Black and white artistic detail shot of people's legs in tall grass.
Couple walking together through a rustic field on an overcast day.

Stranger Session: How to


Stranger Session? What is it and How do I do it?

I started out on accident. I will be transparent, I had a gal reach out and due to conflicts I didn’t end up shooting with her. 


Getting Candidates:

I first stared out making a post on a local Being Neighborly group ISO a single man with the disclaimer for what I was looking for. It was interesting on how many commented and the amount of friends nominating their guy friends. This made it a little tricky for me since a nomination can go either way so, here is how I maneuvered that. If a person nominated someone, I sent them a “What is this” handout to read and if they agreed and wanted to partake, they could contact me. That ensured buy in on their end and it peaked their interest. This is how I met T, he was so sweet and kind and knew I found a gem! 


As for the ladies, I actually reached out to my friends for girlfriends that they knew were single and might be interested. I ended up talking to a few gals and one stood out. After getting her the same document she was all game. This is how I met S, so kind, open and gentle. 


Once I got their buy in I had them fill out an About me: that had basic information for who they are and to see if their interests would match. Found a pretty generic one that allows for creative answers and allows them to see each others likes and for me to ensure there will be a few things in common. 


I began communicating with my guy and gal via videos because I wanted them to both hear my voice, mannerisms, and my body language. I didn’t want them to have to “meet” me on the day of the shoot too.

Two people in formal attire share a playful blindfolded moment in a rural field.
A joyful person wearing a dark jacket holds a colorful bouquet of flowers while standing in a field on an overcast day.
Two people stand back-to-back outdoors, one in red dress and one in dark clothing, both looking upward with flowers.

Date setting and Location scouting:


I sent them both a calendar of open dates for me and had them pick 3 days/weekends that worked with their schedule. Once I got them back, two days worked perfect and I selected the final date based on my schedule. From there we completed a questionnaire on vibes, concerns, what are ABSOLUTE NO’s, what they felt comfortable wearing. 


As we planned, there was a lot of communication between myself and the clients. I had them fill out questionnaires to make sure they know what was going to happen and I set the premise for safety first. My biggest goal was to ensure they both felt they had an out, if they needed one. I offered code words, asked what ABSOLUTE no boundaries and what is ok for me to offer (kissing, holding hands, hugging etc.) 


So with all this information we selected a location, set a date/time and outfit design and coordination.

A romantic outdoor photo with bright flowers in foreground and trees in background on cloudy day.

On the Day

On the day of I requested the male to arrive early and in a secluded location away from where I would have her park, for this I just dropped pins from Apple Maps. I met T at the park entry and I walked him to a location that allowed for a cool view and handed him his whiskey, blindfold and he brought her flowers. I gave him instructions to look at the view and I would announce I was walking with S, since she will be blind folded.  


I went to the meeting location with S and grabbed her belongings and we walked to the location, about half way I had her put on her blindfold. As we got closer I asked T to put on his blindfold and he knew my voice enough I didn’t have to scream super loud that we were coming. 

Session Itself


I had them stand back to back and holding hands, I stepped back and explained that we were about to begin and they took their shots. When we started they were both shaking and nervous and having them hold hands was a wonderful way to start the session. I opted to have her remove her mask first and meet T, and he met her shortly after. We did some walking poses and I was a little farther behind. I then offered to get their first kiss “over with” and they agreed and after that, they both CALMED down significantly. 


After that, I prompted them to tell each other stories about their lives, tell their favorite jokes and I opted for some signature dad jokes. They got comfortable and then after about 30 minutes they were posing themselves and close and intimate. 

A couple embraces in front of a moss-covered fallen tree in a moody forest setting.

At the End

The last 10 minutes I allowed them to choose how intimate they wanted to be and they opted for sitting and straddling! I was not expecting that but they both enjoyed that part. Once we concluded we walked back to the cars and ensure they both were safe to drive and they went right to dinner. 


I sent out individual questionnaires for feedback and it was wonderful. 


I hope you found this helpful and if you have any questions contact me! 


Thanks for reading! 


With love

McAuley Photography

A couple walks through tall grass while dressed in contrasting red and dark outfits.
A romantic embrace by a moss-covered log in a natural forest setting.
A couple dances near a lake with bare winter trees in the background.
A playful moment captured between two people among tree branches in a natural setting.
A romantic moment shared between two people on a tree-lined path.
A couple walking together through a grassy field with a barn visible in the background.
A joyful couple sharing a candid moment in a field of tall golden grass.
Two people embracing passionately amidst tall wheat grass with yellow flowers.
A romantic embrace captured in a sunlit field of tall grass and evergreen trees.
A bouquet of yellow sunflowers and roses frames an intimate moment.

Still have questions?


Send me a message and we can connect through zoom or FB! I have attached my FB so can message me directly as well.