TL;DR
- This couple only wanted the Santa Monica Pier. After reading their story, we added Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice Beach to match their personality.
- Her dress changed our Santa Monica plan: we started on the quiet tree-lined walk before the pier, then saved the rides and colorful corners for the fun shots.
- Every booking starts with two questions, “Tell us about yourselves” and “Why did you choose us?” Your answers shape where we shoot and how we direct you.
- Anyone can copy a composition. Nobody can copy you, so we plan the location around the couple, not the other way around.
Search “Los Angeles engagement photos” and you’ll notice something: a lot of them look the same. Same pier, same sunset, same poses.
That’s not a knock on anyone. When everyone shoots in the same handful of places, the photos start to blur together. So before we think about where to shoot, we want to know who we’re photographing.
This couple came to us wanting one location: the Santa Monica Pier. We ended up at the pier and on Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice Beach, and their gallery looks like nobody else’s. Here’s how that happened.
Two Questions We Ask Every Couple
We get excited every time an inquiry comes in. Not just because it’s another session, but because we get to figure out who these two people are. We love puzzles, and every couple is one: what will make these photos feel the most like them, and the most like the happiest version of them?
So when you book with us, we ask you two things:
- Tell me about yourselves.
- Why did you choose us?
We always encourage couples to write more than they think they need to. The longer the answer, the more the good stuff comes out: the little TMI details, the things you love about each other that you’d never say out loud at a dinner party.
Two things happen when you do this. First, you get comfortable with us before we’ve even met. By the time we’re standing at the location, you’ve already told us your story, so the nerves fade much faster. Second, we read more than just your words. How you write — your tone, the details you choose to mention — tells me a lot about the direction we should take.
The second question matters just as much. There are a lot of great photographers out there. When the reason you picked us lines up with the reason we do this work, we’re usually on the same page about everything else too. And it gives you one more chance to tell us what really matters to you.
Venice Beach Engagement Photos on Abbot Kinney
When this couple first reached out, the Santa Monica Pier was the only place on their list. But the more they told us about themselves, the more we could picture them in Venice. You can probably see it in their outfits — these two have real personality, and we didn’t want to put them somewhere that was just “pretty.”
We wanted a spot with character that was still an easy hop from Santa Monica, so we suggested adding Abbot Kinney Boulevard. It turned out to be exactly the right call.
Santa Monica Pier Engagement Photos: When the Dress Changes the Plan
A few weeks before the session, they sent us a photo of the dress she’d be wearing. It changed our plan for Santa Monica. That dress deserved something a little more elegant than carnival lights, so we started on the tree-lined walk before the pier. Those trees have grown up in the ocean wind and sun for years, and the path is one of our favorite quiet corners in the area.
On the pier itself, part of us wanted to go big and playful to match their personalities. But the dress told us they also wanted something refined, so we directed the poses with that in mind. We still rode the rides and found the most colorful corners — we weren’t going to leave those out.
Editing for Elegance and Personality
Capturing elegance and personality in the same set is a balancing act. Usually props or color do a lot of the heavy lifting. For this gallery, we wanted the color grade to bring those two sides together, and we spent a long time in the edit. Push the color too far and it starts to look dated. Pull it back too much and the personality disappears. Finding that middle was worth every hour.
Do Los Angeles Engagement Photos Have to Look the Same?
Any photographer can copy a composition or a mood. What can’t be copied is you — who you are, what you’re wearing, the things you bring that say something about you. That’s what we build every session around, and it’s why we suggest locations and directions instead of handing you the same shot list everyone else gets.
Los Angeles Engagement Photos: FAQ
Can we shoot at Venice Beach and the Santa Monica Pier in one session?
Yes. This couple did both: Abbot Kinney for personality, Santa Monica for elegance and the pier. If you’d like to include both, let’s talk about the time available and the locations you have in mind.
Where else can we take engagement photos in Los Angeles besides the Santa Monica Pier?
The pier is a classic for a reason, but it’s not your only option. Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice has storefronts, murals and a laid-back energy that suits couples with a strong personal style. The tree-lined walk just before the pier is a quieter, more elegant alternative. Tell us about yourselves and we’ll suggest spots that fit you.
Is the Santa Monica Pier area comfortable for an engagement shoot?
The pier is a busy public space, so it’s worth thinking about how comfortable you feel around crowds. If you’d prefer a quieter setting, tell us before your session so we can discuss locations that feel right for you.
Does what we wear really change the photos?
A lot. Sharing your outfits before the session helps us picture the direction. This couple sent us a photo of the dress a few weeks ahead, and it’s the reason we added the tree-lined walk and directed more refined poses on the pier.
Why do you ask so many questions before the session?
Because your answers decide the plan. How you describe yourselves, and why you chose us, tells us which locations, poses and editing style will feel most like you. It also means you already know us a little by the time we meet, so the nerves fade faster.
Do you only photograph in Los Angeles?
No. We’re based in San Francisco and Las Vegas and shoot engagement sessions and weddings across Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and beyond.
Planning Your Los Angeles Engagement Session?
We’re a San Francisco and Las Vegas wedding photography team, and we shoot engagement sessions and weddings across Los Angeles too. If you want photos that feel like the two of you, not like everyone else’s, we’d love to hear your story.
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