Archive for the ‘engagements’ Category

A young couple sits on the low concrete wall of a bridge while the sun sets behind them. Fallbrook engagement photos.

The old Mission Road bridge in Bonsall was already one of our favorite places to shoot. No one ever had to twist our arms to get us out there, and even though Adam and Teryn were the umpteenth couple we’d escorted across the old arched span, shutter clicking all the way, they definitely kept it fresh and fun. This early summer session was also the first time we’d ever taken pictures of a couple in a construction zone, which is something that could grow on me real quick. :) :)

We shot their wedding less than a month after this, and will soon be sorting through the best of the ceremony and reception, which were also right here, on our home turf. All I can say about their wedding photos is this: TREES. You’ll see.

Two black-and-white photos of a young couple on an old bridge with treetops in the background. Fallbrook engagement photos.

A young couple stands a few feet apart, smiling broadly with treetops in the background. Fallbrook engagement photos.

Close-up of a man and woman's hands forming the shape of a heart. Fallbrook engagement photography.

Bright, wide-angle shot of a young couple on a bridge. Fallbrook engagement photography.

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The shadow cast by a young couple lengthens across the pavement of an old bridge while the sun sets behind them. Fallbrook engagement photography.

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Old Bonsall bridge, meet new Bonsall bridge. BOOM!

A young couple indulge in a kiss beneath the new Highway 76 bridge under construction in Bonsall, California. Fallbrook engagement photography.

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Before I tie this off, a couple of outtakes and, yes, another hands-in-the-shape-of-a-heart.

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This is Grace, and this is Micah. Say hello. If you have known Micah for at least five years, which I have, you can say you knew him before he was six feet tall. Now he’s pretty much a giant, and Grace, as you can see, is the very essence of the word “petite.” Needless to say, one of the best things about taking their engagement pictures was the height difference.

One of the other great things about their session was a spot Micah knew about, where he used to play paintball with his friends and siblings. It took about five minutes of hiking, and then there was this great little scene, with abandoned cars all overgrown and ready to be photographed. All I can say is that it’s in Vista somewhere, and we’d love to shoot your engagement pictures, too, if you want to know exactly where! :)

As I catch up on blogging here at the end of the 2011 summer wedding season, this is one of those long-overdue sessions that Grace’s friends have already seen on Facebook. We shot their wedding in June, so stay tuned for a deluge of some of our best work yet in an upcoming blog post.

Until then, please enjoy and comment!

Grace and Micah, you guys rock.

A bride-to-be kisses her fiance as they sit in front of an abandoned car marked with paintball splatters. San Marcos wedding photography.

A young couple stands beneath a Pepper tree at Brengle Terrace Park in Vista.  San Marcos wedding photography.

A young couple embrace beneath a pepper tree at Brengle Terrace Park in Vista. San Marcos wedding photography.

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Black-and-white closeup of a young couple smiling at the camera. San Marcos wedding photography.

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A bride-to-be is embraced and kissed on the forehead by her fiance amid a tangle of pepper tree branches. Vista engagement photos.

Sepia, stylized shot of a young couple kissing while sitting in front of an abandoned car. Vista engagement photos.

Collage of an engaged couple amid several abandoned cars and rusty parts. Vista engagement photos.

A young couple sits atop an abandoned car. Vista engagement photos.

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A young couple sits atop an abandoned car. Vista engagement photos.

A young couple stands atop an abandoned car. Vista engagement photos.

With their wedding coming up in November, I recently met Shaun and Jessica in Encinitas for an engagement session. We’d been hoping for a sunset, but instead we got pure marine layer blah. Luckily, marine layer blah makes the light on the beach so amazing that it would have been hard to take a bad picture (which also had to do with my subjects — you guys rock the camera!!!)

And the winners are…

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I have to kick this post off with one of my all-time favorite portraits.

Close-up of a young woman leaning her head against her fiancee against a washed-out background. Encinitas engagement photos.

Black-and-white, wide-angle shot of a couple kissing while standing in ankle-deep waves on the beach.  Encinitas engagement photos.

