Brionna + Nick // Vasquez Rocks Couples Photoshoot // Los Angeles, California

Brionna + Nick were amazing to shoot! We had the best time! This was my first time at Vasquez Rocks and it was the perfect location for this blacked-out outfit idea. Bri is also a photographer so we collaborated on this idea. I was inspired by this engagement shoot by Jonnie and Garrett so when I told Bri about the all black idea, she had the same vision! And we were both so excited with the results! Honestly, we were obsessed for days talking about this shoot.

One thing I learned from this shoot is to really invest in your couples beforehand. Bri + Nick have been friends with my husband for awhile now, but this was my first time really hanging out with them. We wanted to do a sunrise shoot, so instead of driving far to the location in the morning, my husband and I had dinner with Bri + Nick and stayed the night at their place. The time we spent together before the shoot was the real reason why I was able to capture such beautiful moments of the two. If we just went into the shoot early in the morning, not having spent any time getting to know each other, we all wouldn’t have been as comfortable and it would have shown in the pictures. Even Bri told me that she was thankful for the time spent together beforehand because she thought Nick would have been uncomfortable with me taking photos of them if he didn’t know me.

I’ve heard it from many photographers before, but be intentional about getting to know your couples and spend time with them beforehand if possible! You will be able to capture their love the right way if you do. And couples already feel awkward having to “act natural” with a big ol’ camera in their faces. So many couples are worried about looking awkward coming into their session. Invest in them, be their friend, and then you will be able to capture their real love.