probably look back at photographs to
relive the special moments in our lives
but the cost of professional photographs
can really add up
sure do so if you're planning a wedding
and you need ways to save money on the
bottom line why not consider taking
those engagement photos yourself we have
Liz is professional photographer and
she's joining us now to share some tips
with Liz London photography thanks so
much for being here okay and by the way
we should mention that before the show
Liz took us out and just using my iPhone
Cortney and I shot some very romantic
engagement this can be a little
overwhelming for people and of course
photography that's a huge part of the
budget so people are couplers are
looking to save some money engagement
photos can be DIY yes they can
absolutely so what would you recommend
outdoor mostly because that's your
guaranteed light good light but then you
have to worry about shadows I guess
right absolutely so the ideal time of
day is either in the morning or closer
to sunset about an hour before sunset is
the best time and I would always choose
outdoors if you look at the prints and
megohm are cool with their engagement
they did it in a setting that was
comfortable to them and in a natural
light which just shows them the best
that evening time is also called the
golden hour right lighting is so cool
okay so let's really break it down
starting with equipment because a lot of
people may say okay well yeah exactly I
don't have a really expensive camera so
where do we start so you if you have a
friend that has a lot of people have
DSLR cameras you can have them shoot
something for you this is actually a
entry-level DSLR camera you can go
online to
some different websites that will
provide it this one in particular you
can actually rent for less than $100
which includes a lens you can rent a
camera rent a camera oh that's cool
for less than $100 you can rent a camera
or you can use an iPhone which a lot of
the phones these days smart phones had
these special portrait settings that you
can have that blurred background image
and it works perfectly but what about
printing from an iPhone I know sometimes
the print quality isn't great from there
well it just depends on the time of the
day when you take the photo itself but
the quality of some of those iPhones and
the smart phones are such high quality
when you print them you just have to be
sure to send it to a correct a great
printer for example Shutterfly is a
great website to print pictures from and
relatively inexpensive - yes and mpix
comm is a great quality printer as well
because they will actually print the
images on based on how you compose the
photo and pics.com
and by the way we should know because
Liz you mentioned that people can rent
these cameras borrow lenses calm or
photo rental source calm or to websites
you rent photo rental sources calm is
actually here locally here in Houston oh
cool even better all right so what
should we wear what should we tell
people to wear for an engagement photo
so we go when you do your engagement
photos you always look back than 10 15
20 years down the road and you want it
to be timeless so nothing with busy
prints something that coordinates but
not super matchy you know that you know
that all whites and all black nothing
like that just just be comfortable and
just shop in your closet just go into
your closet and shop well and that's
really smart you're showing us an
example right now on the screen because
people want to feel comfortable in their
clothing otherwise if you go out and get
a brand new outfit you may that
contributes to maybe an awkward looking
pose right exactly because you you're
not going to be comfortable yourself
because you're either pulling down on
your skirt or it's too tied and you're
trying to straighten it up so you just
want to be comfortable cuz it will show
in your photos that you are
uncomfortable
that's not what you want to show for a
timeless look and really the outfit
shouldn't be the focus I mean we're
looking at the face of a ranch and so
exactly yes and also I just that last
photo we had up I think it's so cool and
unexpected because you didn't even see
the couples faces you only saw them from
like you know the arms down there are
creatives okay so we'll get into that as
well then the framing because that's I
mean do you encourage people to step
outside of the traditional you know
woman flashing her you see these
engagements well you know the engagement
ring everybody wants to see what it's
like I mean of course you'll have some
poses like that but you could go on
Pinterest or a Google engagement photo
just to get some ideas some inspiration
on what you want to do but yeah step out
of the box my favorite images if you
look at the prints and Megan Markel are
just the candid shots of them just
hugging each other
just be yourself as a couple and that
will show and shine through your images
absolutely okay so we've talked about
lighting wait for people that don't
really understand lighting even with an
iPhone I mean you need to stay away from
windows and also the Sun like pay attack
the Sun should be illuminating the face
and not behind you well actually if you
have this sound looking at you brightly
in your face you tend to squint like
this so if you see your subject yourself
you're squinting just turn around and
just see maybe at a different angle just
turn different spots and see maybe
that's a better look at this they are
clearly so in yes so these are some
examples Liz you shot these on my iPhone
in portrait mode
earlier today I love this blurry
background but this is a combo of in and
out and inside this was just inside the
Galleria today and we just went to a
floor right above where there was a
little bit more lighting that was
shining through the windows and it
turned out great I think
well clearly yeah I think we need to
have our own royal wedding right here in
Houston we just need some Royals and
we'll be good to go we're pretty royal
no that's that is really really cool now
what about like if you want to sort of
create a home studio I mean what if you
want to play with lighting it inside
your house is that just something we
should steer away from and to absolutely
go for it if that's a place that you're
comfortable with the most because when I
tried to shoot couples I want to be them
in a setting where it tells a story
about them that when you talk look back
with your grandchildren and your
children you want to tell them oh we
took this picture in our first home so
if you do want to do it in your help
great open all the windows I would turn
off all the lights because the lights
will create a yellow into your room so
if you bring the natural light in and
that would be perfect cuz my favorite
room to actually take pictures in our
home is our master bedroom because we
have so many windows it just shines
right in and I just take pictures of my
kids my family in the morning and it
turns out great cool
what about posing you were directing
Derek and I during our photos today and
did a great job when you're getting
married I know when you're engaged and
we touched on this a second ago but
there I mean you don't want to be that
couple who ends up with a really awkward
engagement photo and a lot of times
they're like the traditional ring pose
natural I think so what do you recommend
so what I recommend is just hug kiss
have a great time just have that's the
biggest thing is just have a wonderful
time and just see why are y'all getting
married not not you guys who
particularly but you know what the
couple itself what made y'all become
together this gets back to the candid
point you made by the way so like if
Courtney and I were getting married we
could tell our friend shooting the
photos like hey we're just gonna set up
this picnic and we're gonna talk and
laugh you be a fly on the wall and start
shooting so like it's just the natural
pose and my favorite pictures are the
keep the candid photos that you're
laughing with each other you're hugging
getting the kisses the only thing that I
would say if you're you know doing the
hugs and kisses don't press too hard up
against each other then you have like
this
look face and restrained straining look
but other than that just be yourself
that's the most important thing and the
photos will turn out beautifully
yeah Cortney and I we had to reapply our
lip gloss after our shoot we sure do
thanks so much this is really great
information and for more information you
could visit liz london photography.com
yeah your work is very very good thank
you bye hey when we come back if you
were looking to transform your space
have you get this considered wallpaper
folks don't be surprised it is back we
get to tell you about the top friends
that can help customize your home right
after this
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