Planning Your Tucson Engagement Photos

Welcome, I’m Melissa, your Tucson Engagement Photographer. Being engaged is such a fun and exciting season in your life. You have found the person that you want to spend the rest of your life with and you deserve to celebrate and document this time together.

Engagement photos are a lot of fun! You get to get dressed up and spend time laughing together and dreaming of what your future will bring. You know you want an engagement session, but how do you find the right photographer to capture you both and your unique love story? Where is the best place to take your engagement pictures in Tucson? What should you wear to your engagement session? There are so many questions, and I am here to put your mind at ease and answer all things relating to capturing the best engagement photos in Tucson. Follow along to find out everything you need to know to take beautiful engagement photos in Tucson, Arizona. 

Why you need engagement photos

For a lot of couples, their engagement photos are the first time they have been professionally photographed. With it being the first time, it can sometimes bring out some nerves. The good news is that with my posing system, you never have to worry about how to stand or what to do. My goal for your engagement session is for it to feel like a fun date night! This is such a fun and exciting time in your lives and you deserve to have it captured and celebrated!  

In a lot of ways, your engagement photos are a trial run for your wedding day. It gives you a chance to feel comfortable in front of the camera and to know what to expect. As your wedding photographer, it gives me a chance to get to know you both better and see how you both naturally interact and how I can best tell your love story visually. This is so important because come the wedding day you will be able to be present and just be able to enjoy the moment and not worry about the camera. Most of my wedding collections include an engagement session because I feel like it is key to creating an amazing wedding photography experience. 

A bonus to having your engagement photos is that you have so many beautiful photos for your wedding invitations, save the dates, wedding website, to display at your reception, your guest book, and for decorating your home!

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How to choose your Tucson engagement photographer

There are so many factors to consider when choosing your Tucson engagement photographer. However, I have found that going through these steps in order will get you the best photographer for you!

Photography Style 

We have all heard that a photo is worth 1,000 words right? Well, take the time to go through your potential photographer’s portfolio. Do you love their work? Are you happy with the way they edit their images? Do you like the way couples look in their photos? Are you drawn to moody photos or joyful, laughing photos?

Personality 

Something that you may not have considered is how much time you will be spending with your photographer come your wedding day. They are there the entire time documenting it all. You want to make sure you like being around them. This is where it is so important to hop on a zoom call and see how well you “click” with your photographer.

Price

A lot of photographers will include an engagement session with their wedding collections. I do this because I want my couples to feel cared for. Part of how I care for them is by gifting them a memorable, fun, night together where they get to celebrate this milestone. A lot of photographers, myself included, are willing to travel for engagement sessions. If you have your heart set on a location for your engagement photos, it is worth the investment now to have images that you love for a lifetime.  

What to wear to your engagement photos session

You can never be too dressed up for your engagement session. This is such a special time and you should feel incredible. Feel free to spoil yourself and get your hair and makeup done. Buy that dress that you have been eying!

I do send all of my couples a wedding magazine that gives even more tips for rocking your engagement session.

I recommend light colors since they will act as a reflector and will not pull away the focus from you two. Bright colors such as red or neon as well as small prints such as plaid should be avoided. I do encourage my couples to bring two outfits to their session. One that is more casual and the other being that glamorous, evening wear look. Long, flowy dresses create movement in your photos and add a lot of visual interest. If it seems overwhelming, I am always here for my couples to bounce ideas off of when they are choosing what to wear.

The best time for engagement photos in Tucson

I love to photograph outdoors in natural light. For this reason, I recommend booking your engagement session 2-3 hours before sunset.

There are two times of the year that I recommend for engagement photos. The Spring months of March-May are when the desert is in bloom. Winter rains bring wildflowers and more green to the desert. This is probably my favorite time to photograph engagement sessions. Temperatures are still mild ranging from the 60s-80s. Another favorite time of year is the Fall season. Around the end of October- early December, the summer heat has left and temperatures are around the 70s. The weather does play a huge role in when to have your engagement photos. You don’t want to feel hot going into your engagement session, so choosing the best time of year for photos is important. 

