We stopped and checked the map to see where Fareless Square ended and where we should get off.  I took a few photos on the train, testing my balancing skills of riding without holding on.  (Years of the NYC subway paid off I guess.)  As we went passed the 11th Avenue exit we were chatting.  Right afterwards Tiff spotted the church and we realized we should have gotten off at the last stop.  It seemed a while before the train stopped again.

As we were getting off the train, I was in front of Tiff and Adam.  I walked right into a transit police officer (the first I have ever seen in my 4+ years in Portland) asking to see everyone’s tickets.  I tried to dodge to the right quietly realizing now that we must have gone out of the free area by accident.  The officer stopped us, and we told her our story of how we meant to get off and we really thought PGE Park was still in Fareless.

She started asking where we were from.  It may have helped us that Tiff and Adam were still licensed in California, having not been back in Portland long.  The officer took all our driver’s licenses and called them in to make sure we had no other offenses.  Then she sat down and wrote us all warning tickets.  Turns out the fine is $175 normally so we were very happy with our warning!

After photographing around the churches, we walked back down to the MAX station on 11th.  It was fun and certainly my most memorable engagement session yet.

Dress in something that represents you. Think about where we are photographing when you choose your outfit. High heels and a dress may not work well if you want photos in a field, unless you are a kick off your shoes and run barefoot type.

Talk to each other before dressing. You don’t need to match your fiance but you shouldn’t clash. You’ll want to be about the same formality. One of you in a suit, and one in your favorite ripped jeans might look silly. Being a little aware of how your colors go together is good too.

Avoid clothing that will over power the photograph. I had business portraits done last year and wore a top that was patterned with bold flowers all through my mid-section. If you are a size 2 this might be okay and give the illusion that you have more curves. On me, it draws attention to my mid-section and the pattern is just too bold, drawing attention away from my face. I still really like this shirt but not for photos. Logos, even small ones, and writing are even worse.

Think about color. Most people look best in certain colors. Black is a difficult one for photos. For some it works okay, but it can wash out pale skin. It also tends to fade and show every little piece of lint.

Break the rules. Always feel free to bend, twist, or break the rules. Maybe your fiance always wears bright blue polka dots suits, and you love all black. Then this is who you are and by all means express it!

When in doubt, bring a couple of outfits or at least shirts. Email me, or comment on this post, if you have specific questions.