Planning your Austin engagement photo session? This blog post is for you!
If you’re anything like most of my couples, you’ve probably thought some version of this:
“We’re awkward in front of the camera.”
The good news? You don’t need to know how to pose, have modeling experience, or even love having your picture taken to end up with beautiful engagement photos.
An engagement session isn’t necessarily about creating perfectly posed images. In fact, the best photographs happen when you’re focused on each other—not the camera. Yes, couples often do an engagement session to get some updated photos for their save-the-dates. But my favorite kinds of engagement sessions are the ones where I get to collaborate with two people in love to take photos that feel like the embodiment of their relationship.
Hi, I’m Tess Leslie — an Austin engagement photographer!
I’m Tess, a documentary-style wedding and engagement photographer based in Austin, Texas. I’ve spent more than a decade photographing couples, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you don’t need to know how to pose to have beautiful photographs taken.
I want to photograph the way you actually interact—the way you laugh at each other’s jokes, the way you reach for your partner’s hand, the way you look at each other when you think no one is watching. I’ll give you enough direction that you never have to wonder “What are we supposed to do with our hands?”, but I’ll leave plenty of room for the real moments to unfold.
My approach to engagement sessions is less “stand here and smile” and more “let’s go get tacos, wander around your favorite neighborhood, and see what happens.”
Whether you’re dreaming of downtown Austin architecture, golden-hour fields, or grabbing margaritas at your favorite neighborhood spot, I created this guide to help you plan an engagement session that feels like you.
What’s the point of the engagement session, anyways?
Aside from ending up with beautiful photos for save-the-dates, wedding websites, or framed prints, engagement sessions serve another important purpose: they help you feel completely comfortable in front of the camera before your wedding day.
I almost always recommend you use your wedding photographer for your engagement photos. That way by the time your wedding arrives, you’ll have already spent time with your photographer. You’ll know what it feels like to be photographed together, how your photographer works, and you’ll get all the camera-shy jitters out of the way.
Additionally, if you follow my method of personalizing your engagement photos, you’ll go home with photos that capture this exciting time in your relationship.
Choosing the Perfect Location for Your Austin Engagement Photo Session
Austin has no shortage of beautiful places (check out my blog of some of my favorite spots), but the “best” location isn’t necessarily the most famous one. The most memorable engagement sessions happen somewhere that reflects your relationship.
Option 1: Pick a Meaningful Place
Ask yourselves:
- Where was your first date?
- Where do you spend Saturday mornings?
- What’s your favorite neighborhood?
- Where do you celebrate anniversaries?
- Is there somewhere that simply feels like home?
Those places instantly make your photos more personal.
Some ideas include:
- Your favorite coffee shop
- A neighborhood bookstore
- The trail where you walk your dog
- A dive bar
- Your own home
- The restaurant where you got engaged
Option 2: Choose Based on the Look You Love
If you’re more focused on aesthetics, think about the overall feeling you want and the story you want your photos to tell.
Classic Austin Photo Spots
- South Congress
- Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge
- The Seaholm/downtown library area
- Zilker Metropolitan Park
Perfect for couples who want to celebrate the city where they fell in love or call home!
Nature Lovers
- McKinney Falls
- Commons Ford Ranch
- LBJ Wildflower Center
- Zilker Botanical Gardens
- Mueller Lake Park
- The Southwest Greenway
Great if your idea of a perfect day is out in nature.
Don’t Feel Limited to One Spot
Changing locations often makes your gallery feel more dynamic while still keeping the session relaxed. Many of my favorite sessions include two nearby locations. I especially love to start somewhere we can grab a drink and take casual photos, and then head to an outdoor spot for golden hour.
For example:
- Coffee shop + Mueller Lake Park
- Downtown rooftop parking garage + Auditorium Shores
- Mozart’s Coffee + Laguna Gloria
Build Your Austin Engagement Photo Session Around an Activity
Instead of thinking about your engagement session as “taking photos,” think about spending an evening together. Activities naturally create movement, conversation, laughter, and genuine moments.
Some of my favorite ideas include:
- Browsing a bookstore
- Sharing tacos
- Getting coffee
- Drinking wine at a patio bar
- Walking your dog
- Visiting a record store
- Cooking together at home
- Playing cards
- Riding bikes
- Having a picnic
- Renting paddle boards
- Visiting an arcade
- Getting ice cream
- Watching the sunset
When your hands are busy, you stop worrying about the camera and the photos end up looking much more natural.
What time should you take your engagement photos?
Light makes an enormous difference in your photos! For outdoor sessions, I almost always recommend scheduling your session during the last two hours before sunset. Some locations around town, like along Town Lake, also photograph best within the first two hours after sunrise. The softer light is more flattering, the temperatures are cooler, and Austin looks its best. If we’re photographing downtown or indoors, we have a little more flexibility.
