Tips and tricks on how to have the best Big Sur Proposal Photoshoot!

Bryce and Nique traveled from Atlanta, Georgia to embark on a coastal California trip, complete with National Park stops. First stop? Big Sur, California! But little did Nique know – this trip wasn’t just for fun! It was complete with a proposal – and a wedding photographer! Bryce had been scheming with friends and a local photographer to propose to the love of his life. This was no ordinary trip – it all started with a magical Big Sur proposal photoshoot!

In hopes of finding the ideal photographer for the Big Sur proposal, Bryce contacted me over a month before the desired date. And after connecting through emails and a video chat, we decided it was a perfect fit! Together, we created a timeline that would allow sacred, intimate moments between just he and Nique, as well as ideal lighting. It’s not hard to find a myriad or gorgeous landscapes on the central California coast, particularly at Big Sur. After settling on a few sites along the coast, we agreed to meet up by google pin and I would be ready for when the couple arrived. (There is absolutely ZERO service in the area, so keep that in mind with meeting your photographer!) We stayed in cognito until Bryce dropped on one knee, at which time we rushed in to capture all the emotion and excitement! 

We had so much fun together, traveling to a few different locations, complete with an outfit change. At sunset, we ended on the beach, where Bryce had brought some letters to read together.

 

TIPS ON PHOTOGRAPHING A PROPOSAL:

 

These tips can be used for anywhere!

• Location scout if possible. This helps you as a photographer feel comfortable with your surroundings, as well as generate creativity and ideas. It also helps you seem more professional to your clients, as you can better guide and direct them to beautiful spaces.
• Create a timeline based on lighting. Select your timing based on lighting preference and location.
• Ensure that you have a meeting spot beforehand, as there could potentially be a lack of service.
• Allow your clients to have intimate moments, just the two of them. You can shoot from afar, but allowing them privacy will make your shoot much more enjoyable and catered to them.
• Bring a variety of different lenses. Usually I shoot with my 35mm, but with a proposal, I like to have a zoom lens – my current favorite is 17-40mm, as it provides great variety in my galleries.
• Communicate consistently with your clients before, during, and after the shoot. Make sure expectations are clear.

 

TIPS ON PHOTOGRAPHING AT BIG SUR (including a Big Sur Proposal):

 

• Location Scout if possible. This will allow you to see which kind of landscapes are an option. I like to send my clients pictures or videos of various locations so they have more autonomy in the decision. This will also help in determining timelines, as you will have a better idea of how the light touches various spaces at different times.
• Be familiar with the tides if you’re wanting to shoot on the beach. This could greatly impact your shoot – whether or not places are accessible.
• Do not trample wildlife and stay on paths. Also, leave no trace.
• Ensure that you have a meeting spot beforehand, as there is no service. Share a vehicle, if possible!
• Add variety to your gallery by shooting both in the dune-y areas, as well as on the beach. There are so many gorgeous places to shoot in this area. Adventuring beforehand (See the first suggestion,) will allow you to discover places that are unique.

 

TIPS FOR THE PERFECT PROPOSAL PICTURES (including a Big Sur Proposal):

 

• Decide what exactly you want captured by a photographer. This will help with making expectations clear, and ensure that both you and the photographer are happy with the results!
• Hire someone who you connect with – their style of photos, their editing, their personality, their communication. There is so much to a photographer than their photos alone.
• Consult the photographer on outfit options. Perhaps one outfit might look better with the location than another. Generally, photographers have a good eye for color! 😉
• Create a timeline with your photographer – this will help the shoot go more smoothly, and you’ll better know what to expect. If there’s something special you’re wanting to plan, openly communicate this with the photographer and include it in the timeline.

 

 

Now that you’ve learned how to have the best Wedding Proposal pictures at Big Sur, imagine this!:

Waves crash along the rugged, rocky + sandy shore, juxtaposed with bright greens, reds, and oranges of local ice plant. Cyprus trees guided you to this perfect destination, as gulls’ cries fill the air, and the scent of brine dance beside you. Hand in hand with your ultimate companion, you share words that propose a future together – a life of which you’ve dreamed. As your knee touches the ground, a gasp reaches your ears, as your beloved catches a glimpse of the shiny rock you spent hours designing. The world disappears – it’s just you and them, enveloped by a flurry of emotion – giddy laughter, tears, exclamations of joy, and at last, the word resounds in your soul – “Yes!”

 

 

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Paper Airplanes Photography is a soulful, emotive, Monterey Elopement Photographer based in Southern California.

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