For this shoot I used a Canon 80D, Sigma 24-70mm lens, and a 28mm Creator FX Vintage Mist Filter.
Edited using Athena + Camron's Seasons AI Presets + Dylan Fox presets.
I met Sterling and Beverly in middle school (middle school!! that's an entire lifetime ago!) and they started dating in high school. I started dating my fiancé in high school (the same high school as Bev + Sterling) so I always have a soft spot for those who found their person when they were young. Since they have been together for so long, the level of comfort and ability to laugh together shined through and made their photos even better!
Since we started just before golden hour, I decided to start at the beginning of the Rattlesnake Ridge trailhead to take advantage of the remaining sunlight we had left.
It's my favorite place to get forest photos that is close to Seattle because you don't have to hike at all to make it look like we are deep in the woods - which is a huge bonus!
ALSO!! As a photographer in the Seattle area, Rattlesnake Lake is a favorite place of mine to go. I've been going there for years. However, in all the times that I've been there, I've never seen the water line so low to where I could see all of the stumps! I was crossing my fingers that I would see them someday, so I GASPED when I pulled up and saw all of them out to play!
It was so fun utilizing all of the extra space and having Beverly and Sterling (and eventually Beau) climb all over them to get photos of them with the ridge behind them.
After that, Beverly and Sterling wanted to get the last few photos with their adorable pup, Beau, before they tucked him away in the Jeep for the rest of the shoot. However, we couldn't do that until they put on their matching sweatshirts so this little family of three could be MATCHING :') so adorable.
After we put Beau away, the light next to the water line was absolutely gorgeous so I had them face each other for some intimate shots to show off their connection and the ring!
Fun fact: Sterling and his dad picked out Beverly's ring together, and she loves it!
It was so fun getting to experiment with different angles and taking the time to focus on different details of how they fit together.
I know it's hard to take a second during your shoots to notice those things sometimes, but once you are able to, it always pays off!
We ended the photoshoot on the ground.
I had to channel their chill vibe by letting them do just that - chill!
They were so awesome for going along with my ideas and I'm so glad they did because these ended up being some of my favorites. The sun had gone down so the light was stunning and we had the whole park to ourselves. I let them finally take a breather since it was the end of the shoot and simply enjoy being held by the other.
If you give your couples the freedom to take a moment for themselves, you can get a photo that you never would have otherwise!
Learning when and how to take a step back while shooting, and getting comfortable with a minute of silence.
In poses like these, where they aren't standing and feeling unsure of what to do with their arms or hands, is a great time to practice that. With light prompting, they will naturally fit together.
