Hermosa Beach Engagement - Hermosa, California - Nicole + Justin
On a warm September day, I met up with Nicole + Justin at Hermosa Beach Pier for their engagement shoot. I’d sent over a list of a few locations I thought might resonate with these two, and Hermosa Beach checked all of the boxes! Hermosa Beach is the quintessential beach town. It’s got small-town charm with coastal vibes, surf shops, and mom-and-pop restaurants. Honestly, I kind of want to live there! It feels reminiscent of Venice Beach’s Boardwalk but on a much smaller, more family-friendly scale with far less of a crowd. Hermosa Beach is a perfect beach for an engagement shoot!
As we walked into the sand, Justin commented that he immediately knew I wasn’t from California because I said I was on the “highway” instead of the “freeway” - sure enough, he was spot on! As an Atlanta native I’m slowly but surely catching on to all the colloquialisms of California. For the next hour and a half, we got to know each other, as the two of them laughed, danced, and spun around the beach. Despite the beach being absolutely packed with weekend beach-goers, the session felt super intimate and sweet. With careful angles and intentional shooting, it nearly looks like they had a private beach to themselves!
If you’re looking for outfit inspo for your own engagement shoot, look no further! Nicole + Justin were perfect examples. I always encourage couples to bring a couple outfits so they can get some variety in their shots. To start, Nicole + Justin wore dark tees and jeans which really popped against the sunny day! After getting some fun shots in those, Nicole swapped a long sleeve sweater dress which brought a cute and cozy vibe to the session! Lastly, Justin switched out his shirt for a lighter color longsleeve and Nicole changed into a gorgeous sleeveless white modern jumpsuit. We got a few more shots along the sand and then headed up to the pier.
I love shooting in piers like this, because the element of a crowd really ADDS something to a session. It’s a fun way to mix up the energy! Incorporating people into the background of part of a session makes it even more obvious that a couple is super focused on only each other, without a care in the world of what anyone else thinks or is doing. We had an incredible time! At the end of the session I hugged them both and left with two new friends. I absolutely love how their engagement photos turned out and was even happier to see them printed and framed at their wedding in November! Keep your eyes peeled for that blog post coming soon!
In the meantime, check out Hillary + Ethan’s El Matador Engagement Session for more beach engagement inspiration! If you’re ready to book your engagement session today, hit me up!