Viewing entries tagged
engagement

A Picture-Perfect Proposal: Daniel and Elizabeth's Sunny Afternoon at Twin Lakes Beach, Santa Cruz, CA

A Picture-Perfect Proposal: Daniel and Elizabeth's Sunny Afternoon at Twin Lakes Beach, Santa Cruz, CA

In the golden embrace of a sunny afternoon at the picturesque Twin Lakes Beach in Santa Cruz, CA, a moment unfolded that was nothing short of a fairytale. It was here, with the iconic Walton Lighthouse standing majestically in the background, that Daniel chose to embark on a lifelong journey of love and commitment with Elizabeth, a momentous occasion that I had the privilege of capturing through my lens.

Daniel and Elizabeth, accompanied by their adorable black dog adorned with a red handkerchief, brought a delightful touch of familial warmth to the shoot. Their furry companion seemed to sense the love in the air, adding a playful and heartwarming element to the already blissful occasion. Each frame captured not just two people in love but a small, happy family ready to face the world together.

As the gentle waves kissed the shores and the lighthouse stood as a beacon of hope and steadfastness, Daniel knelt, and with a proposal, promised forever to Elizabeth. Her joyous acceptance was met with cheers from bystanders, as seagulls soared above, almost as if celebrating this union with their harmonious cries. It was a tableau of love, pure and heartfelt, framed perfectly by the natural beauty of Santa Cruz.

Amidst smiles, laughter, and the sparkling reflection of the sun on the gentle waves, this session became more than a proposal shoot; it transformed into a joyous celebration of love, a testimony to the beautiful journey that Daniel and Elizabeth are embarking upon, together.

San Francisco Engagement Session @ Palace of Fine Arts and Baker Beach

San Francisco Engagement Session @ Palace of Fine Arts and Baker Beach

This two-location destination is a popular choice for my Indian couples wanting to capture a slice of San Francisco beauty during their engagement shoot. The Palace of Fine arts has towering masses of architectural brilliance along with a pond, trees, water features and expansive grass lawns. It’s a popular tourist spot, so making a shoot feel like nobody else is around can be a real challenge! Next up we went to Baker Beach, where you’re practically guaranteed to see amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance, and old naked dudes even closer. Yep, it’s a nudist beach so there’s that to contend with. But these two braves the weirdness of this town and we got some stellar romantic photos at both locations. Enjoy.

Redwoods Engagement Session @ Nisene Marks, Aptos, CA

Redwoods Engagement Session @ Nisene Marks, Aptos, CA

This was a fun engagement session with a mix of natural light and off-camera lighting throughout the whole shoot. Nisene can be a pretty dark redwood forest, offering up moody, gritty photos; but if you make the extra effort to bring light into the equation, some truly creative awesomeness can be had. Below is a selection of my favorite photos from the shoot, enjoy!

Pebble Beach Surprise Engagement / Proposal

Pebble Beach Surprise Engagement / Proposal

We had a rough idea of where my client would propose to his girlfriend, but like wedding photography, I’m always prepared to roll with the fluid circumstances of a proposal. I’d checked off the important stuff: 1) Satellite image with rough location, 2) rough timing of said proposal and 3) received selfie of couple so I don’t stalk the wrong couple LOL.

Luckily both sets of parents were also with me to witness the moment – this isn’t typical, but at least gave me confidence I wasn’t going to end up in the wrong place! Apparently these two are long-time sweethearts, and life found a way to finally, formally, unite this couple after 16 years. A beautiful thing, if you ask me!

Needless to say, everything came together like clockwork. She said yes, he cried. Well, they both did. They all did. I did. Ok not that last part. But I was happy.

Here’s a selection of my faves from the proposal itself and the brief engagement shoot afterwards. Luckily they were dressed for a nice dinner in Pebble Beach . (hint: guys, always tell her there’s a nice dinner waiting so she’s not wearing her comfy sweatpants when I capture this part!). Enjoy ;)

West Cliff Dr / Santa Cruz Engagement (She Said Yes!)

West Cliff Dr / Santa Cruz Engagement (She Said Yes!)

It seems like shooting surprise marriage proposals are 90% planning and 10% execution. I mean, I don’t want to accidentally stalk the wrong couple, or maybe be hanging out 100’ from where the guy decides to drop to one knee – so it’s important to use past experience to inform a perfectly planned and photographed proposal.

I knew Steve wanted to propose to his girlfriend on West Cliff Drive (a very special place for them), and specifically on one of two benches near a cool tree at the intersection of De La Costa Avenue. The problem? The benches are constantly occupied by pedestrians who (rightly) want to stop and enjoy the view. My solution? I went up to a gentleman who was hanging out on “the bench” and told him what was going down in about 15 minutes. After confirming he planned on hanging out that long, we conspired… I showed him the picture I had of my client, so when they got close he simply got up and walked off, leaving it free for my couple and nobody else.

Small things like this delight me, and of course when Steve transitioned from bench to down-on-one-knee, I was ready and shooting away. Here’s a few of my faves…. enjoy!