This is going to be the 1st of a 5 part series on my blog. Of all the people I worked with, these two are my favorite. I don't know if it's because of how young their love was or how friendly they both, their friends and their family was. Surbhi reached out to me on Facebook sometime during the month of May 2019 and they were set to tie the knot towards the end of November 2019. After a lot of back and forth discussions, she decided to trust me for covering their wedding and related events.
For their engagement shoot, Surbhi wanted to try sport 3 different outfits and have pictures at 3 different locations which also includes city lights after sunset. She shared the photos of her friend who had their engagement photoshoot in a similar fashion. So the date was set, location was decided and the outfits were chosen. It was the first time I was going to meet them so it was actually a fun way to meet and know the couple rather than doing just a formal consultation because they get to see how I actually roll.
We decided to meet at Stow Lake (Strawberry Hill) in San Francisco for the 1st location. I was there well before the planned time so I can scout the location and be ready with the right settings. Surbhi showed up on a gorgeous red saree and Sylvestor was in his casual button-up shirt and trousers. I helped them with a mood board and how to coordinate so that kind of helped them narrow down the outfits. The easiest way to meet someone is to park on Stow Lake Drive and choose one of the two entrances to the hill and stroll down the path to find the best spots for your shoot.
The next stop was going to be Bakers Beach and she had a very casual outfit planned for that location. They both used the restrooms at Stow Lake to quickly change and we drove in separate cars to Baker beach. Quick tip if you are planning to shoot at Bakers Beach: When you enter into the parking area, there are two parking spots, try to find the one closest to the GG bridge. It helps you save a lot of time. This place is usually crowded so a lot of post-processing would be needed.
3rd and final stop was Embarcadero. I chose Pier 15 for the perfect spot because it has a little bit of everything. Bay Bridge, City lights, Pier, Benches, Floral arrangements etc., It's magical! However, its always windy. Tip for photographers: Take a few test shots and get the settings accurate before you get the couple ready to pose. Also, this place is always crowded.
Next posts will be the pictures from their wedding-related events and ceremonies in Fremont, Sunnyvale and San Jose.