Downtown LA Rooftop Engagement Session - Los Angeles, CA - Will + Laurel

On a cloudy day in May, I met up with Laurel + Will for cocktails before their Downtown Los Angeles rooftop engagement shoot. We sipped fancy drinks + got to know each other a little better before heading up to the rooftop -- in my humble opinion, rooftops are INCREDIBLE. Back in college I used to sneak into weird rooftops for photography assignments + it’s a habit that continues to this day. There’s something about them that’s a blank canvas - it emphasizes and enhances the vibe of whoever is placed there without overpowering them. Whether you’re in sleek, dark engagement outfits like Will + Laurel, a colorful long dress, or casual jeans and tees - you can’t go wrong with a rooftop for your engagement shoot. The contrast in composition allows Will + Laurel to really pop in this dynamic, rich way that feels totally them. P.S. If you’ve never explored the LA Arts District Scene, I gotta tell ya - you’re missing out!!! There are boutique modern stores juxtaposed perfectly against renovated historic buildings, gorgeous murals, co-working spaces, and just so much to do. If you’re in the area, check out Pizzanista for food (they even have vegan options), grab a coffee at one of these insanely delicious shops, grab a locally-brewed craft beer, or join an art walk to tour the area!

Laurel had warned me before meeting up: “Will’s more than prepared for this - he comes from a family that loves photography! Me on the other hand.. I’m not quite comfortable in front of the camera.” To boost confidence, she told me, she’d expedited shipping on a engagement outfits from ASOS for them both. Obviously they both look like freakin’ rockstar models, so ASOS expedited shipping for. the. win. However I’m pretty sure they both could have been wearing paper bags + as long as they’re together, they’d look incredibly happy + beautiful. My number one mission is to craft an environment in which my clients can feel vulnerable, emotional, confident, and most importantly: like themselves. I don’t want you to look back on this shoot thinking how uncomfortable you felt; I want you to look back and remember how HEAD OVER HEELS MADLY TRULY WHEN-HARRY-MEETS-SALLY KIND OF IN LOVE YOU WERE. Phew. Sorry for the all caps. Sometimes it’s necessary.

Anywho, we made our way to the DTLA Arts District rooftop, where we shot with the most gorgeous LA skyline and the prettiest, May Grey sunset in the history of May Grey Sunsets. The urban, modern, bold feel made the perfect backdrop for this shoot and I honestly fell in LOVE with these photos. 

We spent about 45 minutes on the Los Angeles rooftop for their engagement photos, swing dancing, sitting, playing, making up secret handshakes, reminiscing about 90’s disney movies, and running around… until a security officer kicked us out. During that time, we cracked jokes about our mutual obsessions with Harry Potter, travel, and dad jokes. Laurel’s a diehard Harry Potter fan and feels that her classification as a Slytherin really suits her - after meeting her though, I have my doubts! She was way too sweet + kind to be a Slytherin in my opinion. Will, when he and Laurel first started dating, took the sorting quiz as well. What was most interesting though was the wand that “chose him” though. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, in the magical world that is Harry Potter, it’s a well known fact that “the wand chooses the wizard.” Each wand is made up of different elements - there’s a variety of woods with different cores made up of things like Phoenix feathers and Dragon heartstring. And Will’s was made of LAUREL WOOD. It’s as if the queen J.K. Rowling blessed this union herself. 

As far as getting kicked off the roof: C’est la vie! Sometimes you’ve just gotta roll with the punches. Security guards are part of the risk of rooftops, but would they be quite so fun without a little risk? Probably not. We walked around and continued shooting in the mega cute streets below. The shots down below had a softer feel to them: a little quieter, a little less bold, but just as vibrant and beautiful.

Since this engagement shoot, I’ve shot Will + Laurel’s rehearsal dinner at Hotel Figueroa and Perch and their wedding (at Hotel Figueroa)! It will likely look like a marathon of Will + Laurel in some ways because you’ll definitely be seeing more of these two over here in the coming weeks. Here’s just a little sneak peek of what to expect:

Loved this session? Check out this Downtown Atlanta rooftop session I did a few months ago! You can also view more engagement posts here. And as always, if you’re interested in having me shoot YOUR engagement session- you know what to do :)

Hope you’re having the best day ever!

Morgan