Shawn Smith 5/23/22 Shawn Smith 5/23/22

5 Tips for Summer Engagement Sessions | New Jersey Photographer

We live in New Jersey, so why not use the beach for a scenic backdrop?!

As the temperature begins to rise and your wedding date quickly approaches, you may be a little leery of your engagement session happening in the heat of the summer but here’s the good news… Your Friendly Neighborhood Photographer is here to help! So here are 5 tips to stay cool during your hot engagement session!

Get Out Early

…and beat the heat. If you start your session early in the morning (around 7 a.m.) not only will you beat the heat, but you will have beautiful lighting. The best times to shoot your engagement session is 1-2 hours after sunrise and 1-2 hours before sunset, but the benefit of doing your session in the morning is that there won’t be an excessive amount of people around when shooting (if you choose to have your session in a public location). Sleep is nice, but nothing compares to that early morning sunlight!

Dress Smart

Style is important, but you feeling comfortable during your session is even more important! Please keep this in mind when choosing your outfit(s) for your session. Make sure that your clothes are not too hot (cotton and linen are great options), that your undergarments are not too tight and that you have comfortable shoes. Ladies, you can still bring those stillettos to shoot in, but also have some back-ups to wear when traveling to different locations, walking to and from the car, ect…. Feel free to even wear your favorite summer outfit, even something like a flirty skirt and a cute blouse; for the guys, 3/4 button up shirts always look good. Also keep in mind that you want to wear colors that not only compliment your skin tone but each other!

Hydrate!

Drink plenty of water the week leading up to your session! If you drink at least 2 liters of water every day, your skin will be well hydrated, and you may even feel a little bit perkier throughout your session.

Be Adventurous

It’s summer, which means there are so many exciting and interesting activities to do around the city and along the shore! Take advantage of that! Whether it be at a food festival, a carnival, or a pop-up exhibit. Keep your eyes open for fun outings and let us know about it! If you apply the previous 3 tips to this one, we can have one amazing engagement session unlike any other!

Take It in the House

For something a little more lowkey, I absolutely love the idea of having an in-home session, especially for couples who are in the process of buying a new home together or those who just moved in together. These kind of photos feel so authentic and personal. These are the perfect engagement session idea for couples who want an alternative style for their images. Also, these are great to frame for your home!

Shawn Smith 10/21/20 Shawn Smith 10/21/20

5 Tips For Couples Who Hate Taking Photos | New Jersey Photographer

We're not all models or even comfortable being in front of someone else's lens. So, I wanted to list out a few tips for couples (and wedding photographers) to help you get those lovingly natural shots that couples love to see in their gallery!

I’ve met with couples before who let me know right of the bat that they weren’t crazy about taking photos but wanted beautiful photos to represent their big day. I told them that's totally natural and that it's something that I hear all the time from my clients. So much in fact, that I have started to specialize in making couples feel comfortable with their photographer so that they can shine through as their true selves. We're not all models or even comfortable being in front of someone else's lens. So, I wanted to list out a few tips for couples (and wedding photographers) to help you get those lovingly natural shots that couples love to see in their gallery!

HAVE AN ENGAGEMENT SESSION

I always say this, but I always, always recommend that couples have an engagement session to get to work with your photographer before your big day. This will give you some practical one on one time with them and will help you get comfortable in front of their lens.

DON'T LOOK AT THE CAMERA

Sometimes it feels awkward staring directly into a lens. Don’t be afraid to not make eye contact with the lens 100% of the time. Hey, if it feels better to look to your side or even straight pass the camera then do that. You look better when you feel better and after a little while your photographer will pick up on what makes you look (and feel better).

ROLE PLAY

HAVE SOME FUN. Nothing gets your mind off an uneasy task more than playing with your significant other. I give my couples “exercises” to keep them busy being connected - “whisper seductively into her ear what you had for breakfast.” These turn out to be some of our favorite images.

BE HONEST WITH YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER

It's ok to tell them your insecurities. If you're a photographer, instead of asking them what are they insecure about, ask them what they love about themselves and accentuate that. You can also ask their significant other what they love most about the other and play off of that. When client's see more of what they love, the more they will trust you in the future.

HIRE A PHOTOGRAPHER YOU FEEL A CONNECTION WITH

I’ll be honest with you here… find a photographer who you can identify with. Of course, you want an artist whose photographs you enjoy but also a person who you feel you can be yourself around. When you hire a photographer who you feel connected with, not only will you your images come out more authentic, but you will have the ability to trust them and their process just a little more and that’s ideal for clients and photographers alike.

I hope that these tips help you out and if you would like to learn more tips, feel free to check out more of the blog under the category “Photography”!

Shawn Smith 4/13/20 Shawn Smith 4/13/20

Going forward during the COVID-19 outbreak | New Jersey Photographer

While I cannot shoot sessions right now, bookings are still available for future dates and I will do everything I can to accommodate clients in this time. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Hey folks!
First off, I want to say that I hope you are all staying safe during this time. It is a scary moment in our lives with a lot of misinformation floating around. During this time, Krick Smith Photography will be abiding by all local and state laws and will be shutting down full operations until further notice.

There has been a popular trend in recent weeks of “front porch sessions” but as photography has been listed as a non-essential service, shooting these sessions is currently illegal and could result in fines. As such, I feel it is important to remain inside until we are told otherwise. While it is a bummer to not be able to use my camera as much as I would like right now, the plan is to stay safe now so I can provide you with the best service possible when the world steps into the sunlight after this has blown over (whenever that may be).

Stay home. Stay safe. I hope to see you all soon.

Shawn Krick-Smith

Despite the COVID-19 outbreak, I was still able to get out and photograph the cherry blossom next to my building.