Shipyards Sunrise Engagement
Chrissa & William took me up on my sunrise minis in the winter of 2022 and we shot their engagement photos right on the pier with the morning light poking through the Seaspan ships. Shooting on the North Vancouver Shipyard’s pier is a particular favourite of mine as I live in the area and frequent often as a walker. When the sun begins to come out just the little bit earlier and we have the chance to avoid the regularly active traffic of the north shore outdoor enthusiasts — it is pretty close to perfection as it comes to soft morning light.
Let's talk about the value of doing a mini engagement shoot before choosing your wedding photographer. Not only is it a great opportunity to capture stunning photos of you and your partner, but it's also a chance to build a relationship with your photographer before the big day. Here are a few reasons why it's worth it:
Build trust: Spending time with your photographer before the wedding can help you feel more comfortable and relaxed in front of the camera. Plus, it's a chance to establish a good working relationship with your photographer. I’m pretty confident that I called William “Ron” for the first 15 minutes of our shoot by mistake 🤦♀️… Luckily we all had a good early morning laugh.
Communication is key: Use your engagement shoot as an opportunity to talk with your photographer about your vision for your wedding photos and what you are planning for the big day. Establishing clear lines of communication early on will ensure that you're on the same page when it comes to capturing your special day, things will get busier closer to the “I do”!
Get camera-ready: However, this is also my job — to make you look and feel your best! An engagement shoot is a great way to get comfortable with posing and finding your best angles. Plus, you'll have some gorgeous photos to share with your family and friends in preparations for your big day!
Doing this engagement shoot in North Van was special because it’s also the home of Chrissa & William. Outdoor engagement shoots can provide stunning backdrops and natural lighting for your photos. However, it's important to prepare properly to ensure that everything goes smoothly on the day.
I always suggest to couples to choose an engagement session that is even slightly significant to them, somewhere that we will most likely won’t be using for wedding day. This allows you to look back in years to come fondly at a special time in your life when you felt connected to a place you might still in some way.
Your engagement shoot is a great opportunity to show off your style as a couple. Choose outfits that compliment each other and are comfortable to move around in. When booking with couples I like to send over a pinterest board with outfit ideas just to keep things easy. However, it is so important to feel like YOU, so choose what makes sense for your personality!
When planning an outdoor session we are at times mercy to the natural order… I can’t help the weather. I can, however, still make a rainy day work! If you are open to shooting in the rain on your engagement day we can still have a lot of fun and capture some romantic moments — HELLO clear umbrellas!
Lastly, I can stress enough how much I love sunrise time. If you and your partner are even remotely morning people, I can’t recommend it enough. Coffee on me!
North Vancouver, BC.
