…Seriously its almost a hazard while driving, when I’m distracted by beautiful overgrown fields and little patches of forest overlooking the coast. Despite the beauty of such locations we always come back with one answer to the question of where your engagement photos should be taken, and that is somewhere that means something to you.

Where you met, where you had your first date, where the proposal took place, where you were the first time they said “I love you”. Those are all amazing locations for your engagement session. If you two bond over walking your dogs on the beach, hiking, boating, wine or beer tasting those are also great ways to identify the perfect engagement session location.

Brooke & Mason had all of these things in mind when they chose where we would be photographing their engagement session. We started off at USD where the couple first met years ago while they were in college. Brooke worked in the school library and Mason would look for any reason to swing by to see her so naturally we had to take them inside for some photos. Not the easiest thing to do in a 100% silent zone but the couple stood in the middle of the library unconcerned with onlookers as we captured some photographs as quickly as possible.

We roamed around the campus and stopped, as the beautiful architecture would capture our photographer’s eye. We captured some photos by the reflection pond where it looks like the couple is walking on water although love can make you feel invincible I assure you it’s just an illusion (ha). We moved over to the garden overlooking the city and Mason let us in on the fact this was one of their little date spots, a place on campus where they could go and just be together making it all the more meaningful for photos.

After USD we journeyed over to Sunset Cliffs for a beach picnic engagement session and some more engagement photography portraits. The theme of their love story continued on to this location as this was the place that Mason invited Brooke for their very first date (audible sigh of admiration). The couple would later come to this beach and study together spreading out their books and papers and hitting the studying.

We took them out to a little peninsula where the waves would crash onto the rocks, we had a few close calls but no one fell in, got soaked or slipped so we were doing pretty good in my book, especially considering Brooke was in heels (uber impressed). We went up top where Mason popped some champagne and the couple cuddled on their picnic blanket and watched as the sun dipped lower into the horizon. The sky began to open up and the suns rays radiated through the clouds for a breathtaking Sunset Cliff sunset. It was such a pleasure getting to know these two and seeing just how inspiringly in love they are. The looks of admiration for one another were so evident while we photographed them. We truly cannot wait for the wedding day.