Ryan & Ambre are ready to say, I do.

The engagement photo session is much more than a few hours holding hands and smiling into the camera. For most, this is the first time the couple has ever been professionally photographed together. Sure, they have had photos taken of them, but never in an intimate setting, just the two of them...and me. How awkward, right?! I say, no. It is the time I get to know them before the big day. Before you have them hold hands or hold a kiss for a few seconds in front of me. Before they choose what to wear or how she should do her makeup. Connecting on a personal level with my clients prior to any kind of photo shoot helps my clients relax and forget that I am following their every move. Let's face it, unless you have years of practice in front of the camera, a person can surely feel like a fish out of water. How do I change that?

The main reason I include an engagement session in my wedding package, is for me to truly get to know a couple on a level that goes beyond photographer/client. It is a way for us to become friends who respect each other. We are able to joke around and laugh. We are able to talk about life, goals and dreams. We are all human. We all have similarities. We share stories about growing up. We all agree that we want the best for the ones we love. People have made the decision to hire me. I am involved in one of the most important days of their lives. I want to be apart of that day, not as someone who shows up with a few cameras and hides behind chairs to take a shot, but to be able to stand next to their family and create images that include a feeling of belonging and timelessness.

Ryan and Ambre are ready to say I do. Before we met for the session, I already knew a lot about them. This helps me and the connection they have with the camera. We spent time walking down alleyways & watched the setting sun at one of my favorite coves in Benicia. Kona, their dog joined us too. If you let people be themselves & surround them in kindness and support, not only will you see a result worth publishing, you will see the beginning of a friendship which in turn, leads me in capturing many more life moments for them.

How cool is that?!

xoxo

Erin