I'm really excited to be writing about this session. It's been a dream of mine to be shooting with couples while I #travel and I was over the moon excited to make this happen! To start off, my fiancé and I were traveling down from Vancouver Island to Irvine California. Yes, this was the longest road trip of my life. The 22 hours consisted of lots of snacks, naps and Netflix.
Once we arrived we were so thrilled to take advantage of the Golden state and embrace allll the sunshine Mother Nature blessed us with! I reached out to a few couples in the area via #instagram and asked if they were interested in a free session. This amazing couple reached back right away and was just as excited as I was about my vision which really elevated our session.
I wanted to go somewhere with a pretty background that was different than my home on Vancouver Island, and the couple really stepped it up by suggesting a beautiful spot in the middle of Irvine. This location was loved by the couple because they had a date here previously and wanted to go back - so this photoshoot was a great excuse to do so! The field of palm trees was an added bonus. Now let me tell you, the wind was nutty. I've never shot in such windy weather before so I was bracing myself not only for the cold weather but also coming up with poses that wouldn't add to their hair blowing in ten different directions!
We chatted about outfit ideas back and fourth and they honestly couldn't have been better. This couple really knows how to dress to impress and their outfit coordination went beautifully with the background. The goal with clothing is to wear something that you feel comfortable and confident in and that is not distracting. These two nailed it. Once we met up at our location we chatted for a few minutes to get to know each other (don't worry I don't like small talk either - my #photoshoot conversations are far more entertaining!). Then we ripped off the band-aid and the couple took off their puffer jackets and we got to work! The first prompts I used consisted of lots of movement to ease any nerves and help warm up the couple. I'm talking *almost* literally running back and fourth. I do this sometimes during rainy sessions or just straight-up cold days to warm each other up and it always gets them laughing and into their groove! Also makes for great natural candids.
Our vision was golden hour but the clouds in the sky had other plans. Instead of using natural light for a golden glow I used an old pair of pantyhose and upped my Kelvin to about 7000 to achieve this filmy vibe, which is honestly such a #trend right now and fun to do!
All in all, everything turned out amazing. The couple was so sweet and we naturally bonded over similarities. We shared so many laughs, stories and just embraced the weather that evening in all its glory. These two really understood the assignment and took these shots to the next level! I wouldn't have had it any other way. I already hope to see them again on my next adventure down south.
Lexi x
