How long should your engagement photo session last?

teamUS2012

Wedding Channel Deals just sent me an e-mail for like 75% off of a photo shoot. Regular price was $375, I think? They're offering it for $80 for 90 minutes. (I don't have the email in front of me, so my numbers might be slightly off).

Anyway, I haven't checked out the photographer yet, or his/her work, but I was wondering if 90 minutes is reasonable? For some reason, I always thought it would take longer than that, but I could be off.

wallacje

Ours was $50 and was for 2 hours, we could have done it in 90 minutes though.  We picked an area that had all the different looks/textures we wanted within walking distance. We did ours in one outfit.

Do you have more than one location that you want to go to?  More than 2 outfits?

teamUS2012

I honestly hadn't given it any thought at all. I will probably have to DRAG FI to take pictures, so I was actually going to skip the engagement photos until I saw that e-mail.  Knowing me, I'd probably want to change at least once. Something that's typical me (a girly dress with lots of jewelry and stilettos) and something that's the me I always wished I could be... lol.

Is $50 average for your area, or was that a serious deal? (btw, FI just mentioned to me last night that he would consider moving to Denver. I'm dying to get out of the south, and he's been pretty adamant about staying).

runningbride80

Ours was at least 2 hours, but we also had a change of clothes. For $125, it included the session, a DVD with prints, an online gallery, and rights to all the photos.

wallacje

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_african-american-weddings_long-should-engagement-photo-session-last?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:400Discussion:c5350444-c539-4c09-bc2a-e33ac0b62e50Post:d9f895ed-fc95-4bdb-9815-546b9deac7eb">Re: How long should your engagement photo session last?</a>:
[QUOTE]I honestly hadn't given it any thought at all. I will probably have to DRAG FI to take pictures, so I was actually going to skip the engagement photos until I saw that e-mail.  Knowing me, I'd probably want to change at least once. Something that's typical me (a girly dress with lots of jewelry and stilettos) and something that's the me I always wished I could be... lol. Is $50 average for your area, or was that a serious deal? (btw, FI just mentioned to me last night that he would consider moving to Denver. I'm dying to get out of the south, and he's been pretty adamant about staying).
Posted by teamUS2012[/QUOTE]

Yeah, I wore something right in the middle, stilletos, dressy shirt, and jeans.  I had to drag H to ours but once we started taking pictures he really got into it.

No the average most I see are between $100 - $300 or if you find a groupon they can be less.  $50 for us was a deal we just happened to get.

Has he ever been to Denver?  Its cool, its cold as heck right now (snowing and 30 degrees).  Good place to raise kids, socially may be lacking a bit but that's why we go on vacation.

mikimoto6

We did 2 sessons of e-pics. The first was the location shoot that was in 3 different places with 3 outfit changes.  That one lasted almost 3 hours.  The second session was at the photog studio with one outfit.  That session lasted about 30 minutes.  

The photog who shot our wedding shot out e-pics too.  He asked us to do the second shoot in studio just to make it a fun addition to the location pics.  We paid one price for the wedding coverage and that included the e-pic sessions, the images from the all of the shoots and the wedding.  He also did short videos of us at the e-pics and on the wedding day. 

We have to build our album, but we own ALL of our images outright.  I caution you to think about mixing photog styles.  Part of the e-pic session allows you to develop a level of comfort with your photog so you are used to them on your wedding day.  You don't want to get to know someone when its game time on your wedding day. 

kaimah

My photographer took 140 pictures in 45 mins that includes 10 different spots (we went to a historic park with a lot of different backdrops). 

I think 90 mins is good. Just pick a location with a lot of different backdrops, so you can maximize your time. 

teamUS2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_african-american-weddings_long-should-engagement-photo-session-last?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:400Discussion:c5350444-c539-4c09-bc2a-e33ac0b62e50Post:f4a38c2e-3baf-4988-b478-f71a16cc8d4e">Re: How long should your engagement photo session last?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: How long should your engagement photo session last? : Yeah, I wore something right in the middle, stilletos, dressy shirt, and jeans.  I had to drag H to ours but once we started taking pictures he really got into it. No the average most I see are between $100 - $300 or if you find a groupon they can be less.  $50 for us was a deal we just happened to get. Has he ever been to Denver?  Its cool, its cold as heck right now (snowing and 30 degrees).  Good place to raise kids, socially may be lacking a bit but that's why we go on vacation.
Posted by wallacje[/QUOTE]

That's what I dread. I was born/raised in NY and chose the south because I hate cold weather. I absolutely hate it. He hates hot weather, and really wants all 4 seasons. I want 4 seasons too, but with mild winters.... kinda like what Atlanta USED TO be.

