Evocative Oceanfront Couples Session —Why Storytelling Photography Matters
Some moments in photography can’t be recreated, and this was one of them. It was all about knowing how to embrace the atmosphere, lean into the mood, and capture what was unfolding naturally.Why this was my favorite couples session ever.
Daniel contacted me about proposing to his girlfriend. He was just like every other person on the planet planning a proposal— he had a pretty clear idea of what he wanted to do and how he would eventually propose, but he just needed a little bit of input from me to help. He was very organized and was calm and mostly excited to propose to Amber, but he was just needing direction as far as the proposal photography would go. We had a quick chat on the phone, and he had revealed they were coming to Carolina Beach, NC for a little trip, and that’s when he wanted to pop the question. I explained that although most people feel like the actual proposal will be over in a matter of seconds, my observation from over the years is that it usually takes folks a little longer than they anticipated to work up the nerve to actually pull the ring out. So, Daniel trusted me completely, said that he knew Amber would want a longer session and more photos of the two of them after the proposal portion of the photoshoot, and so he booked a 2 hour session. We arranged a time and date to meet, and left it at that.
Do you ever have a moment that you just feel like you’re in a dream? The day of, I was so excited I could hardly wait. I truly love surprise proposals. I find them so romantic. But something about this one was just next level romance to the maxxxx. Even the day felt like it lent to the romance. Like, as soon as I headed to Carolina Beach, I felt like I was in some beautiful old movie. Seriously, something about that day was just indescribably cinematic. I got to our proposed meeting place, and sent Daniel my location. I went straight to undercover mode and got myself right. I’ve done a lot of proposals in a lot of awkward situations, and I’ve even had to carry the ring before and pass it on secretly with people all around. I’ve planned lots of these, and I truly feel as confident doing this as I feel when I photograph a wedding.
Finally, Daniel and Amber made their way down to the beach, with their pup in tow. They took off their shoes, carried their blanket, spread it out, and began to prepare to get comfy for a sweet snuggle on the beach that day. That’s when Daniel dropped to one knee and proposed. I ran over to get some closer shots. If you have seen my work on Instagram, I have videos of this proposal on there. But if you haven’t seen it, don’t worry, I’ll be posting soon on both Instagram and TikTok. Anyway, Amber said yes, of course!! And I swear their puppy was just as happy as they were.
This session will forever be my favorite couples session, until the day I die. Well, unless someone else comes along and surpasses this level of greatness with me. Who’s up for the challenge? Until then, this session lives rent free in my mind. There’s something so cinematic and nostalgic about this session. I can’t really put my finger on it, other than how well everything about it went. The tones, the clothes they wore, their expressions, their pup splashing in the waves.. it was all like living a dream.
A dreamy, grainy image of Daniel asking Amber to marry him on Carolina Beach in North Carolina.
Amber said yes! The most romantic proposal ever in Wilmington, North Carolina.
What makes cinematic couples photography so special?
Well, Cinematic Photography is, you guessed it, a photo that looks like a scene or a still from a movie. Many various things can play a factor in achieving this, whether it’s lighting, mood, posing, or location. A big component of making photos look like a movie is to create them so that they tell a story. No matter what order they’re shot in, you’re covering every part of the whole story, to really tell a story visually. Each piece tells a fraction of the story, and the whole set of images tell the entire story. This approach is called Storytelling Photography and this method obviously takes a lot more work from both myself and my clients (yes, you have to work a little to tell the story), more brainpower from me, and a lot more planning on my part. Traditional photography is obviously very different, and is more posed and less creative. Think a family session with everyone on the beach in matching outfits. Not my vibe haha.
How to get couples photos that feel natural and authentic.
When I am working with clients and working on telling some sort of story, I want every movement to be as natural as possible. I make sure to chat with my clients about what to expect, I answer any questions they may have, we talk in general about anything that might come up, and then we get to work. They’re running, I’m running, they’re spinning and jumping and sitting and then not sitting. I’m creating a storyline for them to follow and we are talking it out to create something unique and special to them. All the motions are fluid and natural, because my client is comfortable. Their emotions are evident and they feel safe expressing them because I am legitimately the best in the world at getting people to drop any walls they may have up and feel totally comfortable. And everything flows beautifully. But this couples photoshoot was just perfection in every single way, ways I couldn’t even imagine. They both trusted me FULLY, they were both ready to make the most of the photoshoot we were at, and they really got into the headspace that it was just the two of them out there. They were ready to work. They came in with a strong emotion. They came in with a mood. They entered the chat with heart eyes( I mean, they just got engaged on the beach, total romance novel vibes!). Because truly, how you enter a photoshoot is very important. You’re as much a creator in this process as I am. And we created some actual magic.
Also timing plays a huge role in determining how stellar your images are going to be. I know of several photographers that don’t do short (half hour) couples sessions at all. Unless I really feel strongly that a couple is going to knock it out of the park, I turn down half hour sessions with couples, to be honest. In order for you to feel your best, I need to chat with you and get you to relax. I need to prep you for what you’re doing, and you need to be able to establish a little comfort with me since you’re going to be doing some pretty intimate things in front of me, like holding your lovers hand and kissing their lips. I will die on this hill but there is no one out there that can make some kickass art in half an hour. And I’m just not into taking money just to take some money. If we’re going to work together, I’m going to DELIVER on how those images look. That extra playtime that Daniel gave us by booking the two hour session is exactly what gave us the chance to do all this work and make all this magic. Not to mention, if you’re rushing through a half hour session and you’re so stressed out from rushing that you’re clenching your butt cheeks…..well, how do you think that’s going to look in your photos?
What’s so interesting about photographers is, each of us is on a different journey. We each learn differently, we each speak differently and use different words, we all have different artistic influences, we all visualize concepts in our minds differently, and the way that we express those ideas will always be different. The road to being a grown up photographer is realizing that you will never be able to replicate what someone else does, and they will never be able to replicate what you do. 20 photographers photograph the same couple literally every single day around the world at different photography retreats, and every single time, everyone in attendance ends up with something completely unique. That’s why I never worry about imitators.
This is actually a set of photos that transcends principles I’ve only experienced a few times in my career. No one else could replicate these exact images, and honestly, I don’t even know that I could create exactly these photos again. That’s why photography is ART. No two images are ever going to be exactly the same. The lighting, the colors, the atmosphere, the mood, the romance they were each wrapped up in— it was the perfect scenario and every element was just right— because it was them. This whole proposal and everything about it was personal, unique, and created by D+A, with D+A, and for D+A. Some moments in photography can’t be recreated, and this was one of them. It was all about knowing how to embrace the atmosphere, lean into the mood, and capture what was unfolding naturally.
Your couples session should feel like an Indie Film— Not a stiff pose fest.
“My partner and I made a last-minute decision to get pictures taken while on vacation. I reached out to Ashley, and she graciously made time for us. It was the best decision! She not only was easy and fun to work with,
but you could also feel the passion and love she has for photography, and that made the experience so much greater than it already was. She went above and beyond for us, and I am so grateful for her. We adore her and can’t wait until we can work together again in the future!”
Daniel and Amber were totally down to move around and get some unique angles and new backdrops. There’s something beautiful about taking all the ordinary places and things we’re used to, and making them look new again, as if we’re seeing them for the first time all over again. I’ve seen all these things in Carolina Beach hundreds of times in my time living in Wilmington, but to look at these photos it all looks so magical.
I only take a limited number of cinematic couples sessions each season, and dates fill up fast. If this is the vibe you want, let’s chat now and make it yours— before it’s gone!
