Q: “Name one or two of your most unforgettable photo shoots and why it meant a lot to you.” (By Patricia)
A: Kyle and Lindsey’s engagement session definitely was an unforgettable photo shoot. They’re both very artistic individuals, very loving, and very down-to-earth. I remember them saying that they wanted me to photograph them, because their vision of how they wanted to share and showcase their love with their friends and family (on their wedding day) was something they felt lined up with my style of photography. They could’ve told me that they wanted to hire me because they’re friends of mine or they could’ve said that I fit in their budget, but they didn’t. Shared visions and style = great teamwork, trust, and a good time producing great results.
We started the session at my house. More specifically, in my backyard. The grass was growing really tall and there was a bunch of sharp, prickly things that caught onto our feet and legs, but we boldly trekked the large field on a simmering, hot day. I remember these details, because I have photos to help remind me of it. Photographic memory, indeed!
I remembered there was a fancy looking red chair sitting idly in my house. My roommate wasn’t home so I kindly borrowed it for a few short minutes and hiked it to the middle of the field. I’m going to be honest and say that this was before I knew about the chair-in-the-field shot trend that’s happening right now. I was thinking about Lindsey and not wanting her to sit too long on prickly things. (Although, she did end up sitting on the ground for other shots).
After some photos in the backyard we drove out of the San Fernando Valley and went to a rose garden in Pasadena. At the entrance they asked me if I was there to take photos. I said, “Yes, of my friends.” Because they believed me (and because it’s true) they let us photograph around the place, but we minded ourselves like it wasn’t a professional photo shoot. Sneaky, sneaky us!
Lastly, we went to downtown Pasadena for our third look and took a break eating dinner at a pizza spot. Sitting down, eating a meal, and talking about their plans for the wedding is one of my favorite things to do with folks I photograph. Kyle talked about having dolphins jump into the air when it was time for their “You may kiss the bride” kiss and Lindsey laughed with me as we were both wondering if Kyle was serious about his idea. There is no photo of this conversation, proof my memory is holding up pretty well.
We ended the night walking up and down the streets and through the alleys, stopping whenever we wanted to try an idea out and create something that was special to them. There’s this intersection in Old Town Pasadena where pedestrians can choose to cross diagonally to the other corner. We thought it’d be a great shot to have them go in the middle of the busyness and have him dip Lindsey. We didn’t get a shot we loved until 2 or 3 tries, which meant having to wait to cross another 2 or 3 times. So, by the time we got it there was a crowd that had built up watching us perform our idea leading to some nice applause and praise from strangers.
We also quickly jumped into a diner because I liked the window. I had them sit by it while I captured them from outside. The manager was catching on with what we were doing so he asked them to leave, but I had already gotten what we wanted. This is also another sneaky way some of us photographers get great shots.
By the end of our day session about 8 hours had passed. Yes, we did an 8-hour engagement session. I don’t think I’d want to do this for every single one of my sessions, but I’ll do it if everyone is having fun and pursuing a vision together. In a couple of weeks, Kyle and Lindsey will be celebrating their 2-year anniversary. They’re both still an inspiration for me and gave me a photo shoot that I will never forget. Cheers and much love to you two! 
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