I recently had the privielge of working with a SUPER cute couple, Daniela & Carlos, for their engagement session in Orange County.
For their engagement photos the couple wanted to capture the fun and carefree tone of their relationship together. They decided on a nature location for it’s calm and whimsical vibe and I sent them some options from my preferred locations to pick from.
I always encourage my couples to pick two outfits for their session. It helps to break things up and create more variety in your pictures. Here’s the thing: Wedding pictures are super important, but engagement pictures may be the photos you use more often because they’re typically less formal. When you split up your engagment session with one formal look and one casual look, you get a solid selection of images that you can pick from for a wide range of uses.
Carlos and Daniela chose a dressy look for their first outfit and I think it paired nicely with the warm, whimsical style of the brightly lit open feild.
One of the things I hear from almost every person and couple that I photograph is that they feel nervous about being in front of the camera. This is a totally normal feeling! The photos you see in my portfolio, website and social media are all normal people who were nervous too! During my sessions I coach my clients through the process with direction and little games that evoke natural smiles and expressions.
For this next shot, I had my assistant hold a portable softbox and light so that I could take control of my lighting and capture a starburst look from the sun. My lens picked up the light reflecting off of little flecks of dust and that created the sparkly specks you see in the image, I liked the way it added a little “magical” feel to the image and decided to leave them in when I edited the image.
For their second look, the couple chose a more casual look that went well with the scenery and helped us switch up the mood as the sun started to go down.
For this shot, I loved the way the sunlight was coming in through the trees and the arch shape of hte branches behind the couple. I put the couple in place and shoot through some leaves to add some extra depth to the image. The leaves in the forefront are out of focus so you can’t see them in the image, but they help to create the subtle blur effect you see in the forefront of the picture. Check out the Behind the scenes video below and one of the resulting images after!
Of course, we had to get a close up of the ring! ð
Daniela noticed these pretty white flowers along the trail so we took a few minutes to incorporate them into the photos.
If you’ve been following along with my photography for some time, you probably already know that I love blending natural light and artificial lights to create unique imagery for my clients. I loved the way these trees created a miniature tunnel and I wanted to create something an intimate series of images for the couple. The thing was, it was starting to get dark and the image wouldn’t really pop with just the natural light available. By adding a light behind them, I was able to highlight the couple visually and add a little sparkle of light to the leaves framing them.
I love shooting series of images when I work with my couples! It helps tell the story better and makes for great spreads in an album or a multi-image wall display that they can enjoy in their home!
Thanks so much for stopping by to check out Carlos & Daniela’s engagement session!
I love working with couples in love! If you’re looking for engagement or anniversary photos with you and your beau, I’d love to discuss your vision with you! Fill out my contact form to get in touch!