Close-up of a young man looking at the camera while his fiance leans her head against his chest. Encinitas engagement photos.

Side view of a couple leaning against a wooden wall at the beach.  Encinitas engagement photos.

Black-and-white shot of a couple's bare feet on a rock at the beach. Encinitas engagement photos.

A couple kisses while resting their feet on the same rock at the beach. Encinitas engagement photos.

Series of three close-ups of an engaged couple smiling at each other. Encinitas engagement photos.

Against a backdrop of wooden planks, a young woman leans against a post on the left while her fiancee leans against on the right. Encinitas engagement photos.

An engaged couple smile at each other while leaning against a wooden wall. Encinitas engagement photos.

A young man and woman laugh together as they face the same way, leaning against a wooden wall. Encinitas engagement photos.

Series of four photos showing a young woman leaning against her fiancee as he leans on a wooden wall. Encinitas engagement photos.

A young woman leans against her fiance and they both smile. Encinitas engagement photos.

A couple walks hand-in-hand down the beach past a jumble of wooden stairs to their right. Encinitas engagement photos.

Side-by-side frames of an engaged couple standing on a wooden staircase high above the beach. Encinitas engagement photos.

A young engaged couple holds hands in front of a stand of green shrubs. Encinitas engagement photos.

A young engaged couple laughs together in front of a stand of green shrubs. Encinitas engagement photos.

A young man embraces his fiancee while standing on a rock at the beach. Encinitas engagement photos.

An engaged couple kisses while standing in ankle-deep waves at the beach. Encinitas engagement photos.

A young woman laughs while her fiance looks on as they embrace at the beach. Encinitas engagement photos.

A young man looks seriously at the camera while his fiancee rests her head on his chest, against a washed-out background. Encinitas engagement photos.

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A young engaged couple looks out over the waves while holding hands and standing on top of a rock at the beach. Encinitas engagement photos.

The youngest of my dad’s brothers is getting married in July, and we were so honored when Uncle Paul and his fiancee, Nadine, asked if we would be their photographers. Our family–both sides–has been blessed with an incredible array of aunts, uncles, grandparents, brothers, sisters–and now nieces and nephews. What a special thing it is to be part of their lives, and to document their milestones as they happen. We’ll have tons of great pictures from Paul and Nadine’s day later this summer, but for now, here is a sampling of their engagement session last month at The Grand Tradition.

Full-length portrait of a couple posing together under a pepper tree. Fallbrook engagement photos.

Wide-angle view of a couple leaning against the lakeside gazebo at The Grand Tradition. Fallbrook engagement photos.

Wide-angle view of a couple standing together on a bridge at Arbor Terrace at The Grand Tradition. Fallbrook engagement photos.

Close-up of a bride-to-be while her fiance looks at her. Fallbrook engagement photos.

Close-up of a groom-to-be while his fiancee looks at him. Fallbrook engagement photos.

Wide-angle view of a couple standing together on a bridge at Arbor Terrace at The Grand Tradition. Fallbrook engagement photos.

A couple holds hands on the steps of the lakeside gazebo at The Grand Tradition. Fallbrook engagement photos.

Side-by-side images of a couple posing at The Grand Tradition. Fallbrook engagement photos.

Black-and-white close-up of a couple posing beneath a pepper tree at The Grand Tradition. Fallbrook engagement photos.

We’re especially looking forward to their Hawaiian theme. A few years ago, The Grand Tradition added a second wedding site called “Arbor Terrace,” and the lush landscaping goes so well with tropical shirts and the rest. :) :)

Wide-angle view of a couple beside a fountain in a lush garden. Fallbrook engagement photos.

Wide-angle view of a couple holding hands on the steps of the lakeside gazebo at The Grand Tradition. Fallbrook engagement photos.

