Some sessions just click from the first hello, and this was one of them. Taylor and Trevor drove all the way up from Chico for their Baldwin Beach engagement session, and I’m so glad they did, because we ended up with some of my favorite images I’ve taken all year.
We started at the water in South Lake Tahoe, where Taylor had brought a bouquet of wildflowers, a bottle of champagne, and coupe glasses tucked into a little basket. It set the whole tone right away: easy, romantic, a little celebratory. From there we drove ten minutes up the road to a hidden little meadow with views of Mt. Tallac in the distance, and the photos we got in that field are unreal.
Why these two made my job easy
Here’s the truth about how sessions like this happen: it’s about the people. First off Taylor and Trevor are best friends. Having grown up together, they have a self-proclaimed kismet connection and I could tell from the second I met them that these two are so stupid in love and they are in for the long haul.
They were also up for absolutely anything. I always tell my couples that I’m going to pose and prompt you into things, and then I want you to take that and run with it — give me the movement, the running hands through hair, the twirling, the stolen glances and kisses and handholds (and booty grabs, if that’s your thing). Some couples freeze at that. These two just went for it.
They giggled, they laughed, they tried every single thing I threw at them, and we genuinely just had a blast. And because they’re so ridiculously in love, the whole session basically felt like watching two best friends hang out. My job in those moments is barely a job. I just get to play around and make memories with you.
That’s the thing I want you to know if you’re reading this and wondering if we’d be a good fit: the images come from the vibe. I listen to what you want, I guide you the whole way, and we have fun. You don’t have to be a model. You just have to be into each other and willing to play!
Sneaking in a little film at their Baldwin Beach engagement session
I picked up my first film camera at the end of my senior year of college when the photography dept was getting rid of their back stock of them. I played with it for like a week and never touched it again. This summer, I picked it back up and have started to fall in love with the medium! I can’t wait to incorporate film into more of my weddings and sessions — the vibe and nostalgia factor of film photography is truly unmatched!
Why book an engagement session at all?
Taylor and Trevor booked a wedding photography collection that included an complimentery engagement session. Now my clients don’t have to use it they don’t want to, butttt these two did so they could get to know me before their wedding day; and that’s the reason I include them! I want to get to know you IRL before the big day. Plus an engagement sesh does a couple other things:
- It celebrates this exact season of your life, the one right before everything changes.
- You get beautiful professional photos of the two of you that aren’t in wedding attire — I mean I’m sure you’re going to look amaze on the day BUT who wouldn’t photos in normal clothes living everyday life!?
- It’s basically a low-stakes practice run for your wedding day. You get comfortable in front of the camera w/ zero fuss, no guests waiting on you, no timeline breathing down your neck. Just an easy hang with your hunny & amazing photos to go along with it.
By the time your wedding rolls around, you’ll already feel more confident because you’ll me, how I work, and the photos of yourself that you like best! That head start is worth so much. (I wrote a whole post on this — here’s why you should book an engagement session with your wedding photographer.)
Speaking of wedding! Wanna see how their wedding turned out? Check out their romantic backyard wedding in Auburn, CA.
Come to Tahoe, or take me somewhere
Most of my wedding collections come with a complimentary engagement session (discounted engagement sesh rates for my collections that don’t have them included)! They can be used here in Tahoe or if you’re dreaming of somewhere farther — the coast, Yosemite, even NYC — we can absolutely make it happen, you’d just cover the travel for that one.
