I am one of fifteen grandkids on my dad’s side of the family and had the privilege of growing up very close to four of my cousins. We celebrated birthdays together. We played way too many rounds of Mario Kart and hide-and-seek in the dark in each other’s basements. And we always played along when Grandpa would dress up as Santa, even once we were old enough to know it was him. As we’ve gotten older and the Air Force has taken me away from Cleveland, I’m even more thankful for the time we get to spend together. So, you can imagine my excitement when Tommy asked if I would take engagement photos for him and Sydney the next time I was home. I was traveling for my brother’s wedding and knew it was going to be a busy week, so we agreed on a sunrise engagement session on the shores of Lake Erie.

Sunrise Engagement Session at Huntington Beach

Let’s be clear. An early alarm is never my favorite. But having Huntington Beach to ourselves? That’s something I’m willing to wake up for! I met Tommy and Sydney right at sunrise on a Thursday morning. We walked down to the beach together and I quickly decided we’d start on the rocks. They mentioned being hesitant about posing, but that was a nonissue once we got started. These two were naturals and were joking and laughing together before long. We took advantage of the beautiful glow coming off the water as the sun came up before heading back towards the parking lot.

This session ended like no other session of mine ever has… with champagne! We took turns shaking the bottle to make sure it was ready to spray. Once we were all in position, Sydney did the honors. It was such a fun way to end the morning together and made for some really fun portraits.

I cannot recommend a sunrise engagement session highly enough. I know it’s early, but the dreamy light and lack of crowds makes it 1000% worth it. If you’re interested in getting some portraits, please reach out to me and we’ll make it happen!

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