They’d never done a photo session before. Just as they were genuinely unsure what to expect, they were also curious and excited to mark a very special occasion — their engagement! This meant it was time to find a photographer to plan their engagement photo session that would capture their love story in a natural way that would fit their relationship. The next step was to locate the right person to plan their couples engagement photo session in the Charlottesville area.
When they approached me to plan their photo session, we spent time talking through what a couple is hoping for. We sketched out a few ideas together and I assessed their comfort level. This way, they could develop a sense of ease and we could plan the structure of the session before we ever meet up to shoot. With this couple, we already knew each other, which just added an extra layer of that same comfort from the very start. Just two people who love each other, with a wedding only a couple of months away, excited to see what an evening like this would actually feel like.
Location, Location, Location!
I met them at the trailhead with my boots laced and my camera bag on my back, ready for a bit of a hike to reach the spot they’d chosen to begin their engagement photo session. Early fall had just started to turn. We felt the first crunch of dry leaves underfoot and I noticed that particular gold-green light easing in. Everybody was in a good mood from the start: laughing, a little giddy about trying something new, genuinely excited rather than anxious.
The trail itself was new to me, which was its own kind of challenge. I hadn’t shot there before, so part of that hike in was me reading the light as we walked toward their spot — watching how it broke through the canopy, guessing where it would pool and where it would go flat, and adjusting on the fly once we arrived. That unknown is part of what made the walk in feel like its own small adventure, for all three of us.
We began our light hike on the Saunders-Monticello Trail — that quiet, tree-lined path along the outskirts of Charlottesville, with dappled light filtering down in patches, wildflowers along the edges, and the occasional butterfly drifting past like it had somewhere unhurried to be. I had them walk ahead of me, hand in hand, and simply talk to each other. Not to me. Not to the camera. To each other.
Into the Trees
I wanted this to be a special engagement photo session that they would remember. That’s when I started watching for it — the small shift from being aware of the camera to forgetting it was there. By the time they’d walked half the length of that trail, they’d settled into something looser and more at ease. Her laugh had turned into the real, catching kind. I asked her to glance back over her shoulder at me, and the easy, genuine look she gave became one of my favorite frames of the whole day. This was proof that even a directed prompt can capture something completely real once a couple has relaxed into the moment.
The Moment They Forgot I Was There
Partway through the session, I pulled out one of my go-to prompts — a small, slightly silly game I use to get couples out of their heads fast. I won’t give away exactly what it is (a little mystery keeps things fun for future sessions), but I will say neither of them could keep a straight face through it. That’s exactly the point. Once a little bit of silliness is in the mix, self-consciousness doesn’t stand a chance. After that, everything got easier. Looser. More them.
By the end, they were fully warmed up and willing to try anything I suggested. At one point, mid-kiss, I asked her to kick her heel up behind her — a classic move, but one that only reads as genuine once a couple has actually relaxed into the moment. Guided poses also help couples to move more and relax during an engagement photo session. That’s the trick: the prompt is simple, but the timing and the ease behind it are what make it look effortless instead of staged.
The Small, Quiet Details of an Engagement Photo Session
Not every meaningful photo is a big gesture. Some of my favorite frames from this session are the quiet in-between moments. I looked for moments when her hand laced through his, focusing in on the engagement ring catching the light, and highlighting her hand held in that gentle, loving way by her groom-to-be. I also captured some of nature happening around us. A single wildflower along the trail that very afternoon. Two butterflies playing in circular motion in a field of blooms, almost as if they were joining in the celebration with the gentle, unhurried feeling of the day. Those details matter as much as the big laughing shots. They capture a vibrant feeling in this setting in a slice of time, not just the couple.
Why the Process Matters as Much as the Photos
With their wedding just a couple of months out, this session became something more than portraits — it was a first taste of being photographed together before the busier, more logistics-heavy day arrives. A low-pressure trial run, and a set of images they’ll have long before the wedding photos even exist. Afterward, this couple told me the thing they remembered most wasn’t any single photo — it was how the whole experience felt. Relaxed. Fun. Better than they’d even expected going in. That’s always my aim. A first photo session shouldn’t feel like an audition. It should feel like an excuse to spend an evening being openly, unselfconsciously in love while someone else worries about the camera for you.
If you’ve never done a session like this and you’re not quite sure what to expect — that’s exactly the right place to start. Some of the best photos come from that first-time curiosity, once it’s given room to turn into something real. The fun part for me is to see the way couples mingle and play and I feel so lucky to help them capture their love for each other!
In Their Own Words: Warmth, Humor, and Feeling at Ease
As I am eager to help my couples to feel at ease, I also pay attention to their engagement photo session experience. “We had never done a professional photoshoot before, and we were immediately put at ease by Adele’s warmth and humor,” they noted. “The photoshoot felt joyful and natural, with prompts and poses that were fun and easy.” That was music to my ears!
I asked them about how they felt seeing their photos when they received their photo gallery. They shared, “Neither of us consider ourselves to be particularly photogenic, but the photographs turned out so beautifully. Adele captured our love and excitement for our upcoming wedding.” This is the joy and spark that I seek to bring to my clients as they anticipate their special day.
That’s my goal every time — not just beautiful photographs, but an experience that feels easy enough for two people who’d never done this before to walk away loving both the process and the result. Seeing their love for each other through photographs that will last for generations is a cherished gift to themselves and their families, as well. “Adele was a great coach throughout the process, and we recommend her photography wholeheartedly.”
Fall in Love All Over Again & Capture Your Special Moments That Only Happen Once
If you’re in Charlottesville, Crozet, Ivy, or anywhere nearby and you’re engaged, celebrating an anniversary, or just want photos that capture how you actually love each other — not how you think you’re supposed to look — I’d love to photograph these moments with you, too.
Let’s talk about your session →