For many people, your first inclination might be to schedule your session on the weekend. However, if you’ve got some flexibility on week days I highly recommend choosing a week day evening. This is do-able especially during the summer when sunset is around 8:30 pm. Most engagement session locations are less busy on week days, so you’ll have to pose in front of less people and the vibe will be much more relaxing.
PS: If you’re like me and a little bit heat-intolerant, here is a list of ideas for engagement sessions when its 100+!
What you need to know about permits and getting permission from local businesses
Before you fall in love with an Austin location, there’s one slightly less glamorous thing to consider: whether you actually need permission to photograph there.
Some parks and public spaces require photography permits, particularly for professional photography. Other locations may have rules around tripods, equipment, group size, or commercial use. And if you’re hoping to incorporate a coffee shop, hotel, restaurant, bookstore, or other private business into your session, you might need to get permission from the business first.
The good news? You don’t have to figure this out on your own. I’ll help you choose locations that make sense for your session and let you know if there are any permits or permissions we need to arrange.
Public spaces aren’t always permit-free.
Just because a location is outdoors or open to the public doesn’t necessarily mean professional photography is allowed without a permit. Austin-area parks, trails, and other public spaces can have different rules depending on the location and the type of photography you’re planning. I recommend checking the rules before committing to a location rather than showing up and hoping for the best. It also helps if you work with a photographer who knows where rules are and are not enforced.
Popular engagement photo locations that require a permit and/or cost a fee:
- Zilker Botanical Gardens
- LBJ Wildflower Center
- Mayfield Park
- Laguna Gloria
- Sekrit Theater
What about coffee shops, bars, and other businesses?
This is where it depends on the type of place and the vibe you’re going for.
If you want to grab a coffee at a casual neighborhood coffee shop or have a drink at your favorite dive bar, you generally don’t need to make a big production out of it. We’re simply coming in as customers, ordering something, and taking a few photos while we’re there. As long as we’re respectful of the staff and other customers, we’re good to go.
For more upscale or popular businesses, though, it’s a different story. Fancy cocktail bars, bookstores, restaurants, hotels, and other venues may have policies around professional photography or require you to book a reservation in advance. In those cases, we’ll make arrangements with the business ahead of time so there’s no confusion when we arrive. Unfortunately, most of the time if a business requires a reservation that means they also charge a photo fee. However, those photo fees usually come with the promise that you get to use reserve the space all for yourself!
How to Choose Outfits for Your Austin Engagement Photo Session
After the location, your outfits set the tone of your photos more than almost anything else.
The goal isn’t to dress like someone else, it’s to wear elevated versions of what you already love. Wear something that feels like you! If you never wear formal clothes, don’t feel like you suddenly need a gown. Likewise, if you love dressing up, this is a great excuse to do exactly that. The best outfit is one you feel confident wearing. If you want more guidance, here are a few more tips:
1. Don’t Match – Coordinate
Instead of identical colors, think complementary. Some combinations I love:
- Cream + olive
- Navy + rust
- Black + camel
- White + denim
- Sage + tan
- Soft blues + neutrals
2. Stick With Timeless Pieces
Classic clothing photographs beautifully for years to come. I recommend:
- Linen
- Cotton
- Wool
- Denim
- Dresses with movement
- Well-fitting jeans
- Simple jewelry
Try to avoid:
- Large logos
- Neon colors
- Tiny busy patterns
- Athletic clothing (unless it fits your activity)
3. Consider Bringing Two Outfits
If time allows, I often recommend one casual outfit and one dressier look. This gives your gallery more variety while still feeling cohesive.
Hair, Makeup & Grooming
Professional hair and makeup aren’t required, but many couples enjoy making a date out of the session.
A few tips:
- Schedule haircuts about a week beforehand.
- Avoid trying brand-new hairstyles.
- Bring lip balm or lipstick for touch-ups.
- Pack comfortable shoes for walking between locations.
- Consider having your wedding makeup trial on the same day as your engagement session.
What Should You Bring?
Keep it simple! A small bag with:
- Water
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Touch-up makeup
- Hairbrush
- Lint roller
- Jacket (if needed)
- Ring box
- Any activity props you’ve planned
Find inspiration from these past Austin engagement photo sessions
- Commodore Perry Engagement Photos in Austin, Texas
- Library Engagement Photos at the Austin History Center
- Engagement Photos at Eberly in Austin, Texas
- Dive Bar Engagement Photo Session in East Austin
- Namrata & Justin’s South Congress Engagement Photos
- Liat & Roz’s Engagement Photos at Mueller Lake Park
Ready to Start Planning?
Your engagement session shouldn’t feel like another item to check off your wedding to-do list. It should feel like a fun evening together—one that you’ll remember just as fondly as the photographs themselves.
Whether that means wandering downtown Austin, sharing queso at your favorite patio, or chasing sunset through a field of wildflowers, we’ll create a session that’s personal, relaxed, and true to your relationship.
Submit an inquiry on my contact page to get the booking process started!
