California Photographer, Alyn Stafford

What comes to mind when you think of engagement photography? Typically, couples who come to me that want an engagement photo are looking for a nice photograph of them to display at their wedding. It’s typically a head shot of the couple with a park or the beach as a back drop. While this is part of any engagement photo session I shoot in Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, or Riverside County, I like to stretch the imagination a bit more.

I like to give the couple a bit of a selection to choose from when we perform the engagement photo session. It’s what some photographers would call lifestyle portraits. I basically like to find out more about the couple when we meet and then design a photo shoot around the common interest of the couple. For example in this first engagement photo shot in Los Angeles (San Pedro).

In the above photo, I wanted to set a feeling of freedom. Here the couple where carefree and fun. Photographing the couple playing and running along the beach communicated the combined personality of the two of them. Adding the two rocks to the foreground was symbolic of the two and their “rock solid” love for one another. I know it may sound corny, but it made for a very nice engagement photo.

In the next example, the couple had their heart set on a sunset engagement photo shoot in Oceanside (San Diego County). While we began early in the day, I observed that the clouds where rolling in and we where not going to get the sunset shot they desired. However, by adding filters to the camera, I was able to achieve a surreal, mystic image of the two on the Oceanside Pier. It’s as if they where the only ones their.

And finally, having selected Pasadena for this engagement photo shoot, I found that this couple where open to different ideas that departed from the norm. It spoke volumes about their personalities. In turn, their engagement photography reflects it.

In the end, creating a memorable engagement photo session with images that depart from the norm, takes careful planning and a wedding photographer willing to go the extra mile to capture the both of you and your personality. My recommendation is to meet with the photographer, view their engagement photos and ask them if they take lifestyle type engagement portraits.