Taylor Benedickt and her fiance, Nate, posed for their engagement photos at the beach where he proposed.
by Matt bieker | m at t b@ n ew s r ev i ew . com
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nyone who uses social media has probably noticed a specific type of post standing out between the car selfies and eerily specific advertisements—the adventure engagement photo. Instead of the usual prom-photo poses or unflattering camera flash, your friends are suddenly bathed in magical light, looking very much in love, surrounded by a stunning mountain/forest/ocean backdrop. Professional engagement photos can be as elaborate as a West Coast roadtrip or as simple as a backyard stroll. However, couples hoping to have the perfect pics should know what goes into making them happen. “Documenting this part of me and my fiancé’s life was important to me—and doing it in a way that spoke to our relationship,” said Taylor Benedickt, who had her engagement photos taken in September. “So, like, I could go to Tahoe and take pictures where there’s a pretty background, but, to me, telling the story of who we are in this moment of our lives is important.” Benedickt, who is herself a wedding photographer, knew that she wanted her photos taken somewhere that had a meaningful connection to her relationship, so she
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Bridal Guide
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january 17, 2018
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and took photos until well past dark. Benedickt saw the value of the trip as another way to make memories with her fiancé and her wedding photographer, instead of just paying for pretty pictures. “It was worth it for the memories we got for the photos, and also just connecting with Taylor,” Benedickt said. “She is going to be capturing, like, one of the biggest days of our life. Being able to have those experiences where, you know, she saw the funny moments or vulnerable moments, it brought us closer, and it makes me want to trust her more to capture that important day of ours.” Benedickt said having a personal connection both with her photographer and with her own clients is important. In the sea of competition for wedding vendors in Reno, the last thing she wanted was an impersonal experience motivated by the bottom line. “When you’re choosing someone, you’re looking at their work and what they offer, but you’re also looking at their personality, because personality is what’s going to set you apart and your product apart,” Benedickt said. “Personalities don’t always go well together, and that could be a big problem on your wedding day, especially with a photographer, because they’re the person you’re going to spend the most time with during your day.”
Photographers talk about how to get the perfect engagement photos chose the coastal town of Brookings, Oregon, for her backdrop—the same place her fiancé, Nate, had proposed to her a few months earlier. “Choosing the location was important for me,” Benedickt said. “Choosing what we wore, what we were doing, like, I wasn’t going to make a big deal of something that [wasn’t important]. And that kind of goes back to what I promote to my clients as well, is that, you know, be yourself and show your authentic self.” Rather than opting for an elaborate shoot, Benedickt hired Taylor Kern, another local photographer whose work she was familiar with, as both her engagement and wedding photographer. Kern followed her and Nate to Brookings, where they hiked down to the beach
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courtesy/taylor Kern
