Kathleen + Frankie [Paramount Ranch Engagement]

MALIBU ENGAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY

One of the big perks of photography, aside from meeting new people, is discovering new places. New places inspire and jump start the creative impulse like nothing other. Living and working in urban Los Angeles, it's easy to get comfortable and stay put in the city, and I often forget about all the natural beauty lurking just outside its boundaries. Case in point -- this recent and amazingly jazzed engagement session with Frankie and Kathleen. About an hour's drive northwest of my usual stomping grounds, an offramp lured me off the familar freeways into the windy wilderness of the Santa Monica mountains. Gone was the bumper to bumper. Now -- trees, golden fields, and sweet open road consumed my vision.

Frankie and Kathleen selected not one, but two killer locations! The first, Paramount Ranch, is an old Wild West movie set open to the public, nestled in Agoura Hills. They've filmed quite a few movies and TV shows here, but today it was vacant, and perfect: the colors, the warm glaze of late afternoon sun, and a couple shining with love, great energy, and spirit. We had so much fun collaborating and exploring all the cool nooks and crannies to take pictures in, we lost track of time!

We jumped in our cars and cut through the mountains, straight to the ocean, for our next spot: Point Dume, Malibu. The temperature dropped a refreshing 20 degrees from Agoura, and we first hit the beach before climbing to the top of the landmark bluff. What a view from above. Frankie originally proposed to Kathleen atop the scenic point -- way to go! -- and it was great being able to recapture on film some of the magic this place holds for them.

An amazing session, and I can't wait for the wedding in October!