Engagement sessions are more than just photo shoots, they’re like dates.  A date night for the bride and groom as they celebrate their engagement.  A date between me and the couple as we get to know each other.  Hanging out with Aleessa and Jason showed me what a great couple they were.  We shared stories, laughed, and talked about everything.  I know for sure we’ll have fun on our second date.  I get to meet their families, party it up, have some cake, and capture their most beautiful moment together…. their wedding day.  I can’t wait!

For the first half of their E-Session they wanted to have their daughter, Nika come along and make it like of a family session.  Nika, who will probably make a great photog one day, brought a lot of energy and fun to the session. She was a great little assistant who knew how to make Eugene and Doreen laugh.  I took them to Cal Poly Pomona which has great textures and diverse backdrops.  It also happens to be where Eugene and I went to college. It was actually kind of fitting. We both went there as naive teens, left as naive men, and were back…. as naive family men. Well, less naive.  For the second half of their shoot we hung out at old town Pasadena. I love the feel of their back alley and buildings. Colorful, rustic, and intimate.

Seeing Eugene again brought back a whole lot of fun memories. Meeting his family, Doreen and Nika,  it was a pleasure to see their great future.

We shot their engagement session on a Friday afternoon. I had never seen Griffith Observatory so packed. But, I never really worry when there are a lot of people around anymore.  Generally, people know when a couple is engaged. They see it instantly. Sure they see the big camera, but they also see a happy couple; holding each other, looking into each others eyes, and showing lots of PDA. They smile, say congrats, and get out of the way.  LOL.

Yes, there were lots of people around and they all got to witness Vince and Garnette’s moment as a happily engaged couple. Everyone should have a moment like that.

Congrats guys!!! Can’t wait for the wedding day!

Normally, I use off camera flash (OCF) to add light to a subject, but this time I tried to take light away.  I know… kinda weird.  Long story short, I just tried using light to create shadows to accentuate the subjects and create more drama. The shoot was a blast and I wish I had more time to play around. As always it was great hanging out with other photogs; laughing and learning.

Special thanks to all the awesome models for lending their talents;  Chris Rix,  Amanda Goraleski, Megan Bibbo, and Alex Cranmer.

Check out the great vendors below who helped make this shoot rock.

Organizer and set design – Nikki Evans photosbynikki.blogspot.com
Location – Dave Perez
Hair – Crystal Roberts
Make-Up – Kimberly Bragalone
Flowers – Rebecca Castillo Flores
Hair Accessories – Heather Molina Bowsnberries.com
Dresses – Eve Faulkner, LA Boutique Consignments

Congrats again to the newlyweds.  Thank you for making me a part of your wonderful moment. May everyday of your marriage be filled with joy and love.

Thanks to awesome photogs Alfred Bertulfo and Derrick Yazzie for lending their talents and helping me out.

Check out Joanne and Jeremiah’s engagement images here.

Last but not least, here is a preview of some highlights of the day. Enjoy!

For their engagement session the two wanted to hit Downtown LA and have some fun. We hung out, went exploring, and oh yeah we took pictures too.  The funnest part was recreating some LOST, caged Kate and Sawyer scenes! Good times!

I can’t wait for the wedding day, it’ll be a huge reunion for a lot of our college friends. Although I’ll be working, I really wouldn’t have it any other way. I promise I’ll only have one drink ; )

I love getting out to shoot as much as possible.  Practicing, stepping out of comfort zones, and learning from other talented photogs are what these group shoots are all about.  It’s really the perfect time to try new things and experiment with my equipment.   Hanging out and networking with other professionals in your field is always a good time.

A lot of work goes into planning and the details of an event like this.  Organizing the models, makeup, and wardrobe is a huge task.  We are all thankful for the wonderful talents of all the people involved in putting this together. Please check out their links below and look them up if you are need of any of their bridal services.

Organized and Lead: Elizabeth Luna www.elizabethluna.com
Event Design, Coordination and Florals: www.amadorevents.com
Linens: BBJlinen.com
Rentals: persianoevents.com
Stationary Design: Lou Liebau + lou@scratchandsniff.com
Make Up Artist: Crystal Roberts
Hair Stylist: Jessica Hale
Hair Accessories: www.rachellarraine.com
Gowns: www.elysereuben.com

Guest Speaker: Ming Chien

Leaders:
Harmony Ayala Ruiz
Rita Clifton
Duc Duong
Alicia Salcedo

Models:
The White Queen- Justine Serrano
The Red Queen – Karla Amador
Estefany Rubio
Mad Hatter – Robert Martin
Alice – Sarah Harte
White Rabbit – Chris Harte

Engaged couples, besides sharing your engagement session images you can post wedding information vital to your guests. After the wedding day the site will be revamped with wedding day images.  Guests can relive the wonderful day and even  purchase prints directly from the site if they wish.

Booked a Infant Portrait session? Then share the precious images with a custom website worthy of the good news.

Senior Portraits? Family Portraits? Events?…. the list goes on and on.

You’ve invested in great images why waste them on social media sites which limit their quality and resolution? I have a number of styles to choose from to fit your needs. Contact me to find out how to get your own site, jason@jasonZphotography.com .

Below are some examples of engagement and wedding sites.

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I am so grateful for meeting these two.  From the first minute we met we got along instantly.  A fun loving couple, easy to work with, and up for an adventure. These two have found a permanent place in my contact book.  Below are images from Kim and Jon’s E-Session…. my new friends.  Congrats guys!  Your engagement is almost over and the real fun is about to begin. See ya in a few months ; ).

We spent a good part of the afternoon getting lost, talking, and just having fun.  With their shoot I wanted to do less formal posing and capture more emotion.  I gave them as little direction as I could, *snicker snicker*. I told them to be themselves, think about this special time in their lives, and really reflect on their relationship. Then I let them loose…. They were a bit timid at first, but after a while I could see them starting to relax. They laughed, they hugged, and they kissed… a lot = ).  I only heard some of their jokes, some of their conversations, but I didn’t need to. I saw their happiness.  I saw a couple…. about to get married in a few months…. scared, excited, joyous, silly.  It was a great day in LA.