Getting the most out of your portrait session is often a question I get asked, and I’m glad! I want everyone to have a wonderful experience with the portrait session. Additionally, I also want everyone to absolutely love their photos! From my experience, if you’re having a good time it shows in the photos. We don’t want any “deer-in-headlights” looks or “annoyed-this-is-taking-so-long” faces so I try to do everything possible to keep the shoot efficient.

So here are my biggest tips on getting the best possible results!

1. Prepare, Prepare, Prepare.

Are you unsure about where to start? What location to pick, what date, what to wear? Not to worry! With any portrait session I include a complimentary phone consultation to get the wheels turning. It’s much easier to talk through multiple locations and dates than to do a back and forth on email. If you’d like a casual, laid back session, then doing a portrait at the monuments probably isn’t going to work. If you want to dress up and do something epic, then we can make that happen too! In one phone call we can knock out all your questions and narrow down some options. These quick 15-30 min phone calls have always helped to get the most out of a session.

Getting the most out of engagement photos

Picking a season for engagement photos

2. Dress for the Portrait Session Location

Once you pick the mood and the vibe of the shoot that can be a great starting point for clothing & wardrobe. An at-home session would be perfect for casual clothes that coordinate with your home decor. If you place is bold and dramatic, dress that way! If it’s soft and full of neutral tones, like this at-home session, lean into that. For the outdoor shoot you should fit the season. Spring calls for bright, light, cheery colors. Fall would be great for flannels, cozy sweater, scarves and boots like this engagement session. But always dress up more than you normally would. It’s a photoshoot! While we do want to capture your authentic spirit, we also want to portray you in your best light.

Portrait session Spring engagement photo wardrobe

At home engagement session ideas

3. Getting the most out of Pets, Props and Themes

Oh how much I love all of these things! If you’re nervous about your photos being too stiff because there’s no action then it’s always great to add an activity! I absolutely loved this Christmas tree cutting engagement session or this foodie culinary engagement shoot. It’s so much fun to grab a bottle of champagne and have a picnic and get a little tipsy before the photos. For kid-centric photos it can be great to bring along bubbles, or their favorite scooters and toys. Pets are always great to document as part of the family, but I suggest only having them around for a portion of the shoot.

Pie baking cooking engagement photo ideas

4. After all that, relax and get into it!

Most of the effort comes from planning and preparing for the shoot. Once you’re there, let me take over! No matter the weather or the crankiness of family members we can make the shoot a success! If you’ve followed the instructions above and have prepared then the shoot will be a breeze. Relax and make sure that you’re having a good time with your loved ones. I’ll be there to capture every bit of it!

Cherry Blossom Engagement Photos can be tricky to time.  There’s nothing more fickle than an engagement shoot in Washington, DC if you’d like to grab the Cherry blossoms. They are fickle little beauties, and often don’t cooperate with anyone’s schedule. However, we still try to make it happen! The trick is to be flexible, like super-duper flexible. Oh, and when your photographer wants to stop by the City Center Pink lantern display for a few shots… oblige her 🙂

I had such a great time with Liv & Rich, who are friends of friends so I knew we would have a good time. I didn’t know it would be so gorgeous! Liv was super duper prepared and took all of my advice, including working with the amazing stylist Naina Singla (who is my super-secret weapon) and getting hair and makeup done. It always shows in the end result!

Cherry blossom engagement photos are often requested. But I love it when a couple adds it to their photos. Rather than making it a key feature. It’s no secret that Spring is my favorite season in DC. The colors of the season are always pastel and soft. Making it perfect to coordinate wardrobe, location, and hair and makeup. There is also something magical about Spring in DC because there so many delicate blossoms in addition to the cherry blossoms. Dogwoods, pear blossoms, crabapple blossoms are just a few examples.

I’m so excited for their wedding at the Hay Adams this upcoming September with the amazing A Dominick Events and Amaryllis, among many other teammates! Stay tuned for those!

Wedding Planners Gathering. As wedding photographers, there’s nothing better than to get to spend the day with some of the areas best wedding planners to kick off wedding season. I was lucky enough to document this gorgeous setup and then join everyone for dinner last may. It was the absolute perfect weather for dinner outdoors (It’s possible!).

This shoot was originally posted on Style Me Pretty Living along with some tips on entertaining from the planners of this event – Pop the Cork Designs and Adriana Marie Events. I must be craving nice weather, this was the perfect day for a dinner Al fresco on the Chesapeake Bay!