Picking the perfect spot for your Tucson Engagement session

Your photographer is a great resource when trying to choose the spot for your engagement session. However, don’t feel limited to their suggestions. Perhaps you have a place that is special to the two of you. If you know someone who has a beautiful private estate or access to private property with stunning photo opportunities, go for it. 

Look at your favorite images from Pinterest and Instagram. Which images are scroll stoppers? What is the vibe you want in your photos? Do you envision mountains, a lake, the desert, or a more urban environment? It is also important to consider how crowded the location will be. It is difficult to feel in the moment with a lot of people walking by or interrupting the flow of your session.

Below you will find some of my recommended locations for engagement photos in Tucson.  

Engagement photo locations in Tucson

I’m a Tucson Engagement Photographer who loves to capture in-love couples! Tucson has several beautiful locations for engagement photos. I’ve listed some of my favorites below! But, please don’t think this list is the only place to take beautiful engagement photos. Some areas that I haven’t included are the University of Arizona campus, trailheads around town, resorts and wedding venues, etc. Some couples even choose to have photos taken at their own home which I love.

This map has some of my favorite Tucson Engagement Photo Locations 

Mount Lemmon- Windy Point

Type: Mountain Views

People: Certain popular areas such as Windy Point can be very crowded

Best time to go: Weekdays will be less crowded

Photo Permit: Depending on the number of people involved in the shoot permits range in price from $50-$250. See the photography and filming request form here.

Website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coronado/recarea/?recid=25678

Address: 930 Catalina Hwy, Mt Lemmon, AZ 85619

Mercado San Agustin

Type: Urban/ Colorful Buildings

People: Low-Medium Foot Traffic

Best time to go: Weekdays, Weekends are busier

Website: https://mercadodistrict.com/

Address: 100 & 267 S Avendia del convento

Gates Pass

Type: Desert

People: Weekdays Low-Medium Crowds. Weekends- crowded near the scenic lookout

Best time to go: Weekdays

Website:https://www.visittucson.org/listing/tucson-mountain-park-and-gates-pass-scenic-overlook/23244/

Address: 6400 W Gates Pass Rd, Tucson, AZ 85745

Life Under The Oaks

Type: Lavender Field

People: Moderate Crowds

Best time to go: June is when the fields are in bloom

Photoshoots take place from 6-8 PM

Photo Permit: $100 for 2 hours 

Website: http://www.lifeundertheoakslavenderfarm.com/

Address: 1221 N Rancho Robles Rd. Oracle, AZ 85623

Sweetwater Trailhead

Type: Desert

People: Moderate Crowds

Best time to go: Late afternoon to evening

Address: 4001 N Tortolita Rd, Tucson, AZ 85745

Sonoran Desert Museum

Type: Desert

People: Moderate Crowds

Open: 

October-May: 8:30am-5:00pm

June-September: 7:30am-2:00pm

Permit- Entry cost of $29.95

Address: 2021 North Kinney Road, Tucson, AZ 85743

 Website: https://desertmuseum.org/

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Engagement Photo Packages

As I mentioned before, my full wedding day collections already include a complimentary engagement session. However, if you are booking a partial wedding day collection, or are wanting to book an engagement session a la carte, I would love to give you an idea of what an engagement session with me includes. I schedule engagement sessions typically from Wednesday through Friday. I do have some Saturdays and Sundays available, but in general, I am photographing weddings on these days. Petite engagement sessions are 30 minutes in length and couples receive around 30 high-resolution photos that they can print wherever they would like. Full engagement sessions are up to 1.5 hours in length and couples receive 60+ high-resolution photos.

I recommend scheduling your engagement session 6 months to a year out from your wedding date if you want to use the photos in announcements and on your wedding website. Otherwise, 2-3 months before your wedding day is recommended. Most sessions take place 2-3 hours before sunset.

Tucson Engagement Photographer

I hope this was useful as you begin to plan your proposal! If you are in need of a proposal photographer, I’d love to be yours! You can reach me HERE.

If you know any other fun spots for engagement photos, let me know in the comments!