Engagement Photo Ideas

55 Engagement Photography Ideas to Steal

Engagement photos can be different, from playful to moody. Look though the following engagement photos ideas and tips to get some inspiration.

1. Make the Shoot Personally Relevant

Show true yourself! Make your photo session in such a style that describes you and your partner best. Don’t arrange a photoshoot on a specific topic if you have got nothing to do with it. Think of the things that you like doing together, hobbies that you both share or something that connects you. All this can help you come up with nice engagement picture ideas.

2. Consider Your Outfits

Try to choose the matching colors of your outfits. Choose pastel and neutral tones. Avoid bright patterns that can look distracting in your pictures.

3. Meet Your Photographer Before the Shoot

Make sure you meet your photographer before the photoshoot to get to know each other and feel comfortable during the photoshoot later. The majority of photographers are fine with meeting their clients before the shoot. If you can’t have a personal meeting, arrange a Skype call. Tell a photographer how you met, what you like or dislike, what you enjoy doing together and tell about your engagement. If the photographer knows you well, your pictures will be more authentic and show the real you.

• Check out my article on how to choose a wedding photographer.

4. Use Props

Take some items that are somehow connected to your relationship and use them during your shoot. Of course, the ring will be the first object you will bring but it’s not the only option. Take some gifts that you gave to each other or use your favorite books to show your true nature. Think about the things that will match the theme of your photo session.

• Check out these cheap photography props.

5. Focus on Each Other

Don’t stress out about not knowing how you will look in the photos or about engagement picture poses and how to do them in the right way. Your photographer will take care of all that. This shoot is about you being a couple. If you feel calm, your pictures will look genuine. Imagine that the photographer isn’t there and nobody is looking at you. Interact with your partner like you would do it when there’s just two of you. Enjoy this! Your photographer will guide you throughout the whole photo session.

6. Venice

This couple looks fantastic on the background of Venice canals. Pictures in this location will look like the cover of a magazine.

• Read more about wedding photography styles.

7. Waterfall Backdrop

What can be more refreshing and romantic than dipping in a waterfall with your loved one? This couple felt quite adventurous when taking their engagement pictures by the waterfall.

8. Lakeside

Engagement photo shoot ideas can be rather simple but very impressive. For this one, go to any nearby lake and use its stunning scenery and beautiful water as a background.

9. Paris

This city can offer you plenty of cute engagement photo ideas but the most popular one is, of course, posing near the Eiffel Tower. It creates an amazing background for such photos.

• Check out these questions to ask wedding photographer.

10. Visit Canyon

A canyon can create a romantic and special atmosphere for your engagement photoshoot. Imbued with soft, warm sunlight it serves as a stunning background for pictures. The colors of this couple’s outfits perfectly correspond to the sandstone.

11. Under Northern Lights

This is a wonderful idea and location for an engagement photo session. It’s getting more and more popular to have such pictures taken exactly under northern lights. They create a truly magical background for photos.

• Read more about engagement photography as a genre.

12. National Park

One of the best engagement photo ideas is to have your photos taken in national parks. They offer great backgrounds due to the variety of different trees, flowers, animals. If you feel like hiking, choose Yosemite National Park as your location for engagement photo session.

13. Desert Setting

This location is perfect for those, who like the wilderness. A desert as a background can give your pictures a cinematic mood. Such a place is very inspiring and atmospheric.

14. Forest Setting

This is one of the greatest ideas for engagement photos for couples who like long paths, green trees, and birds tweeting. The sunlight coming through thick trees can add a dreamy and magical vibe to your photos.

15. In the Mountains

Use a snowy mountain as your engagement photo session location if you like winter and snow. There’s something special of this time of the year in the mountains. This couple looks very cozy on such a background.

16. Playing Piano

If you are willing to have a natural look in your pictures, try doing something peculiar to both of you. The man in this picture is a musician, who enjoys playing the piano and his future wife likes listening to him play. This creates great harmony in the photo. It’s a nice idea to show both your hobbies and professions during your engagement photo session.

