Dreamy Carmel-by-the-Sea Engagement Session

Big Sur California

There is something so magical about coastal sessions. The way sunlight interacts with the water and reflects off the sand. The gentle breezes which can make hair and dresses so wispy and beautiful. So it’s no surprise that an engagement session on the coast, especially at Carmel-by-the-Sea, sounds nothing but idyllic.

However, with coastal sessions, you never know how the weather is going to be, especially in Big Sur where it can become extremely foggy and overcast. But what happened at Yuvika and Brahm’s engagement session is what photographers consider “photo session luck” and this session was blessed with a lot of it.

When Yuvika and Brahm booked me, they booked me six months out from their engagement session date. This gap of time was so special because it allowed me to get to know them and their story. About how they have been in a long-distance relationship with one on one side of California and with the other on the opposite end of the state. And how Big Sur, a beautiful meeting spot smack in the middle of California, has become a very special place for both of them.

We were able to plan locations, and get to know each other and by the time we met for the session, it was like we’d been friends for a while, and that is when the photo session luck came.

Yuvika and Brahm were game for all my ideas and trusted my vision. Something to keep in mind when booking your photo sessions is to always keep the communication flowing between you and your photographer because your photographer will be seeing things you may not be able to and have may a vision for your photos. Which is what happened during this engagement session. I had Yuvika and Brahm climb up cliffs, get in freezing waters with crashing waves, and venture off the trails, and because of their flexibility, communication on what they were comfortable with, and their trust…we got some epic shots.

They also brought along two different outfits and I loved that Yuvika chose to wear a traditional Indian sari in one. There are so many benefits to having two outfits for any photo session but the biggest is that you can have a more formal or traditional and a more informal outfit and when you get your gallery back, you’ll have so many more options to choose from and will feel like yourself in those photos.

This engagement session was not only the dreamest date night for Yuvika and Brahm but also so that they could have photos for their save-the-date cards that they loved and felt like they were sharing who they were as a couple. They also wanted stunning photos to share with their friends and family at their wedding and it was such an honor to be a part of their upcoming wedding this way.

We ended their session at the beach which is when we witnessed the most magical sunset with seagulls that flew overhead i.e. the photo session magic. As I mentioned before, coastal sessions can be a big gamble, but when the place has a special place in your heart and you are willing to make that gamble, you can get some incredible photos and a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. Just like Yuvika and Brahm did.