Have Your Engagement Photos In A Bookstore For A Unique Experience

February 20, 2020

This hilarious couple decided to celebrate their engagement with photos at 2nd & Charles in Kettering (Dayton suburb) Ohio. We spent the better part of an hour in several rows of books creating fun and off-beat engagement pictures using books, step stools, and more. 2nd & Charles, a local bookstore, was kind to let us photograph around the store, and the couple called ahead to seek permission. As a Dayton and Cincinnati photographer, anytime I am working in a commercial space, I always get permission to be there. Then, I usually provide whatever image I got as a courtesy to the commercial entity.

Thank you to this fun couple and 2nd & Charles! You made this a fun Dayton engagement session location for me to photograph!

A Tip For You

I have a couple of tips when creating photos like this. One, make sure you have permission from the bookstore. You don’t want to anger the owners. Two, make sure you pick a time when the store is not busy. Customers who you upset may ultimately get you kicked out. Three, try interesting setups using items from the store. One of my favorite photos is the one where the books are piled high and the couple is peeking through.

Get Permission And Be Kind

I have found that management at a specific business is not always in sync with the staff. (not with 2nd & Charles) So, make sure you have names and emails available so that you can reference who you originally talked to. It is good to even have a manager’s phone number in case the employee needs to further validate your request. Doing your due diligence will ensure everything goes smoothly.

Bonus Tip For Engagement Photos In A Bookstore

A bonus tip for you is to incorporate the couples’ favorite books or genres. How cool would it be to have engagement photos alongside your favorite books? Something to watch for is to not have any unwanted titles in the photos. For example, don’t be in the fiction area if the couple only reads non-fiction. This will be greatly appreciated by the couple.