September

Photoshoot Feature

 

Alejandra & Miguel's Engagement Photos

Some couples show up ready for a photoshoot, Alejandra and Miguel showed up with a plan.


I first heard from them through my TikTok DMs, and they immediately booked two engagement sessions at two different locations to give themselves plenty of options for their Save The Dates. For this session, they wanted greenery, which can be surprisingly hard to find during a Northern California summer. UC Davis gave us exactly what we were looking for, creating the perfect backdrop for this chapter of their story.


Let's dive into their session!

 

 

Planning for the Perfect Story

 

I loved how intentional Alejandra and Miguel were about their engagement photos from the very beginning. Booking two locations gave us the opportunity to create two completely different collections of images, giving them plenty of options when it came time to choose their Save The Dates. I always appreciate when clients come into a session knowing what they want, especially when it gives us room to get creative along the way. My job is to take that vision and find a way to bring it to life while still leaving room for the unexpected moments that happen naturally.

 

Finding Green in the Golden State

 

One of the things Alejandra and Miguel wanted most was greenery. During the hot months in Northern California, that can be a little harder to find than you'd think. Summer usually brings plenty of beautiful golden tones, especially with the dry grass throughout the area. While I love those warm California colors, they weren't what we were looking for this time. It's important to me that my clients get the photographs they've actually envisioned. Sometimes that means working with what a location naturally gives us, and sometimes it means searching a little harder to find the right place. UC Davis gave us exactly what we were looking for.

 

The Colors We Didn't Have to Plan

 

Alejandra and Miguel chose neutral colors for their outfits completely on their own, and I couldn't have planned it better myself. The softer tones allowed the greenery around them to become part of the image without competing for attention. I already had a softer, romantic direction in mind for these photographs, and their outfits fit into that vision beautifully. I always love when a couple brings their own choices into a session and somehow everything falls perfectly into place.

 

Secretly Track Stars

 

Then came the running photos.

I'm convinced these two are secretly track stars because they absolutely committed to them. Some poses can feel a little intimidating when you're first getting in front of a camera, so I love finding ways to turn the session into something that feels more like an experience than a series of poses. The running photos gave us plenty of laughs, movement, and a chance for them to forget about the camera entirely. Some of my favorite images come from moments like that.

 

Leaning Into Each Other

 

One thing I noticed throughout the entire session was how naturally Alejandra and Miguel leaned on each other. Literally, sometimes. But also in the way they moved through the photoshoot together. There was a lot of laughing, a lot of playfulness, and a willingness to let each other be part of the moment. That's something I always hope to capture with couples. The little interactions that happen between the "perfect" poses are often the ones that tell you the most about two people. A hand reaching for the other person. A laugh that wasn't planned. Someone leaning in just a little closer. Those are the moments that make an engagement session feel like their engagement session.

 

More Than a Save The Date

 

At the end of the day, these photographs will eventually become Save The Dates, announcements, invitations, or maybe just images they keep tucked away for themselves.

But right now, they're documenting a very specific chapter.

The chapter where they're engaged. The chapter where wedding planning becomes even more real. The chapter where they're simply two people who are very excited to spend the rest of their lives together. And I'm grateful they trusted me to document a little piece of it. Congratulations, you two!