We had never met Kyle or Tessa until the day when we got together at Seaport Village to shoot their engagement pictures. So we had no idea how tall they were. Or how cool. He’s 6′10″, and they’re both off the charts for knowing how to chillax and look great for the camera. (Revision: Seems I exaggerated a bit–Kyle, I’ve been informed, is “only” 6′8″.) The only bad thing about this couple is that they’re getting married in South Dakota later this year. (Obviously not bad for them, and more like sad for us, since we can’t do their wedding.)

You can probably tell from the length of this post that we spent more time than usual with K&T. Again, that’s because they were so much fun to be with, and every pose was a WIN for Brooktown Photography.

Thanks so much, guys! You are going to have tall kids someday!!!

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When Tessa called us to arrange where to meet, she said, “Do you know where the popcorn stand is?”

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Seaport is hands down one of the best places in San Diego to watch the sunset. Most days it looks like it’s lowering itself onto the deck of one of the aircraft carriers moored across the bay.

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A couple months ago, a good friend called up to ask if we’d shoot his sister’s wedding and engagement photos. It’s always flattering when that happens, and we of course agreed immediately.

Cyrus and Diane are awesome together. We already shot their wedding last week, and it’ll be a few weeks before we get those photos edited and up on the blog. In the meantime, here are a few of the best from their engagement session in downtown San Elijo.

Couple leaning against the base of a fountain in the sun. San Elijo Hills engagement pictures.

Close-up of a couple leaning against the base of a fountain. San Elijo Hills engagement pictures.

Couple leaning against a clock tower. San Elijo Hills engagement pictures.

Wide-angle view of a couple standing on top of a jetty at sunset. Carlsbad engagement photos.

Couple leaning against the base of a fountain in the sun. San Elijo Hills engagement pictures.

Couple walking down a sidewalk under bare-branched trees. San Elijo Hills engagement pictures.

Couple leaning against a pillar with a hazy horizon behind them. San Elijo Hills engagement pictures.

Girl kissing her fiance on the cheek on a sidewalk beneath trees. San Elijo Hills engagement pictures.

Couple holding each other and smiling in front of a fountain. San Elijo Hills engagement pictures.

Wide-angle view of a couple standing on top of a jetty at sunset. Carlsbad engagement photos.

Two close-ups of a couple, one with the guy in focus, the other with the girl in focus. San Elijo Hills engagement pictures.

Couple leaning against a pillar and laughing. San Elijo Hills engagement pictures.

Couple sitting on a bench with the sun behind them. San Elijo Hills engagement pictures.

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Sneak peek

February 9, 2010

Editing our latest engagement session. More to follow, but had to share these two.

Side-by-side pictures of a couple holding hands under the bare winter branches of a row of trees. San Marcos engagement photos.

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Jeremiah + Shannon

September 26, 2009

Words don’t do justice to how much fun we had with Jeremiah and Shannon at their recent engagement session. It was my second time shooting down at the old Bonsall bridge, only this time we got to head underneath the historic span, which some of us still remember having to drive across as kids. If you passed a big rig, you held your breath. But now it’s gated off to motorists and only accessible on foot or bicycle. Such a great place to take pictures.

Starting off with my proudest moment…Jeremiah and Shannon-0541

Just to give you an idea of how amazing these two are together:

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Nate + Sarah

June 21, 2009

Nate is one of our favorite people — we have seen him in the role of fearless leader, goofy camp counselor, and now enamored fiance, a.k.a., putty in Sarah’s hands. Those of you who have met him even just once probably remember his sense of humor and passion for justice.

Last month, we had the distinct pleasure of finally meeting Nate’s fiancee, Sarah, who is every bit as awesome as she seems. They are such a great couple, and we can’t wait to shoot their wedding in August.

These were taken at Mt. Wilson just north of Pasadena, where Nate and Sarah currently reside and will be getting married.

The first place we stopped to take pictures was where Nate proposed earlier this year. This was a re-enactment.

Matt + Candace

April 8, 2009

Two weekends ago, we drove out to Oceanside for an engagement session with Matt and Candace, whose wedding we’ll be shooting in May. They seemed completely at home in front of the camera, and we had a blast trying to capture how in love they are. Can’t wait for your big day!