Weddings – no matter how extravagant or low-key – are a couple’s way of celebrating this new journey in their lives. And each anniversary is like a milestone that deserves to be celebrated! Just like an engagement session or their wedding photos, an anniversary photo shoot is a great way to document these celebrations that would help them track their journey years down the line. Besides helping you increase your clientele and stay in touch with your previous clients, anniversary photography sessions could also help you make more money beyond the wedding day. In this blog, we offer you tips on conducting a memorable wedding anniversary photo shoot for your couples.
6 Tips for Photographing An Anniversary Photo Shoot
1. Choose a Theme
Before suggesting one yourself, listen to any ideas your couple may already have for the theme. If there is a specific theme that they have in mind for their anniversary photo shoot, try to find a way to make it happen. And if that is not the case with your couple, you could then suggest some themes yourself. If they don’t happen to like your suggestions, perhaps both parties could sit down to collaborate and discuss other practical options. Some ideas for an anniversary theme can be a picnic, destination-centric, light, and airy, hobbies or adventure-based, etc. If they want something more low-key, you could even do a session at home!
2. Different Locations, Different Outfits
If your couple brings more than one outfit, you could explore more than one location and they could have more fun during the session! If they are on board with the plan, you could ask your couple to plan 2-3 outfits for the shoot. If you are planning the shoot in different settings, like starting in an urban city setting and then moving to a more open space surrounded by nature, your couple could plan outfits that would complement the different settings. Unless your couple specifically wants to, instead of matching their outfits, you could suggest that they coordinate instead.
3. Go Outdoors
Heading outdoors gives you plenty of options. Not only does it offer you the possibility of breathtaking natural backdrops but also better lighting conditions when planned well. If the day and setting allow, you could use the golden hour to create some romantic portraits or stunning silhouettes of your couple. However, don’t forget to scout the location beforehand so that you spend most of your time during the session photographing instead of searching for a good spot.
4. Bring the Kids or Pets
Every couple is different. And their ways of celebrating milestones can also be different! While some might want to make their anniversary just about the two of them, others might want to include their family in the session too. For those who prefer the latter, you could suggest including the kids or pets in the session as well.
When the kids or pets join the session, you might want to consider dividing the session into two parts so that you can also have some alone time with the couple. If they are worried about the additions, you could ask your couple to have an extra family member or friend join in to take care of the kids and hold the pets or take them home when their part is done.
5. Recreate Wedding Day Moments
Recreating old photos always gives way to some exciting and fun new images! So to add some variety to your anniversary shot list, you could ask your couple to relive some of their favorite moments or recreate certain poses from their wedding day. Even if they don’t get it exactly like before, remind them that in the end, it’s all about having fun and reliving that memory while also creating a new one in the process!
6. Include Props
If your couple is all about having fun during the anniversary photo shoot, you could also include some props based on what suits your theme or the setting. For example, if you are shooting in a vineyard, wine glasses and wine make for great photo props and they photograph well too. Another fun option is banners or cut-outs of their anniversary date, number of years they are celebrating, or love quotes.
Further Read: 12 Engagement Photo Themes To Fit Every Mood And Budget
Create a Memorable Experience
Photographing anniversary sessions is a great way to keep in touch with your past customers and another way to work with your favorite couples again! From helping your couple pick a theme and deciding a location to encouraging them to relive their wedding day or including props in the shoot, there are so many ways you could make an anniversary shoot memorable. However, remember that your new couples won’t be as familiar with you or your work as the ones whose weddings you have photographed in the past, so get ready to impress them to the point where they want you to document their other milestones too!
At ShootDotEdit, we love bringing you resourceful tips like these to help you dedicate most of your time to doing what you love and let ShootDotEdit take care of the rest. We are committed to editing effortlessly, your style, your way. Check out our pricing plans to learn more about how we can help.
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