Brianna and Tyler’s San Diego beach engagement session featuring their pup Kona. Photography by Kami Olavarria
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Shelby and Zack’s incredible Pacific Northwest engagement session; featuring their tiny home and Lake Cushman. Photography by Kami Olavarria
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Marissa and Landen’s portrait session at Sunset Cliffs, San Diego. Photography by Kami Olavarria
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Amy and Mike’s Lake Cuyamaca Engagement Session. Photography by Kami Olavarria
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Jen & Pete’s Torrey Pines Engagement Session. Photography by Kami Olavarria
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Kam+Zion / Seattle Airstream Engagement Session Inspiration
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Hannah+Tylor /// First of all, I AM SO EXCITED TO BE THEIR WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER. When I picture #dreamcouple, it's these two. They have the coolest style (I don't feel nearly cool enough to be photographing them) and all the plans they've told me for their wedding make me do a happy dance. They also like each other A LOT which makes my job of photographing them hella easy. :)
This is a prime example of a perfect + successful engagement session. Hannah sent me a list of photos ahead of time of engagement images that inspire her and Tylor. I was able to look at those images and create a plan for our shoot that hit all of the things they were excited about while still keeping it unique to them. The images she showed me weren't even from Washington (most of them were from my California sessions!), but I was able to figure out what she was most excited by and find places that matched those vibes. They also sent me their outfits ahead of time also helped me plan where we should be and when and with what outfits. Protip - before engagement sessions, if I ever ask you for inspo pictures or to see your outfits, it's not because I'm a control freak! It's because I want to help plan the shoot of your drrrreams.
We started in Bellingham, where Hannah+Tylor met and currently live (and also where I met her working my coffee shop job in college!). They are both huge music lovers+musicians, so I took them to a record store to start our shoot off. I've been dying to shoot a couple in a record store but wanted it to be the RIGHT couple (H+T were IT). We stopped by the Woods Coffee at Boulevard Park (where her and I met awhhhh I KNOW IT'S NOT ABOUT ME OKOKOK I JUST LOVE HER), then we headed to Christanson's Nursery in Mt. Vernon (my favy fav fav nursery to shoot in) and ended at Deception Pass for sunset. This session was about 4-5 hours including driving around to the different places and I am OBSESSED with the results.
ENJOY Y'ALLLLLLLL! And I can't freaking wait to shoot the crap outta their wedding this fall... it's going to be LIT as the kids say (but for real it's going to be so dope).
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Kate+Kenny(+Maverick). I've said it before and I'll say it again: dogs are ALWAYS welcome at engagement sessions. :)
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Heather&Tanner ///
Photographers shootin' photographers... it's a good thing y'all. Heather is a wedding photographer herself (which means I was equal parts excited+nervous to shoot them). A love story 8 years in the making, these two have been together since high school. These hockey and theme park addicts are getting married this fall in Lake Arrowhead and it's going to be SO wonderful.
Shooting in Joshua Tree is always my favorite. It doesn't matter how many times I go there, it still feels new every time. Each time I find a different little part of the park to focus in on and every session turns out different. I always do a little happy dance when people say they want to do their shoot in J Tree - FOR REAL I will never say no. :)
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Hannah and Robert and my favorite kind of engagement shoot day. The kinda day where we spent hours exploring Julian and driving around before we started shooting, got a meal together - we didn't even start shooting until we had spent, like, 6 hours together. They have an easy kind of love that is fun to photograph and I can't WAIT to shoot their wedding this November.
Engagement shoot tip: When a session involves more than an hour drive, I like to drive together! It gives us time to chat and get to know each other en route (which is the biggest point of engagement shoots for me). I like to take our time, get there early and explore, and MOST OF ALL make sure my couples are well-fed and have had a drink or two if they want. Oftentimes the mornings before shoots are stressful and hectic, running around getting last minute things done, so things like a good meal or beverages get forgotten. HANGER IS REAL and I don't want anyone hangry during our shoots! I try to leave room in the schedule for those necessary+helpful things that often get forgotten on engagement shoot day.
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