It was a moody (+ slightly rainy) day the afternoon of Joe + Skylar’s engagement session. It was PERFECT! My husband Wes joined me on the session which was located in Julian, CA and the drive was so gorgeous! We took the “back way” I guess you would say and there was so much beauty with each corner we turned. It made me feel extra inspired when we met up with the happy couple.

Skylar had chosen Julian for their portraits because it was an area that had more of a country/outdoor vibe and we thought would have lots of open space to incorporate her grandpas truck which is very special to her and their whole family. Well, we were right about one thing, the scenery was gorgeous, we were wrong about there being a lot of open space. HA! We ended up finding a long driveway (leading up to an apple farm) that ended up working out just fine.

I think I say this a lot, but this was seriously one of my most favorite sessions of 2016. Despite a little hiccup of choosing an appropriate location (but actually driving around exploring was really fun!), everything else worked out so nicely! AND the intimacy of Joe + Skylar was off the charts. There were SO many candid captures I was able to get because their engagement was just so special.

A few takeaways from this session that may help you plan yours:

• Incorporate a meaningful prop, like Skylar’s grandpa’s truck. It turned out to be such a great space to pose the couple.
• Wardrobe: Choose different textures when deciding on outfits. Also, incorporate some color to create contrast. You don’t have to be matchy-matchy.
• Sometimes less is more. We didn’t have a huge location for photo taking, but I was able to get up close and personal with the couple to snap more organic moments. Less posing, more interaction…it is a better reflection of who you are as a couple anyway.
• Don’t be afraid to try new things. Having your photo taken can be daunting, so don’t be afraid to be a little goofy. And definitely smile more. The more you smile the happier you feel.

So without further delay, here are a few of my favorite moments of the day. I actually have several more favorites, so be sure and click here to see their full gallery.