When talking to Amanda Stanton about her dream engagement photos, Amanda wanted their love captured in an authentic way. A way that felt true to them. Both being homebodies, an in-home session was perfect! We started the engagement shoot in Amanda’s BEAUTIFUL Orange County home. Her living room was the perfect romantic backdrop for the engagement shoot. Amanda, of course, had the best outfits for her shoot. Feather sleeves, sequins dresses, and one perfectly casual look. From their home, we headed down the street to talk photos on one of Corona Del Mar’s stunning beaches. We made it just in time for sunset. Amanda and Michael were brave as I captured their love in front of hundreds of people. The engagement shoot of Amanda Stanton and Michael Fogel was wonderful and magical. The two of them are kind, funny, and deeply in love. It was an honor to capture their love in this season of life. Next stop…the wedding!
Shooting engagement photos at the beach can be difficult with the harsh light. I’ve learned to take photos at the beach only with the last twenty minutes of light. This way you avoid the harsh sun and instead get that yummy golden hour look. After the sunsets, my favorite time of day as an engagement photographer is BLUE HOUR! AKA what I’d argue as the best light of the day. All my favorite couple captures come from the blue hour. Blue hour is a great time to lower your shutter and take that yummy blurry photo. Scroll to the bottom of this blog post to check out my motion blur photos!
If I’m only doing twenty minutes of beach engagement photos…where am I using that other time? In-home! I love pairing beach photos with an in-home romantic engagement session. This offers variety for your client but also for the photographer. The beach can get repetitive so adding in an in-home helps keep my creativity alive!
FLASH! Don’t forget to pack your flash when taking engagement photos in a home. Sometimes your couple’s home can have poor lighting, and you’ll need another light source! I pull out my canon flash and set up my couple against blank walls or have them sitting on the trendiest couch. Amanda Stanton’s house was of course perfect. Full of all white furniture, white curtains, and white walls. MMM a wedding photographer’s DREAM!
