Welcome to the

Portrait Planning Guide

Your step-by-step guide to your portrait session

CASF
Bay Area
HA

weddings • portraitsHoganAndAnna

A couple embraces and kisses on a grassy hilltop overlooking a coastal town and the sea, with the woman holding a straw hat and both dressed in casual summer clothes.

YOUR STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO A PERFECT PORTRAIT SESSION

Thank you for choosing to work with us. We are so excited to get started on your portrait session.

We want to make this experience helpful and stress-free so we have created a step-by-step guide to plan your perfect portrait session. Simply follow each step below to get started.

Select a location
Pick your style
Getting ready tips
Personalize your session
Submit your session plan

CASF
Bay Area
HA

Step one

Select a Location

When selecting a location for your portrait session consider the season and style of images you want. Beach images during the winter months will look very different than beach images during the summer. There is no right or wrong; just be mindful of what type of images you want to have.

A couple stands on a rooftop, embracing as they look at tall buildings, including one with a large red Redmont Hotel sign and others with Wells Fargo and Regions logos.

Urban

Belmont City Park

Heights Graffiti Park

Belmont Art District

Belmont City Center

A man lifts a woman in his arms on a grassy hillside. Both are dressed in black, and the woman wears a wide-brimmed hat. They smile at each other, sharing a joyful, intimate moment outdoors. Trees are visible in the background.

Outdoors

The Edge Trailhead

Tree Cliff Trail

Evergreen Park

Hunter Head Point

A pregnant woman in a flowing, sheer dress stands barefoot on sandy ground, surrounded by large rocky cliffs and natural cave formations, bathed in soft natural light.

Beach or Lake

Sandy Pebble Beach Front

Arrowhead Private Beach Club

Crestview Lake Point

Pacific Point Cliff

A couple embraces in a cozy kitchen, smiling warmly at each other. The woman has long, wavy blonde hair and wears a white sweater, while the man wears a gray sweater and holds her close.

In home

Airbnb Rental***

Tiny Home Rental***

Your home

***May cost extra

Step two

Pick an outfit

What kind of style fits you? Look for outfits that are similar to these tones and styles.

Modern

A young man and woman hold hands and walk together on a sandy path outdoors, smiling at each other under a cloudy sky.

A young man smiling, wearing a white t-shirt and dark jeans with a light shirt tied around his waist, stands in front of a white geometric patterned wall.

A young couple stands on a rooftop parking lot, leaning into a passionate kiss. The woman has long hair and wears a denim jacket, while the man has short hair and wears a gray jacket. Snow is visible on the ground behind them.

Natural

A couple stands on a grassy cliff, embracing as they look out over a vast, green valley and distant hills under a cloudy sky. The woman wears a floral dress; the man wears jeans and a denim jacket.

A man lifts and hugs a woman outdoors on rocky terrain with mountains in the background. Both are smiling and appear happy, under a partly cloudy sky.

A bride and groom kiss on a rocky lakeshore, with the bride holding a bouquet and pine trees and misty mountains reflected in the water behind them.

Elegant

A couple holding hands stands on a wooden dock extending into a lake, surrounded by forested mountains under a cloudy sky. The woman wears a flowing blue dress; the man wears black clothing.

A couple embraces and kisses while standing on a rock in the ocean at sunset, with waves and rocks visible around them and warm sunlight illuminating the scene.

Chic Boho

A couple stands side by side in front of a large rock formation outdoors; the woman wears a hat and long dress, and the man wears a plaid vest and jeans. Sunlight gives the scene a warm, natural glow.

A couple sits closely together on a patterned blanket in a desert landscape, embracing and holding hands with mountains and dry vegetation in the background.

A smiling man and woman run hand-in-hand across a grassy field at sunset, both wearing hats and casual clothes. A distant hill, a few buildings, and a large animal appear in the background.

Step three

Getting ready tips

Getting ready for your portrait session doesn't have to be stressful. Here are some simple tips to have a stress-free and fun portrait session.

A woman wearing sunglasses, a sleeveless black top, and checkered overalls stands smiling with her hands in her pockets in front of beige curtains.

A note for her:

Select an outfit that makes you feel confident and beautiful. When it comes to your portraits, your attitude will reflect greater than your actual outfit. When you feel beautiful and confident in your own skin, the other style details will all fall into place.

So don't get overly stressed about your outfit selection. Go with your gut and what makes you feel like you! Here are some general tips for getting ready:

Best places to shop for gals:

H&M
ASOS
Rent the Runway
J. Crew
Anthropologie

Hair & Makeup (for brides):

If you're hiring a hair & makeup artist for your wedding then consider doing a trial run for your engagement session. This is a great opportunity to test if you like a specific style of makeup or preference of hairstyle.

Don't Forget:

Clean your ring or jewelry
Get a manicure or take nail polish completely off

A man wearing sunglasses, a white shirt, and a brown jacket stands in a narrow brick stairwell, looking up toward the camera. The scene is framed by white brick walls and a metal railing.

A note for him:

If you're like most guys, then you dread taking photos. We challenge you to throw out all your doubts, insecurities, and frustrations toward taking photos because this is NOT your average portrait session. We are a husband & wife team so we know how to make this session fun for the gals AND guys.

If you promise to have an open mind we promise that we will do everything in our power to make you feel comfortable and excited during your portrait session.

Best places to shop for guys:

H&M
ASOS
Rent the Runway
J.Crew
Urban Outfitters

Don't Forget:

Bring your ring
Trim your beard or facial hair
Relax, just be yourself

Step three

Personalize your session

Personalizing your session is how you make your images feel unique to you. We welcome and encourage you to bring items and props that feel like you. If you're not sure what to bring just ask, we can provide some ideas.

A couple stands close together outdoors in winter, gently touching foreheads and holding two alpacas—one brown and one white—both wearing halters. Snow and trees are visible in the background.

Pets & furry friends

Do you have a furry pet that feels like family? Feel free to bring your pets along to your portrait session.

Please note: some locations work better for pets. Please notify us that you will bring your animal so we can pick an appropriate session location.

A young couple embraces outdoors, both wearing cozy sweaters. The woman smiles gently with her eyes closed, leaning into the man, who faces her with his back to the camera. Trees and sunlight are visible in the background.

Blankets & comfort items

Are you the snuggle up and get cozy type? Bring your favorite blankets and comfort items with you. Cuddling up next to each other with your favorite items will put you both at ease and make for some amazing photos.

A couple kisses while holding sparklers in their hands, creating a warm, festive glow against a dark background.

Props

Let the sparks fly! Consider bringing fun props to your portrait session. Sparklers, bubbles, ice cream...whatever your ideas are we welcome them!

Let us know what your prop ideas are so that I can prepare a plan to photograph them.

Step four

Submit your session plan

Please take a moment to tell us about your portrait session plan. Within 24 hours of submitting your session plan, we will reach out via email to confirm your session plan and location details. We are so excited to connect with you very soon!

CASF
Bay Area
HA