as a chalkboard, a hay bale, or a chef’s hat. 

  3. Are you into sports? Show some team spirit in your photographs with jerseys, sports equipment or something similar. 

  4. What’s your favorite kind of music? Are you both country lovers? Maybe you’re more into the classical music scene. Don’t be afraid to dress the part.

  5. Where do you feel like you’re really in your element? Is it outdoors at your favorite park? In the museum perusing the art? Or maybe you love the buzz of a colorful city.

  6. What always makes you two laugh or have fun? Maybe it’s a board game, or a visit to the fair or circus.  

Kendall + Shannika : Meet the Johnsons

Kendall + Shannika : Meet the Johnsons

The deal is sealed. Kendall and Shannika have wed!

Senior Portrait Week Is Here From August 20-26

Senior Portrait Week Is Here From August 20-26

This is one of those posts I’ve been meaning to write for a good long while, and WELP, today’s the day! Today we’re kicking off an entire week celebrating SENIORS! Whether you’re graduating High School or University, look no further.

Senior Portrait Week

Senior Portrait Week

This is one of those posts I’ve been meaning to write for a good long while, and WELP, today’s the day! Today we’re kicking off an entire week celebrating SENIORS! Whether you’re graduating High School or University, look no further.

Wedding Day Sneak Peek: Michael And Cyarra

Wedding Day Sneak Peek: Michael And Cyarra

A love to last forever

 

Michael and Cyarra couldn't be more perfect for each other. These two said I do on a crisp fall November evening in front of God, friends and family...

Carey & Tiffeny Engagement Shoot

Carey & Tiffeny Engagement Shoot

Love was always cooking between these two from day one! Plenty of FISH brought them together. Carey professed Tiffeny as his RIB and he wasn't a CHICKEN about it.