When Lena and Grant came to me this spring with a vision of whimsical frolicking engagement photos in Los Angeles, I was immediately in! Their dream of cinematic yet candid engagement photos on film that felt romantic and playful sounded right up my alley. You be the judge… did we nail the vision?

Special thanks to Sunshine Events Co for bringing me onto the wedding team for L&G, so excited to celebrate big later this year!

The Inspiration Behind the Shoot

Lena and Grant are just one of those cool couples, you know? When they sent me their Pinterest board with inspiration, I saw lots of vintage photographs on film and sweet romantic moments. The photos felt effortless, easy, relaxed, fun. I definitely wanted to bring that same vibe to their engagement session in Los Angeles at Will Rogers State Park.

In order to create the vibe, I knew photographing their engagement photos on film using both 35mm and medium format film would give us the very best results. As a film wedding photographer in Los Angeles, I feel most drawn to analog as a medium because it creates a sense of nostalgia and brings a really dream-like quality to photos. Sometimes digital feels a little *too* crisp and perfect. Film helps me stay extremely present and focused as a photographer since every shot counts! 

Lena opted for a simple white dress that felt bridal yet understated. The ties at the shoulders and her choice to go barefoot definitely suited the chill, outdoor environment at Will Rogers in the Pacific Palisades. With mature trees and that soft green grassy field at our disposal, the setting matched their inspiration right away!

How I Directed Their Engagement Pictures

When I think about photographing couples, I prefer to think about my role as a director capturing motion instead of stills. I encouraged Lena and Grant to move around and interact with each other the entire time. The beauty of an engagement session is that if we need to run something back and do it again, we have the time and freedom to play around, take risks. While it’s always my preference to capture something in the moment, getting Grant to toss Lena around for a second or third time in the field allowed me the chance to photograph them from different angles as the light hit them during sunset. 

Since Lena and Grant shared inspiration with me for their engagement photos that included lots of in-between moments and candid, romantic photos, I encouraged them to frolic through the fields, lay in the grass, swing each other around in circles. Staying active and connected helped the two of them relax and feel comfortable as they loosened up.

I have to give a lot of credit to this couple because they also leaned into the experience of engagement photos so well. Grant picked a flower for Lena’s hair. They entwined their hands, laughed in the silly moments, and really embraced being in front of the camera. Engagement photos on film are definitely a two way street situation between the photographer and the couple. I can prompt all day long, but each couple puts their own spin on the situation! I can only bring out what’s already between you.

What I Love about the Whimsical Frolicking Engagement Photos Aesthetic

I’ve come to realize through years of being a wedding photographer in Los Angeles that there are trends and styles with photography that evaporate just as quickly as they arrive. Look back 15 years ago, and you’ll see a much more posed and clean-looking kind of style to engagement pictures than what exists today. Currently, it’s more common to hear couples are looking for whimsical frolicking engagement photos in Los Angeles because they want to see pictures that reflect their life and relationship in a cinematic style. The current vibe of engagement pictures feels relaxed and fun and almost childlike in a way because there’s so much movement and sweetness. Huge fan, and I hope this aesthetic sticks around for awhile!

Loving these whimsical frolicking engagement photos in Los Angeles? You may also like this summer camp inspired Pine Rose wedding. Currently booking engagement photos & weddings on film in Orange County and Los Angeles for 2026!