Palo Alto Engagement Shoot

This was the first time photographing a Palo Alto engagement shoot, and I could not have been more excited to spend it with Johnny and Tram! Johnny and Tram allowed me to pick the location because we mutually agreed that we all wanted to go against the norm, and attempt new ideas, concepts, and environments for their engagement shoot. I proposed to shoot more contrasty images, but also to shoot ideas and poses I would not normally think of! It was definitely a challenge doing completely new ideas, but fortunately both Johnny and Tram appreciated artistry and were open to experimenting with me and were totally down for any and every idea I could think of during our photowalk through random streets.

My newest engagement shoot concept includes going against the grain and shooting at times other photographers avoid – in harsh midday sun! I think it is normal to become complacent and become dependent on the setting around you, so with this shoot I wanted to put more focus on the connection between them, as well as focusing on light, instead of setting. Those reasons are why I love these midday, random city walkabouts, since there is no pre-planned setting for the shoot – it is us, walking around, looking for light in the most random situations (such as behind garbage bins in a small alleyway). Fortunately, downtown Palo Alto does provide some interesting backdrops for photos, including white columns around a coffee shop as well as a visually geometric City Hall building. One of my favorite photos of the day has nothing to do with the city of Palo Alto, in fact, and can be taken most anywhere! The series of silhouette photos of Johnny and Tram amongst the trees and sky are amongst my favorite, particularly because I noticed how the light was hitting the leaves and thought the highlights would provide very interesting patterns and shapes. This shoot was so fun for me and was the perfect practice into looking for light no matter the location or time of day. Johnny and Tram’s playful nature made it so easy to connect them, and midday shoots, like this Palo Alto engagement shoot, are becoming my new favorite engagement shoot ideas!

If you’re interested in other locations for your engagement shoot check out these San Francisco locations.