When Andrew suggested we take take his engagement session down the south coast, he explained they had a holiday house, which they have been going to for years. I’m glad Andrew suggested it. I’m a firm believer of taking photos at locations that have some sort of meaning rather than just a nice view.
So the take away from today’s blog post. When planning your engagement portrait session, or any portrait session for that matter, pick a location that has special meaning to you or at the very least, makes you feel comfortable. Locations, such as where you first met, had a first date or simply, where you frequently hang out together, work well. If the location you’ve chosen has a good view, it’s a bonus but it shouldn’t be the only reason.
The drive down the coast from Sydney was easy going and it gave me plenty of time to think about Amy and Andrew’s engagement session. When I finally arrived at Carrajung Point, I completely understood why Andrew and his family visited the the area so much. The views were nothing short of spectacular and I could spend days exploring.
Amy and Andrew knew exactly where they wanted their photos taken and drove me around to some of the locations they had in mind for their engagement portrait session.
One location was called Flat Rock: a beautiful white sand beach, part of which led onto a massive flat rock. The beach had a few families enjoying the afternoon at the beach, and Amy and Andrew even got congratulations from some of the people on the beach.
It’s not easy being photographed in front of a crowd, but Amy and Andrew did an excellent job to block everyone out. I’m still not sure what Andrew kept whispering into Amy’s ear, but it kept her laughing and provided for some intimate shots. Maybe he was telling Amy how lucky they were to have found such a talented and good looking photographer…. ok , maybe not.
Whatever it was, it made for some natural and relaxed portraits. Good work Andrew!
As the sun started its descent, we used the warm glow of the sun poking through the trees as the back light, and created some romantic portraits with the afternoon light. To finish off the session, I took out my lighting equipment to enhance the last bit of sunlight to take a few more portraits and of course, one with the whole family 🙂
The photo at the top of the blog post is my favourite from the session. It was taken at Flat Rock, with the sun darting in and out from behind the clouds all afternoon. For the few minutes, the sun behaved itself and I think the photo turned out pretty special. You can imagine the photo as a large wall canvas hanging in the lounge room.
Thanks to Amy & Andrew for being excellent hosts for the afternoon. A special mention to Amy who did the whole engagement session with an injured knee, and wasn’t phased by some of the dodgy paths we had to walk on.
Just got engaged? Looking for a Wedding Photographer, who can cover Canberra & Sydney areas? Call Mike on 0410 691 114 or fill out the contact form to enquire.
Looking for a Wedding Photographer, who can cover Canberra & Sydney areas? Call Mike on 0410 691 114 or fill out the contact form to enquire.