Wedding planners gathering just for the sake of camaraderie is a sign of how collaborative this group is. I certainly couldn’t pass up this opportunity to spend some time with these lovely people who I often work with. The biggest benefit was being fed by such a wonderful catering group. I know how the guests at our weddings feel now. And I can honestly say that I know these guests are in great hands.

I will always encourage everyone to hire an event planner for even the smallest event. Just set a budget and ask them to stick to it. The value added to the event is always well worth the effort.

Catering: Rouge Catering

Florist: Crimson & Clover

Calligrapher: Anchor Point Calligraphy

Cookies: Fresh Bakes

Venue: Historic Londontown

Rentals: Party Plus Tents & Events

Invitations: Alison Barnhill

Videography: Adora Wedding Films

Music: Austin Ellis

It has been a dream to photograph a National Cathedral wedding for me. And it has also been a dream of mine to be published on the wedding blog OnceWed. So when it finally happened last year I couldn’t have been more thrilled! You can check out the whole feature here: https://www.oncewed.com/featured/elegant-garden-inspired-indoor-wedding-ideas/

Having a beautiful setting like the National Cathedral is one of the perks of hosting an event at the National Cathedral school. It’s also a perk of living in Washington, DC. Being a wedding photographer we get to enjoy all these views. The buildings on the campus are stunning in their neo-Gothic style. And their grounds are spectacularly maintained. As the sun set over the limestone buildings, the colors of the atmosphere turned to beautiful shades of pink and blue. This is really one of the best wedding venues we have in DC. What a place to have your wedding ceremony!

Wedding Planner: Bright Occasions, Margo Fischer | Photography: Bonnie Sen Photography | Venue: National Cathedral School, Danielle Capecchi | Invitation Suite: The Dandelion Patch, Heidi Kallett | Wedding Cakes: Catherine George Cakes | Florals: Petals by the Shore, Kelly Shore |  Wedding Gift: Marigold & Grey, Jamie Kutchman | Hair & Make-Up: Amie Decker Beauty | Artist: Brittany Branson | Draping: Drape Kings, Meredith and Marybeth | Rentals: Select Event Group | Vintage Furniture: Something Vintage | Wedding Dress: Pas de Deux Bridal | Rings: Susie Saltzmen  | Groom’s Suit: Alton Lane | Models: Anastasiia Putkova + Sepehr Hajireza

Winter Wedding Bonnie SenWinter Wedding Colorado Bonnie SenWinter Wedding with DogsSnow covered winter church weddingWinter Ballroom weddingBallroom Winter Wedding Bonnie SenBlack and white photography winter weddingWinter ballroom wedding black and white photographer

This winter wedding is featured today in Style Me Pretty on their FRONT page. Which is always a super special honor. Read their post for tons of insight from the bride on the planning of this wedding!

I’ve been excited for this wedding since doing their engagement shoot early one morning last spring! Sarah & Matt showed up at the sunrise engagement session dressed to the nines. And with fun accessories like hats, champagne, and a winning attitude of making it the best engagement session ever! So I knew the winter wedding would be both fun and gorgeous!

From my experience, there are certain people who love winter and cold. And then there are some who just do not. Given the amount of clothing worn at a wedding, I think a winter wedding is just perfect. Having a little snow on the ground is even better. As photographers, we love having that additional light reflecting off the snow. As we were running around during the wedding day, we didn’t feel the weather nearly as much as during a hot July day. I know the groomsmen in their tuxes and suits were perfectly fine with the weather. And the bridesmaids got to wear fun faux fur shawls to warm up. Finally, during the dance floor, anyone could take a break outside to cool down for the next song. What more could you ask for in an elegant winter wedding.

Winter Wedding Credits

Photography: Bonnie Sen | Event Planning: SoCo Events | Floral Design: Edge Flowers | Wedding Dress: Modern Trousseau | Invitations: Creative Parties | Church: Dahlgren Chapel | Bridesmaids Dresses: Adrianna Papell | Makeup: Lorna Basse | Hair: Bridal Hair By Remona | Lighting: Digital Lightning | Hotel: Four Seasons | Bridal Boutique: Hitched Salon | Groom’s Tux: The Black Tux | Linens: Nuage Designs | Music: Elan Artists | Rentals: DC Rentals