Want to know my #1 tip to up-level your client experience during a couples or engagement session? ✨Play music✨ Yep, that’s really it! Playing music during a session makes a world of difference to help your couples loosen up and become more relaxed in front of the camera. As a full-time wedding photographer (and educator), I’ve spent plenty of time perfecting my ultimate playlist for photographers like YOU! And the best part? I’m ready to share it with you! 

From Andy Grammar to Beyoncé, Flo Rida and JLo… your couples will be having a dance party and groovin’ to the music while you capture them in their element. I’m so excited to share my #1 tip to up-level your client experience with my FREE playlist! I don’t think there’s anything better than dancing with your honey… and for YOU as a photographer to capture those little moments?! Priceless.

CLICK HERE TO CLAIM YOUR FREE COUPLES SESSION PLAYLIST⚡️

Additional Resources to Up-Level Your Client Experience:

How to Build Your Portfolio as a Photographer
5 Must-Have Tools You Need as a Photographer

And of course, I’d love to be friends over on Instagram (@morganelizabethphotos). Shoot me a DM with your fave songs from the playlist 🎶

It’s that time of year, friend! You know the one I’m talking about? Engagement session season!! As a full-time wedding and elopement photographer (and past bride), I know firsthand just how much excitement fills the air leading up to your engagement session. Two of the most commonly asked questions I get when a session is booked is, “What do we wear?!” and “Should we bring anything?” Well, I’m here to give you all the nitty-gritty details to make sure your engagement session goes out without a hitch. Here are 8 Must Have Items for Your Engagement Session.

Your Outfits:

1. Outfit #1

How you dress for your engagement session should be a reflection of you and your honey. Think of what you’re comfortable in, what feels like “ah, this is us.” If you’re looking for outfit tips, check out my Styling Tips for Your Engagement Session blog! Searching for even more inspo?! My Pinterest board has gotcha covered!

2. Outfit #2 

Options, babe, options! The weather can change at the drop of a dime, or there could even be a wardrobe malfunction. The more prepared you are, the better. Double check with your photographer to see how many outfits are allowed for your particular session – and plan from there.

Onto the Practicals:

3. Lint Roller 

I don’t know about you, but when I leave the house, I’m still finding fur from my pup on me. Lint rollers are great for not only pet hair, but also for getting rid of any leaves left from traipsing through a field. (I love adventuring with my couples!)

4. Hair Brush

Whether the wind is whipping on the day of your engagement session or not, having a hair brush always comes in clutch. In the event of wind, embrace it! You’ll be at peace knowing you can always brush your hair.

5. Hairspray

Even if you’re generally not a “hairspray person”, bring it! Smooth hair photographs really well; hairspray helps tame those pesky flyaways and wind-tousled hair!

6. Scissors

Never know when a scissors might come in handy! Pesky tags, hanger straps, etc. 

7. Bug Spray

TRUST me on this one. Bug bites are the worst! ‘Nuff said.

8. Champagne!

I simply can’t end an engagement session without poppin’ champagne! Bring a bottle to end your session with a fun spray and a few sips. SO much fun!

Which of my 8 Must Have Items for Your Engagement Session would you have forgotten?! Send me a message over on Instagram (@morganelizabethphotos); I’d love to hear from you!

Additional Resources:

Wedding Day Survival Kit
5 Getting Ready Tips for Your Wedding Day

If you’ve never had the pleasure of exploring the North Shore of Lake Superior, take this as your sign. As a full-time wedding and elopement photographer based out of Minnesota, the North Shore holds such a special place in my heart. To say that I jumped at the chance to photograph my virtual assistant’s anniversary photos would be an understatement! Courtney and Khris’ Palisade Head State Park adventure session filled my heart with so much joy.