And the dressy blouse, jeans and stilettos is exactly what I had in mind for the "me I wish I could be" image... lol. I've always wanted to be "that girl" but it's just not me. For that outfit, I'd have to get one of my girls to help me out. LOL

wallacje

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_african-american-weddings_long-should-engagement-photo-session-last?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:400Discussion:c5350444-c539-4c09-bc2a-e33ac0b62e50Post:2dac3184-fa97-47a0-9f9c-66b76532fb89">Re: How long should your engagement photo session last?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: How long should your engagement photo session last? : That's what I dread. I was born/raised in NY and chose the south because I hate cold weather. I absolutely hate it. He hates hot weather, and really wants all 4 seasons. I want 4 seasons too, but with mild winters.... kinda like what Atlanta USED TO be. And the dressy blouse, jeans and stilettos is exactly what I had in mind for the "me I wish I could be" image... lol. I've always wanted to be "that girl" but it's just not me. For that outfit, I'd have to get one of my girls to help me out. LOL
Posted by teamUS2012[/QUOTE]

I feel you. Here you can see all 4 seasons in one day, lol.  It was 79 degrees on Tuesday, 30's today and tomorrow and then back to 70s for the weekend.  It just varies really.  The winters are more mild than they used to be, when I was little we would get FEET of snow in hours now not so much.

Definitely do an outfit of the "that girl" and then another one or two, have fun with it, we had our pictures playing on the flatscreens during the reception, it was perfect.  I find that I buy a lot of stuff straight off what the dolls in the stores have on or something i've found on pinterest, its really good for helping you find outfits that you wouldn't normally wear too.

MrsBoss2012

We had 90 minutes. We changed outfits and had multiple backgrounds. Park, city streets, ice cream shop. I mapped out an area ahead of time that had alot of different elements within walking distance so we weren't driving all over town.  

mahoganieyes

Our session was 2hrs but my photographer since then changed engagement sessions to 1hr.

rj1821

Our session lasted about 6-7hours but we had to drive to 3 different locations and we had different outfit changes.  I think 90 minutes can work even with outfit changes if you want to do the pictures in the same general area.

MsAmeera25

I think that's enough time....Ours was 2 hours with 2 outfit changes and 2 locations we have over 400 pics.... to be honest I was tired after an hour....I never knew taking pics was so draining lol 90 minutes should be good. 

Sophia1913

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_african-american-weddings_long-should-engagement-photo-session-last?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:400Discussion:c5350444-c539-4c09-bc2a-e33ac0b62e50Post:9ef28512-b327-4589-87ef-ffde0b698782">Re: How long should your engagement photo session last?</a>:
[QUOTE]I think that's enough time....Ours was 2 hours with 2 outfit changes and 2 locations we have over 400 pics.... to be honest I was tired after an hour....I never knew taking pics was so draining lol 90 minutes should be good. 
Posted by MsAmeera25[/QUOTE]

This is exactly what I was thinking.  Ours is this weekend and its 2 hours and at first I was thinking oh that should be fine but now I'm thinking we'll probably be drained by the time its over  :)

M1ssJ

we took about 90 minutes, used 2 locations and 3 outfits with props. I had a plan and our photog was great. Totally doable

chescam

90 mins is enough time even with 2 outfit changes.

Sidenote: Just a quick tip. Have you found your wedding photographer yet? I would recommend doing your engagement photos with someone you trust to do your wedding photos. This way, you get to test out the photographer beforehand and learn his shooting style so you're more comfortable on your wedding day.

nitaashanti78

You can do 90 minutes if you plan everything out in advance so it runs smoother. 
chescam that's a good idea.  We plan on using the same person for our wedding pics as well, so I'll be remembering that too.