Behind the Scenes: Engagement Photoshoot

Last weekend I photographed my first Engagement shoot in a couple of years. But this shoot was a little different from the other engagement photoshoots I had done in the past.

For starters, the whole thing was a surprise — the proposal would be happening right in the middle of the the shoot! Check out the moment Behind the Scenes, that I edited together from GoPro footage, in the video below.

Awesome, right? That was one of the most fun, meaningful photoshoots I’ve done in awhile, especially since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was truly an honor to be asked to capture a once-in-a-lifetime moment like a proposal.

So here was the surprise plan:

Bring the couple to the location at sunset overlooking the Rocky Mountains.
She thinks that we’re taking some shots for our portfolio.
We “forget” some gear in the car, having to leave and give the couple some “alone” time.
We run to our pre-planned spots and wait for the moment.
Get awesome shots!

Because this was a quick run and gun shoot, my goal was to pack light and keep a low profile. Honestly, I prefer to take the minimum amount of gear I need, especially when I have to hike a ways to a specific location.

In my bag:

Overall, I was extremely pleased with how smoothly the shoot went and how well the images turned out. We were super lucky that the thunderstorm had stopped about 30 minutes before we began shooting and it actually provided us with a gorgeous sunset.

Using the SB5000 speedlight strobe on the end of a monopod (triggered by the Pocket Wizard), we were able to get some unique lighting that illuminated the couple against the bright sunset.

I think I can speak for everyone when I say we all had a great time and I truly cannot wait until my next shoot.