17. At Home

Nothing can be better than hugging in bed with your loved one. If you choose to have your engagement photoshoot at home, you can try many convenient engagement poses and be sure that a photographer will capture your natural and genuine emotions.

18. Laundromat

Doing laundry is not such a difficult routine as many people think. This picture taken in a laundromat looks really funny due to the way the couple is posing on the washing machines.

19. Your Favorite Shop

Fooling around in a store with a shopping cart can make your photos cheerful and atmospheric. All you have to do is to go to your favorite store and have a little fun there!

20. Pillow Fight

Another variant of fun engagement photo ideas is to have a pillow fight in front of a camera. It will look very lovely in your pictures. Besides, you will be in a good mood while having such photos taken.

21. Eating Ice Cream

It’s very nice to use ice cream as a prop for your engagement photo session. The photo below shows cuteness to the fullest.

22. Place of Your First Date

Nothing can be more memorable and emotion-evoking than visiting the place where you had your first date. This couple is sitting in a coffee shop in NYC where their story began and this location resulted in natural and romantic images.

23. Stadium

If you have common interests with your partner that contributed to your relationship, use them as engagement photos ideas for your shoot. The interests of this couple are connected to a stadium as they are both huge football fans.

24. Include Your Pets

If you have a pet, why not bring it to the shoot? This couple already looks cute but the dog makes this photo even cuter.

25. Surfing

Engagement photos don’t necessarily have to be formal. This couple is into surfing so their props include only suits and boards.

• View more these beach photo ideas.

26. Urban Setting

Nice cityscapes and views can serve as good locations to realize your engagement photo ideas. This couple had their photo taken on a rooftop that overlooks New York.

• Read more about urban photography tips.

27. Bike Ride

Bikes are considered to be nice props for all types of photography including engagement. Couples riding their bikes or just posing by them look romantic and lovely.

28. Incorporate the Season into Shoot

All seasons are beautiful so why not use their beauty in your photos? If you’re planning on having your engagement photo session in fall, use red, orange and yellow leaves falling from the trees as your background. They will make your pictures look awesome. This is one of the best outdoor engagement photo ideas.

29. Skating Rink

If your photo session is held in winter, go to the skating rink as this couple did. Such images are both fun and joyful.

• View more winter photo ideas.

30. In a Lavender Field

If your engagement photoshoot is in summer, it’s a great idea to use a lavender field as a background. Amazing blossom's scent will give you both pleasant time during the shoot and beautiful pictures that can become a great memory for you.

31. Roadtrip

Arrange your shoot during your road trip and create a nice traveling mode like in this couple’s picture below.

32. Silhouettes

Backlit silhouettes always give a romantic vibe to pictures. Usually, for such photos, you need to be photographed during the sunset. However, with a good photographer, it’s not necessarily as he/she can manipulate the light to achieve this look.

33. Castle

If you want to have elegant pictures, it’s a great idea to make them at a grand location such as an old castle. Get outfits to match the location including a formal suit, hat, and a loose dress. The photo below looks majestic.

34. Under the Pier

This is a very lovely way to have your engagement pictures taken. If you are shot under the pier, there will be a natural frame in your images. It’s better to have this photoshoot at the sunset, so make the best out of this location and its wonderful lighting.

35. Wrapped in Fairylights

Another variant for your engagement photo shoot ideas in winter is to wrap yourselves in lights. The combination of snow and lights will create a winter fairytale atmosphere. Any other season will do for this idea too.

36. Boat Ride

Engagement pictures taken in a boat are very romantic. Use this great idea to show your love on the sea or a lake.

37. In the Ocean

If you’ve decided to make a beach photoshoot, you don’t have to pose on the shore only. Don’t hesitate and go into the water! You and your partner will look passionate in the splashing waves around you.

38. Flower Fields

Isn’t it lovely to carry your fiancée through a flower meadow? If you want to use a location with flowers, do it at the appropriate time of the year. This way, your photos will look just how you want.

39. On a Bridge

Having a photo session on a bridge will give you outstanding results. For this, be sure to come to the location early while there are still no people and movement. Also, bring a few props, for example, an umbrella.

