Mar reached out to me earlier this year to set up a couple’s photo shoot for her and her husband Garett in Aiea. They wanted to book an intentional session with me to tell the story of their relationship and their life together, and we decided hanging out at home would be the perfect place to capture who they are.
I often get asked what you should do or where you should go for your engagement or couples sessions, and honestly, I think my answer is whatever feels like… YOU. Do you want to meet at the beach at golden hour? Or maybe run around your home in your comfies? Or go to your favorite local ice cream shop where you went on your first date? What feels like you two? For Mar and Garett, home was that place that felt like them. They had spent a long time renovating and decorating it together and building a life there.
Our session was truly slow and intentional and we shot together for about two hours. Visual storytelling is so hard to do with short time frames. This two hour session gave me time to experiment and explore, and gave Mar & Garrett space to relax and be themselves. We started off dancing in the sunshine in their living room, and soaking in the lush tropical mango trees growing just off their back deck. Garett and Mar took out a Polaroid camera and took turns shooting instant photos as they playfully dove into their bed, freezing that moment forever.
We changed outfits and packed up and took Mar’s vintage car to the top of a hill in their neighborhood to watch the sunset. As the sun was setting over the island, Mar and Garett chased each other in the streets and lay down in the grass in each others arms. Right in the middle of this session, I was feeling really really blessed and just in awe that my job is to document a couple so intertwined with the most gorgeous views behind them. We ended their couples session with one of their go-to date night activities - we went through the Wendy’s drive thru for fries and a chocolate shake as it got dark and blue hour drifted away.
What made your engagement session “you?” Would you take your engagement photos at home, and then end the night with fries and a shake?? Count me in, every time. If you want to book an intentional engagement or couples session in Hawaii to document the current chapter of your life, contact me here!
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Photography by Grace Troutman – Oahu-based couples photographer and wedding photographer
Edited with @gracetpresets Golden Presets for Lightroom ✨
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