There is a correlation between familiarity with the photographer and good results for the client, and unless it’s an emergency or there are extenuating circumstances, I insist on a shoot before the wedding. I include a pre-shoot in all of my wedding packages because it follows logically that the few hours I spend with the couple before a wedding result in better images for them and for me at the wedding. Now don’t get me wrong, some people are naturally more photogenic. But even photogenic clients benefit from more images because they are more familiar with the instruction and less time is spent getting the requested shot complete.
Sometimes the clients are simple elopements, and photography is an afterthought, and I respect that, I do. But I have had engagement shoots for elopements as well and the familiarity showed in the results for those too, and it was time well spent.
In the minds of a client, the benefits of an engagement or bridal shoot are simply pictures for announcements, “free” additional pictures, or maybe a romantic outing with the man or woman they plan to spend the rest of their days hopefully pleasing. But for a photographer, the benefits are so much more…
The biggest benefit to a photographer is the ability to better engage the subjects. By spending an afternoon shoot together, the photographer will inevitably become familiar with the “warm buttons” of the clients. Everyone has different tastes and presuppositions they bring to the table when communicating and the better photographers will work to find that fountain of humor/emotion/reaction desired in their subjects to get the optimal results everyone wants.
Another benefit to the additional time spent together is understanding the terms of instruction. Near side, far side, right, left, front, and back are simple instructions, but when combined with the anxiety of being in front of the camera, and the confusion of their’s, their partner’s, or my orientation, you understand how it can be quite confusing! Confusion does not necessarily mean disaster, but when you are limited to 60 minutes of golden hour light in outdoor photography for a sunset wedding, it could mean the client has fewer images than they could have otherwise had if everyone understood everyone else a little more clearly.
An image can only be as good as the subject being shot, and there is something to be said for the comfortable factor when staring into the business end of a 5″ portrait lens. A subject that is comfortable knows how they are represented in a photographer’s work, and are a little more open with the performance aspect of subject photography. Emotions are a little more open, the subject is less self-conscious, and the time in front of the lens is a little more enjoyable and it SHOWS!
If you’re a photographer reading this, I encourage you to adopt my mentality because it will pay off. Instead of acceptable work, your clients will love it because it’s more accurate to their self perceptions. Instead of a one time client, you have a better chance of forging a friendship and creating an advocate for your work, or at least someone to feed your ego!
If you are a future bride or groom reading this, then you ought to insist on a shoot prior to the wedding. It is a sure fire way to make sure the person you are investing a sizable portion of your wedding budget in is someone you want to subject your family to, not to mention built in competency insurance. Second, it’s a romantic activity you can spend with the man or woman of your dreams. And finally, it will make your wedding pictures better. It’s a no-lose proposition for you. Even if you have a spend a few hundred extra dollars, an engagement shoot is something that you can’t afford to pass up.

We started shooting a couple of hours before the wedding, and this is one of the shots they humored me with...

Being a very tall guy sometimes comes in pretty handy...