North Beach Engagement Photoshoot
Jocelynn actually found me from her cousin who attended a wedding that I photographed in 2023, and that is the absolute biggest compliment ever! It meant that not only did her cousin think that I was good at what I do just from witnessing me in action, but Jocelynn also loved my work enough to reach out herself!
I knew that we were on the same page when Jocelynn described her wedding as "dreamy forest fairy vibes" because that's exactly what I was going for for my own wedding. I love any wedding that I have the honor of shooting, but it always makes me especially excited when a couple who has my same aesthetic is able to find me.
It means that I'm doing my job right!
Jocelynn and Tanner were immediately drawn to Deception Pass, so I sent over a gallery of photos with different areas of the park so they could see what each spot looks like through my lens. I moved to Anacortes in November 2023, and I have been having the best time exploring the area and finding new photo locations! For each photoshoot, I send a location guide to help you choose what location matches your vision the best, so you feel confident and informed beforehand.
We ended up settling on North Beach within Deception Pass State Park. It has two sandy beaches full of driftwood (can't have a PNW beach without it), tree lined trails, and a cliff where you can get a perfect view of the water and the Deception Pass Bridge.
We started on the dirt trail leading down the beach so we could get the shaded lighting along with the gorgeous ferns growing there. We then moved on to the main part of the beach so we could get photos of them close to the Deception Pass Bridge.
We then moved to the other side of the beach so we could get a "beachier" look with the giant cliff in the background, and have the sun at their backs so we could get the beautiful glow behind them. I started paying extra close attention to Jocelynn's engagement ring because in case you haven't noticed - it's purple! I adore every engagement and wedding ring I get to photograph because I know how much it means to each person, and I especially love when you can just tell that it oozes the personality of the person wearing it. I asked them a few questions about it, and I learned that Jocelynn is planning on wearing a purple wedding dress! Omg!
I cannot WAIT to capture it in all of it's glory this August!
The most fun part about this location is the cliff that is in the middle of the two beaches because you can easily get on top of it and get the most amazing views! No hiking or sweating required - which is always a win for me! We spent some time shooting on the side with the bridge so we could get even bigger views of it, and then switched to the other side for the sunset and more expansive part of the beach. Although it can feel like a tight squeeze when other people are there, it's easy to move around and still get the spots you want. People tend to be pretty generous when they realize it's for a photoshoot.
We finished off the session on the other side of the cliff so we had more room on the beach and could use these very specific picnic tables that I had previously scouted out beforehand. During a photoshoot, it's always a combination of using the spots I find when I'm scouting and the new spots or objects we find in the moment. We timed the photoshoot perfectly because just as we were getting the last few shots of Tanner spinning Jocelynn around on the beach, the sun went away!
That night, I went home and sent a few "sneak peek" photos so they could have something to look at and share immediately. I also find that it just gets the couple more excited in general because they will be that much more excited and confident in what the rest of the gallery will look like.
I knew that I had done my job right when I got this reaction from Jocelynn:
"they are BEAUTIFUL!!! You literally feel like a friend that I have known forever so I know we picked the right person."
That is a win right there.
If you want to see Jocelynn and Tanner's whole engagement gallery, you can see that here.
If you have a wedding or photoshoot you would like to work on together, please don't hesitate to reach out!
Even if you don't have all the details figured out yet, I love to get involved and help you get your dream photos!
Send me a message here.
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