Planning Your Oregon Coast Engagement Session // Pacific, City Oregon

First, I want to start his blog by saying … I’m BACK!

I didn’t really go anywhere but just like so many others, I have been in a bit of a funk and trying to navigate unchartered territory with one of my businesses that revolves around weddings and another photography business that revolves around smaller groups for portraits.

Let’s just say I am almost an expert at rescheduling portrait sessions and wedding dates for clients. It’s been a wild and chaotic ride but I am taking care of my clients the absolute best I can as I navigate this with my businesses as well as my family.

I’ve at a few smaller portrait sessions in the last month that have started to get my gears turning again but it was last weeks engagement session Melanie & Andrew that made my tiny spark flame up to a giant burning fire again in what I do and why I freaking love it!

I really loved hanging out with these two, to start they are also entrepreneurs so I always feel so understood anytime we communicate but meeting face to face and learning their personalities in person was priceless. Even better, they were down for pretty much anything I wanted them to do … I did mention they they may get wet so they should bring an outfit they wouldn’t mind getting a bit wet … but we rolled with it and well … you’ll see, they got more than a little wet ….

Let the incredible Summer engagement sessions begin!!!

Here are my expert tips to keep in mind and ALWAYS plan ahead for when doing your engagement photos at the beach.

1. Bring extra outfits

   Bring a comfortable bag to carry any extra cloths in and if you’re not sure what to wear - bring a couple different looking options and your photographer should definitely help by giving their opinion based on the setting. Also, as a coastie-kid I learned one thing growing up - ALWAYS BRING YOUR JACKET! Sometimes its fun to bring a casual & formal look so you can really switch it up. For this session specifically, we went dressy casual, then to formal to casual based on the order of portraits we wanted to do with the lighting and landscapes.

2. SHOES

   Think about this … you’re going to the beach and there is SAND. Obvious right!?! Well, as obvious as it might sound some people still don’t think “sand, shoes, socks” … Definitely bring shoes and or dress shoes for your formal look of course, but plan to walk barefoot or in sandals until you reach the location for portraits and you will spare yourself some agony!

3. Tides

   Hopefully your photographer is already tracking this when it comes to the location you are using some if you are set on a specific beach for the reason of it’s landscape and rock formations, be sure to check the tides against the day/time of your session to ensure those landscapes aren’t a couple feet under water. It just takes a little forward thinking and planning!

4. Wind

   Ahhhh, this can make or break a session but if you think about it and plan for it you can make it work! In the Summer months (yeah, ok most of the year) we can get some pretty windy evenings and the beach is no exception.

   Actually, you are more likely to have wind at your beach session unless the location you have chosen offers landscapes that can shield you from the wind. This is a reason I really love Cape Kiwanda in Pacific City (besides the fact that it’s my hometown). Cape Kiwanda has it all! Rocks, sea grass, sand hills, tide-pools, views and even some gorgeous greenery. When it’s windy, you can get some more calm shots by snuggling up close to the rock formations that block the wind and then go dance in the wind and be free. The two biggest issues with wind is HAIR and EYES. I can certainly pose or position you correctly so it works with the photos but if you spend a bunch of time curling your hair for your session just know it won’t likely stay (plan for this). As for eyes, it’s as simple and positioning the two of you correctly so you aren’t getting blasted and causing you to squint.

So yeah, if you are planning an engagement session at the beach, keep these things in mind and check with your photographer on location to see what their thoughts are on these and remember to HAVE FUN!!!