Engagement session: location, wardrobe and light.

Light decides more than location

Golden hour —the last hour before sunset— softens faces, stretches shadows and gives any place an editorial character. A midday session, no matter how lovely the location, fights the sun. We choose the time first, the place after.

A location that looks like you

Make the session feel like the wedding, not a catalogue: if the wedding is in a garden, start in a garden; if it's urban, look for a rooftop, a gallery, concrete. Ask yourselves where you feel at home —the place that's already yours usually wins— and favour places with history: they give texture to the images.

Wardrobe: texture, colour and movement

Fabrics that move work —linen, satin, knitwear— in a palette that suits the place and your skin tones, avoiding big logos and prints that compete with faces. An outfit change multiplies the result without doubling the time. And shoes you can walk in: the session is walked.

'The best location is the one that's already yours: a place with memory needs no set.' Hernán Duque · Photographer

How the session feels

You don't need to know how to pose. I give clear, brief direction —a hand here, a glance there— and then let the conversation flow. The best frames happen between poses, when you forget I'm there. That's where the couple you'll be that day begins.

Written by

Hernán Duque

Hernán Duque has 15+ years and more than 800 celebrations documented across Colombia and 12 international destinations. His work blends editorial direction and documentary storytelling, based in Medellín.

About Hernán