As I mentioned, Courtney is actually my virtual assistant! (Check her out on Instagram @cpproductivity) 🤗 Courtney and Khris made the drive up to the Duluth area a couple days earlier to do some exploring. Even though the weather wasn’t exactly cooperative during their stay, they made the most of it. The morning of their session, we met up for some much-needed coffee before looking for the perfect spot for their photos. We started off at Tettegouche State Park; my husband and I actually got engaged there! It was much fun showing them around some of my favorite places.

Palisade Head Adventure Session

We hiked out to an overlook where Palisade Head was in the background; they instantly knew they had to have their anniversary session there! Our morning together had been spent watching the radar like a hawk. Just as we decided to make the quick drive to Palisade Head, we saw some massive storm clouds rolling in over Lake Superior. When we got to the top of the park, Courtney quickly changed and we scurried down to the cliff’s edge. Courtney and Khris were such troopers as lightning was literally flashing just behind me! We knocked out their session pretty quickly and made it back into the car before the rain started to come down.

This Palisade Head State Park Adventure Session truly was such a sweet one to capture. The North Shore brings so much peace to my heart; there’s nothing more special than sharing that with others. If you’re looking for more Northern Minnesota content, stay tuned – more coming to the blog soon! Can’t wait?! Let’s be friends on Instagram (@morganelizabethphotos). 😊✨

This one goes out to all of my friends who are working from home. Whether you’ve been working remotely because of the “you-know-what” or because you were finally able to ditch your 9-5. Whatever your situation is, working from home isn’t as easy as it seems on the surface. I’ve been working from home as a full-time intimate wedding & elopement photographer – and educator – for years at this point. Yet I still hear, “It must be so nice working from home.” And while that’s true (I freaking love it), it’s not without challenges. Sound familiar? In the 4+ years I’ve been doing the dang thing, I’ve learned so much valuable information. I’m so excited to be sharing 7 work from home tips for entrepreneurs. Let’s dive in!

TIP # 1 – Get Ready for the Day

Look, it can be so easy to roll out of bed first thing in the morning, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and plop down on the couch to start your workday. But trust me… this isn’t the most efficient, effective way to be using your time. 

When you work from home, it feels like there’s almost no point in getting ready for the day, right!? Who wants to work in jeans all day when you could be in your pajamas? But believe it or not, by wearing your pajamas all day, your brain is in “relaxation mode”. Your brain is literally thinking it’s time to snuggle up on your couch or even take an afternoon nap back in bed. 

I urge you to get dressed in the morning! I’m not saying you need wear slacks and a blouse, but at least put on some different sweatpants or leggings than you wore to bed. Brush your hair and your teeth, and you’re ready for a successful start to your day! 

TIP # 2 – Establish a Workspace

Fun fact: my husband and I live in a 1-bedroom apartment; I don’t have an office! I do have a desk, though. Which trust me, my friend, it’s a game changer! Just like getting out of your pajamas, it’s so important to work at a space dedicated just to your work. Even if you only have a counter; pull up a stool and dive in. 

Being in a dedicated space not only keeps me from getting distracted from turning the TV on, it establishes a natural divide from work and “play”. 

TIP # 3 – Put Your Phone in a Different Room

I am the first to admit that I am an aimless scroller. It’s way too easy to just open your phone out of habit and scroll through Instagram or TikTok. My biggest tip to avoid this perpetual distraction?

Put your phone in a different room! Even if you work from your phone, there are plenty of tasks that you can do on your computer in lieu of your phone. I’m also guilty of thinking “oh well this is for work!” even if I’m catching up on my friends’ latest IG Stories. So turn your volume up so you don’t miss a phone call, and put your phone away. 

TIP # 4 – Set Aside Designated “Deep” Workdays

Whether it’s once a week or once a month, set aside some time where you’re able to really dig deep into your work. For example: maybe the first Tuesday of every month, you write all of the captions for your Instagram posts. Not only will you be at peace knowing that task is done, but you will have uninterrupted time to complete that task! 

Pro-Tip – Close all of your tabs on your computer while completing each “deep” task. Don’t take any meetings on these days. This is your chance to do “all” the things!

