BY ADVENTURE ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER TEAM KELSI & PATRICK
The best part about doing an engagement shoot with a couple before their wedding is that we all get more comfortable and learn which shots work best in a playful, laid-back setting. We were lucky to have Joanna + Josh grace us with their fun-loving spirit, which became immediately apparent upon first meeting them. Their wedding was coming up in the next couple of months, at the Four Seasons Resort on O'ahu, so a tropical beachy vibe was perfect for their engagement photos! For sunset this evening, we decided to hit one of our favorite seaside locations on the south shore: Sandys Beach.
With plenty of time for playing in the sand, we usually start with some of the more ‘posed’ photos (remember how awkward prom was? Just kidding, we never prom pose!). Even still, the first few minutes of shooting made it utterly clear that these two were fiercely in love. They had no issues running up and down the beach for our more candid and playful shots, while on the flip side, they seemed just as comfortable holding each other in a serious loving embrace. We love it when our couples feel comfortable enough to be unapologetically themselves during a photoshoot, those moments are much more tangible, unique, and memorable. So as the sun started to set, we asked if Joanna + Josh would be willing to get a bit wet in the waves. More often than not, the waves on this exposed coastline can be raging, with potentially dangerous rip tides, undertows, and currents, but today the water was calm. Sitting down in the surf, Joanna + Josh ended the evening under the tropical sunset palette at Sandys Beach, with small waves breaking around them!
