Last week we had a great shoot with a very fun couple, Parijat and Achyutha! This dynamic duo is getting married in May and we are so excited for their events! Parijat is Gujarati, while Achyutha is South Indian from Bangalore.
Being outdoorsy people they wanted their shoot out in the woods! I was super excited as the Santa Cruz Mountains are basically my backyard. Ever since I was a kid I have enjoyed the outdoors, including hiking, camping, biking, and just taking in nature. So many people want their engagement sessions in San Francisco or urban environments, so Parijat and Achyutha’s shoot was a breathe of fresh air (pun intended)!
The first stop was a quick off the side of the road on our way to Big Basin. It was a perfect weather day but it was almost too bright and sunny and not so good for photography since the sun was directly overhead. When this happens we use off camera flash to fill in the shadows and get a more pleasing look. We also headed into the shade for a few shots. One of my favorites is a silhouette of them where the trees perfectly frame them. This is what I love about engagement sessions. We get to explore and just see what we come up with. We had no pre conceived ideas other than to just shoot and have a good time! That’s how we roll!
Heading to Big Basin was a fun drive. It made me really want my dream car (Corvette C7) but it was so nice to drive through the trees and see the beautiful landscape that we live in. Once we arrived at Big Basin we roamed around and we shot at some various spots Parijat and Achyutha knew of, including the big fallen over redwood tree with its exposed roots, and a couple of bridges. Another one of my favorites was when we placed a backlight inside of tree to further show the beautiful design of the tree roots, as well as, the reflection of them in the water when we down by the river.
Being huge 49’ers Fans they put on their jerseys and caps for a few shots. We love how they included their passion for the outdoors for their shoot, as well as, their love of football. We also learned Parijat is a great dancer and is possibly stronger than Achyutha! She had no problem lifting him up for the last couple of shots!
Stay tuned for their wedding images coming up in just over a month!
