Photographer here — the question I wish every couple asked me before their engagement session (but almost none do)

After shooting a lot of engagement sessions I've noticed a pattern: the couples who end up happiest with their photos all asked one question before we started shooting.

"What do you want us to do?"

That's it. The couples who come in with poses they found on Pinterest and spend the session trying to recreate them almost always end up with photos that look like everyone else's. The couples who show up and say "just tell us what to do" — those are the galleries that look like magazine editorials.

The best engagement photos aren't the ones where you're performing for the camera. They're the ones taken in between the poses, when you forgot I was there.

A few other things I wish more couples knew before their session:

Bring two outfits. Not negotiable in my opinion. The variety it creates in your gallery is enormous. Outfit 1: what you'd wear to a nice dinner. Outfit 2: your showstopper.

Golden hour is not optional. The difference between midday light and golden hour light is the difference between a passport photo and a magazine cover. Book your session to end at sunset.

Location matters less than light. A parking lot at golden hour will outperform the prettiest garden at noon every single time.

Don't get your nails done the morning of. Get them done 2 days before so they're settled and natural-looking. And get your ring cleaned — it photographs in close-ups and a dull stone shows.

Hope this helps someone planning their session. Happy to answer questions.