Kristen and Henry’s Bishop Arts Engagement: How to Plan Your Engagement Session

May 9, 2021

Kristen and Henry’s Bishop Arts Engagement: How to Plan Your Engagement Session

Dallas engagement photographer, Dallas wedding photographer, Bishop Arts, engagement photoshoot outfit ideas, Bishop Arts District

Bishop Arts, We Love You.

Bishop Arts is one of those “hidden gem” kind of neighborhoods, although not-so-hidden anymore. It’s both sweet and charming yet booming with culture and street art. It’s one of my favorite locations to visit when friends and family are visiting from out of state, and it’s only 5 minutes away from downtown Dallas!

When Kristen and Henry suggested the Bishop Arts District as the location for their engagement photos I was all for it! I mean, we’re talking painted wall murals, adorable storefronts, and vintage brick street corners for the backdrops of their photos. It’s easy to see why Bishop Arts is a popular location for Dallas engagement photographers.

Kristen and Henry’s engagement session was one of my favorites so I thought they would be a great example of how to plan a successful engagement session. To keep things simple (and they really should be, engagement shoots are meant to be fun!), there are just three important factors to consider when planning your session with your engagement photographer.

All photos are edited with POP Presets Wedding Master Desktop Pack for Lightroom Desktop and Lightroom CC

1. SELECTING A LOCATION

When it comes to picking a location for your engagement photos, you should choose one that speaks to you as a couple. Kristen and Henry are a super fun, artsy couple and Henry is a musician, so it was fun to choose a backdrop that reflected their artsy, eclectic style. Plus, picking a meaningful location adds a level of nuance to your engagement photos. A special touch that will set them apart from all of those other photos hanging on your wall. Kristen and Henry, for example, had one of their very first dates at Eno’s Pizza in Bishop Arts. So, in a way, having their engagement photos taken at Eno’s kind of brings their relationship full circle.

2. CHOOSING THE RIGHT TIME OF DAY

I always suggest to my couples to choose a time of day with ideal lighting. This tends to be early morning for even light and cool weather or late evening to take advantage of that golden hour glow. Also, if you’re planning to take your engagement photos in a super public place, be sure to choose a time with less activity/foot traffic. We chose a weekday evening in Bishop Arts to make things a little less hectic for our shoot as opposed to booking it on the popular weekend days. Trust me, as an engagement photographer in busy city like Dallas, this is something I always advise my couples on! You don’t want to waste precious moments — and natural light — fighting weekend crowds for that ideal photo spot.

3. WHAT TO WEAR

The most popular question! I always start by telling my clients to wear something that you feel comfortable in and that reflects your personality. Solid colors or simple patterns are great since they don’t distract from you or look busy against a colorful background like Bishop Arts. Comfortable shoes are never a bad decision either, especially if the location you choose requires a bit of walking. I also recommend to my couples to bring two outfits to their engagement sessions – one more dressy/formal, and one more casual. It’s always nice to have variety and I like my couple to have options to choose from. Finally, remember to bring along a hairbrush, products, and some makeup for the occasional touch-up. Because, c’mon, it’s an engagement photoshoot. You know there’s going to be some smooching!