Don't get me wrong, I love a nice park or flower field as much as the next photographer, but 5 sessions at the same park in 3 weeks will make you think. There are so many more interesting and meaningful places to take photos with your person. A bar you've been going to for years. A coffee shop with good window light. Even in your own kitchen, making your favorite meal together.
The options are genuinely endless.
And here's the part people don't always realize: you don't have to be engaged to do this! Whether you've been together six months or sixteen years, if you eloped quietly or you're planning a big wedding, if you just want proof that the two of you are ridiculous and in love, that's reason enough!
Here are a few of my favorites, the kind of sessions that actually feel like you instead of a stock photo.
Coffee shop sessions
Coffee shops have great window light, interesting textures, and they're usually a place couples already spend real time together, which means the comfort is already built in. If your relationship runs on a shared order at your go to spot, lean into that.
A Studio Editorial Session
On the opposite end of the spectrum, sometimes you want full creative control. Renting a studio means controlled lighting, a clean backdrop, and room to get genuinely playful with concept, wardrobe, and styling. If you've got a theme or an aesthetic you've always wanted to lean into, this is the format that lets you go all the way there.
Playing a Sport Together
Sports sessions give you built in movement, which photographs so much better than standing and smiling, plus they tell a real story about how you two actually spend time together. You don't have to be good at the sport. Some of the best moments come from an airball and the laughs afterward.
At Home, Doing Nothing Special
Cooking together. Playing records. Making coffee in your actual kitchen, in your actual light, surrounded by your actual stuff. This is one of the most underrated session types because it's the most honest one. There's no performance to it. I'm there to document what a regular Tuesday with you two looks like, and that ends up being some of the most tender, specific imagery a couple can have. It's also ideal for anyone who feels anxious in front of a camera in public, since you're on your own turf the whole time.
A Bar or Brewery Session
There's something about a dim bar or a brewery patio that takes the pressure off. You're not posing, you're just doing the thing you'd normally do together, leaning over a shared appetizer, laughing at something on someone's phone, clinking glasses. The lighting inside most bars is moody and warm in a way that's genuinely hard to fake with a flash. If date night usually means a specific bar or your favorite brewery, that's already a better backdrop than a generic park bench.
Why This Matters More Than It Sounds Like It Should
A lot of couples assume photo sessions are reserved for engagements or weddings specifically, or that you need a big reason to book one. You don't. Photos are for anyone who wants a record of what this season of their relationship actually looked and felt like. And the setting matters. A session that reflects how you actually spend time together is always going to feel more like you than a generic location chosen because it's popular on social media.
I specialize in working with couples who are a little camera shy or anxious about being photographed, and a lot of that anxiety melts away once we're somewhere familiar, doing something familiar. That's the whole point of moving past the park.
FAQ
How long does a typical session take?
Most couples sessions run sixty to ninety minutes, which is enough time to settle in, get comfortable, and move through a couple of different setups or moments without feeling rushed.
How do I make engagement photos feel natural and not awkward?
Most couples feel awkward in the beginning, the biggest thing is having something to do besides stand there. A photographer who gives you real direction is huge, but sessions that are built around an activity (cooking together, grabbing a drink at your favorite bar, etc) give you somewhere to put your attention that isn't the camera.
What should we do during a couples photo session?
Think of things you actually do together. The couples who get the best photos are usually doing something familiar like sharing food, playing a game, making coffee at home. Movement and interaction always photograph better than just standing and posing, and the more the session feels like a regular day with a camera present, the more your photos will look and feel like you.
If any of this sparked an idea, even a weird one, I want to hear it. I'm a Kansas City based wedding and elopement photographer, available for travel, and I love working with couples who'd rather do something true to them than something traditional.
Reach out and let's plan something that feels like you!
