Engagement

There’s no such thing as leaving your heart in San Francisco – when you love SF, a little piece of the city embeds itself in your soul and travels with you everywhere you go. Such was the case with Amy and Tyler, who brought their love for each other to the city that they adore, making it a richer and more beautiful place than ever before.

It was Amy’s idea to do their engagement session at the gorgeous Palace of Fine Arts, a place I know well and am only too happy to photograph anytime! Though the encroaching fog canceled our plans for some Golden Gate Bridge shots across the street, it did give us soft, filtered light that made for stunning photography at this classic San Francisco landmark. Amy and Tyler were resilient, weathering the quickly dropping temperature with lots of giggles and grace (and plenty of hugs! Note to self: *slightly* under-dressing for coastal weather makes for a verrrry cuddly couple, must try again).

Usually, at the beginning of a session, I give prompts to couples to encourage them to interact with each other in an authentic and natural way. In other words – hold hands, kiss, and forget that me and my lens are all up in your space! Not so with Amy and Tyler. From the very beginning, they only had eyes for each other. What I wouldn’t give to know what Tyler was saying to his fiancé to make her laugh so much! It doesn’t get much better than working with a deliriously happy, beautiful couple in one of the most striking locations in San Francisco. Architecture and landscape are the two themes that drive my photography style, and when I get to experience both with the emotions of a lovely couple…oh, it’s just magic.

Tyler’s parents are longtime friends of mine (I’ve known his dad for 15 years!), so it was really awesome to have this opportunity to get to know him and Amy by sharing this special milestone with them. Congratulations Amy and Tyler on your engagement and all the best as you plan for your wedding. It’s going to be amazing!

Cheers,

Happiness! That’s pretty much all I need to say about Mary and Bart’s amazing evening engagement session at the Burroughs Family Ranch in Ballico. When we started the session, I warned them that it was going to be one big love and kissing fest, but wasn’t prepared for them to take me so literally. (Haha, I’m glad they did though!) These two only had eyes for each other, laughing and enjoying some peaceful moments together on Mary’s family ranch. Aside from Bart’s constant joking that kept Mary in stitches, there were photobombing lambs and their rambunctious Jack Russell, Brodie, to keep things lively.

I met Mary several years ago on a Best Buddies cycling team, and we’ve been friends ever since. Mary and Bart are also involved with Team In Training and are avid adventurers, so it was only natural that they include something athletic in their engagement session. I was so excited when Mary told me that they were bringing vintage bikes – because what could be better backdrop for some vintage cycling than dirt roads and ranch silos?

Everything about Mary and Bart’s engagement session was perfect: the light, the location, and of course, the LOVE between these two amazing people. Seeing your friend find someone that means the world to her, and then becoming friends with that person too – understanding just how awesome he is in the process – is priceless. I can’t wait to photograph their wedding this fall.

Thank you Mary and Bart for inviting me to capture your love for one another. And special thanks to my husband Steve for providing lighting assistance and offering his flawless dog handling skills!

Love & Happiness,