TIP # 5 – Take Breaks

No matter how much work is at hand, set a timer as a reminder to get up. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat down in the morning and before I know it… my husband is home… 7 hours later 😅  Since we got our puppy, Moss, I’ve gotten so much better at taking breaks – even if just to take him on a little walk or potty. Whether you have a pet or not, set a timer on your phone (that’s in another room) for 45 minutes. For those 45 minutes, focus on your task at hand and work as hard as you can. In the back of your mind, you’ll know that a break is just on the horizon.

TIP # 6 – Set Office Hours

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but I could shout it from the rooftops. Just because you work from home, doesn’t mean you need to be accessible 24/7!! You do not. Make your office hours known to your clients; put them in your email signature. Just as your clients will respect your office hours, you should to! This helps establish a health work-life balance which is a must when working as an entrepreneur especially!

TIP # 7 – Create a To-Do List

Whether you’re more of a pen & paper person or a digital person, put it allllll down. My mind is constantly moving – from work ideas to personal tasks. I’m a huge fan of doing a brain dump whenever I feel like I have 1,000 things on my mind. As soon as a thought pops into my mind, I put it on my list knowing that I will go back to it when I have time. 

There we have it, friends; 7 work from home tips for entrepreneurs. I’d love to hear if you have any additional tips that have shifted your productivity while working from home. Shoot me a DM over on Instagram (@morganelizabethphotos). 

Additional Resources: 

• How to Avoid Getting Ghosted
• The Survival Guide for Busy Season as a Photographer

I want to let you in on a little secret.

When I first started my photography journey, my biggest pain point was figuring out how to build a portfolio. I found myself falling into a viscous cycle, honestly. When I started dedicating myself to photography, there weren’t many resources available to help me. It was a struggle to have enough content to post in the beginning; I didn’t have “enough experience” to get my name out there. *enter viscous cycle here.* If you’ve been wondering how to build your portfolio as a photographer, stick around.

Imposter syndrome can be so incredibly real, especially as a beginner photographer. I wasn’t quite sure who or what to photograph. I also wasn’t getting paid, I got down on myself, and thought about giving up. As you can guess, I am SO glad I didn’t. 🤩

If that sounds way too familiar to yourself, my friend Sarah (sarahyatesphoto.com) and I have something that will help. Sarah and I are co-founders of The Candid Community – a community created by two-full-time photographers (turned educators) to educate, empower, and inspire photographers just like you!

We are releasing a resource designed to help guide you as you learn how to build your portfolio as a photographer! 🎉CLICK HERE TO BE ADDED TO THE WAITLIST!🎉 We can’t wait to watch you kick butt and build up that portfolio!

Additional Resources:

How to Avoid Getting Ghosted
Let’s be friends on Instagram (@morganelizabethphotos)! You can find sneak peeks, BTS, and more photography tips & resources on the ‘gram 🤩

Can I let you in on a secret? Even as a full-time wedding and couples’ photographer, my husband I struggled to find the perfect song for our first dance. 😅 If you’re like Bradyn and me, music plays such a a special part in a relationship. So if you’re at the stage in wedding planning where you’re searching for the perfect tune to slow dance to with your honey… I gotchu. I created an entire playlist of songs for your first dance, just for you!!

Before you dive into the playlist, I want to encourage you to search for a song that really reflects your relationship. Music is one of those things that has the ability to bring us right back to a moment… So make sure that the song you choose does just that. After all, in years to come, you’ll listen to your song and be brought back to your wedding day, surrounded by all of your favorite people.

Pop open a bottle of your favorite beverage, cozy up on the couch (or practice your dance moves), and turn on this FIRST DANCE PLAYLIST 🎶 full of the perfect songs for your first dance 🥂

Additional Resources:

3 Alternatives to a First Look
What to Include in Detail Photos
You already know 😉 let’s be besties over on Instagram (@morganelizabethphotos) ✨