Sarah-Jane and Jacob are both Sydney University alumni, so of course it was fitting to have their engagement photos within those hallowed grounds.

We pushed their engagement photos session at Sydney University as late into the year as we could to try and make the most of the jacaranda trees. Unfortunately, even then, this past season’s floral display came very late, so there wasn’t quite the hoped-for abundance. But where the flowers didn’t perform, the afternoon and late light certainly did.

More than that, there’s Sydney University itself, with that beautiful sandstone colouring, and the historic buildings around the quadrangle. There were a couple of other areas to explore, that held meaning to them. This included the medical buildings for Jacob, and Sarah-Jane’s architectural background with direct working knowledge of the preservation of heritage buildings within the University grounds. We should have conducted a tour group!

It’s obviously great to be somewhere that is beautiful and has a nice aesthetic, but where possible our advice is to choose a location that holds value to you. Over the years we make the suggestion to find a place that is personal and meaningful., and that can obviously be at home, nearby parks and beaches, first date locations, or something else that has developed its own story in your history.

Sometimes couples don’t have a long history together, so choose somewhere that is starting to hold value to you, excites you, makes you feel good, or suits your personalities.

If you’re a quiet couple, avoid areas where you’ll feel on display. Opt for something private, calm and relaxing. That will help drive you own confidence, and help create greater comfort, whereby you’re both focused on each other. It’s great to be able to look back at the photographs knowing that you were feeling comfortable and relaxed at the time. Then those fun, intimate photographs have a great opportunity of unfolding.

There’s really no secret that our photographic choices, such as framing and emphasis, are driven by where we are. If the location isn’t overtly photogenic we’ll rightfully spend more time making you the bigger and most important part of the photograph. We’ll use longer lenses, or just be in closer proximity to you. If there’s lots of big scenes and vistas, then for more of the photographs, you’ll be seen as a smaller part of the natural scene. All we do is step further back or use wider angle lenses.

Either way, we want to focus on you as a couple. You are the main feature.

With that in mind, what is engagement photography to you, and what do you want to see from it?

It’s surely more than the location, isn’t it!? Obviously we photographers have our practical reasons, as it helps establish a good working relationship with our clients, meaning, you learn how we work and can check that the photography outcomes are consequential to you, expressive of your connections, and relevant to how you’d like to remember yourselves in years and decades to come.

That last point is really important. Few people talk about photography as an aide-mémoire. It’s really helpful to envisage what you want and hope to remember in years to come. Photographs, as that memory device, are invaluable.

To me, engagement photography is an illustration of a relationship at the start, the beginnings, of a new family. It tells the story of who we are, as seen in the lightness, happiness, and love of that new relationship. Two people, enjoying their happiness, comfortable in their relationship, and celebrating their commitment.