40. Amusement Park

There are no places lovelier than amusement parks. Have pictures taken while you are riding a swing with your partner. The shots will look sweet, romantic and catchy.

41. Fire Escape

Regular fire escapes can also be a nice location to realize your engagement photo ideas. This is a perfect variant for those couples, who don’t like standard engagement photo sessions at home and want to bring something unusual to their shoot.

42. Celestial Sky

Nothing can give you a more romantic atmosphere than nature. Feel the magic of the starry night. Make sure to find a photographer, who is good at taking night pictures because such photos are more difficult to shot and they require a lot of image editing.

43. Beach Setting

Is there anything better than running along the beach with your loved one? Complete this idea with an ethereal dress and a fresh bouquet that will set the atmosphere of the photo.

44. Underwater

If you feel like having a unique photo and searching for unusual engagement photos ideas, try the underwater picture. It’s a great variant for those, who are looking for a thrill! With this photo session, you will make other couples jealous that they didn’t do such a shoot themselves.

45. Bubble Bath

Bubble bath is not among frequently-used ideas for engagement photos, but it deserves your attention. Take a look at this happy couple having a foamy bath together.

46. Inspired by Favorite Film

It’s another great idea for your engagement photo session. This couple is a huge La-La-Land film fans so they recreated a famous scene from this movie. Also, they got similar outfits as the characters of this movie to make it look more realistic.

47. Rainy Weather

Many people get sad when it rains, especially if it’s the day of their engagement photo session. I think that rain is romantic. The photo of this couple under the rain will inspire you to have the same type of a shoot.

• Check out these rain photography tips.

48. Motorcycle

Show your love to each other by having a themed shoot that displays your interests and personalities. This couple showed real themselves posing on a motorcycle.

49. Up in the Air

This couple decided on the engagement picture ideas for the shooting in the air and had their photo session organized in a helicopter. This idea is not for the faint-hearted but if you are both reckless, you will like this.

50. Aerial Shoot

This photo session will be more expensive but the final pictures will impress you a lot. Go to a nice inspiring place such as a field, meadow, beach, etc. These locations ensure breathtaking aerial photos.

• Learn more about drone wedding photography.

51. Popping Champagne

Another great idea for your engagement photo session is to use a bottle of champagne and capture the moment of opening it. The bottle and elegant glasses will look nice in this picture.

52. Smoke Bombs

Colored smoke adds brightness and simple fun to pictures and make them lively. Be careful with smoke bombs and pick the ones that won’t spoil and color your clothes.

• Find out smoke photography tips.

53. Swimsuit Shoot

If you are looking for bold and unique engagement pictures ideas, put on your bikini and go to the beach for a sexy and passionate photo session with your partner.

54. Underground

Subways can be romantic too and this photo is a proof. It shows a big city life and sweet sincerity of the couple. Photos with a moving train as a background will look especially outstanding.

55. Mural Backdrop

If you found a nice mural as this couple did, it can be a great background for your photoshoot. Make sure you pick the clothes that match that mural.

Freebies for Engagement Photo Editing

The following 5 freebies for editing engagement images will help you achieve professional pictures very fast.

Free PS Action "Classic”

This action inspired by the black&white effect adds a mysterious atmosphere to your photos. It emphasizes the objects with the help of the contrast between black and white.

Free LR Preset "Toning”

This warm and pure preset provides minimal corrections and slight soft toning. Photos look natural with it. This tool makes it easier and faster for you to edit images, add warmth and a soft tint to them.

Free PS Action "Matte Effect”

This is a great action if you want to add a vintage feel to your pictures. It will add roughness, muffled hues and slightly blur a photo. Your image will acquire a beautiful retro look.

Free LR Preset "Sunshine”

This preset will help you make your photos more vivid as if they were taken under the summer sun. It is a great filter if you want to add warmth and show pure feelings of a couple. Especially amazing this preset looks in images taken with natural light and at the sunrise.

Free LR Preset "Contrast”

This preset will add contrast and balance the saturation in your wedding photos. It gives softness and even light to pictures and is a great option for bridal studio portraits.

Ann Young

Hi there, I'm Ann Young - a professional blogger, read more