Heidi Ryder Photography: The Blog » Southern California and Destination Wedding Photography

Sandra and Robert met in high school. But they didn’t date. Several years passed and they reconnected with the help of a little modern piece of technology we all know as Facebook. And the rest, as they say, is history! Their engagement session at Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills took place on a very warm day. This was my first time shooting at Greystone and I wasn’t quite prepared for the hundreds of steps we’d encounter throughout the shoot! The three of us definitely broke a sweat.

But it was worth it because I had so much fun with these two. Sandra and Robert both have a silly side that they bring out in each other and it was super fun to watch.  Thanks, you two, for spending the afternoon with me. I can’t wait for your wedding in October!

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When Jennifer and David mentioned they take the metro to Los Angeles’ Union Station frequently and visit Olvera Street often, I knew those locations were the perfect spots for their engagement session.  Union Station is a favorite place to shoot for many photographers – and with good reason. The light, architecture and details there are exquisite! And you can’t beat the color and energy on Olvera Street. I found out Olvera Street was where these two had their first date, which is so awesome!

Jennifer and David used to work with another one of my 2010 brides, Jessica. You may remember Jessica and Nick’s Long Beach engagement session.  I think it’s super fun when my brides know each other – almost like we’re keepin’ it in the family.

My day with Jennifer and  David started at their apartment as they really wanted some photos with their very beloved cat, Vanessa. Vanessa is quite old and has some health problems and she is very clearly adored by both Jennifer and David. I definitely understand the bond between humans and pets so I was happy to capture some photos of the three of them.  Vanessa did her best to hide her disdain for me and my camera and posed for the camera a little bit.

She has the most gorgeous eyes I’ve ever seen on an animal. Ever.

So, after I sufficiently annoyed their cat, I followed Jennifer and David to Union Station, where we were greeted by what felt like thousands of people. It was a busy day at Union Station. Turned out everyone was there to take the train into Pasadena for the U2 concert. We managed just fine, though. The crowd just meant Jennifer and David had an audience besides myself while making out.

These two spent the entire day making each other laugh, which was a lot of fun to watch. And it never fails, every engagement session I shoot, someone always ends up getting bit.

We headed over to Olvera Street for a little bit. What do you do when you’re visitng Olvera Street with a photographer who keeps telling you to walk towards the camera? Well, you tango, of course!

After we wrapped up our session, we hit up Phillipe’s, which I had never been to! David and Jennifer treated me to a french dip, which was amazing. Thanks, guys! I can’t wait for your wedding at the LA River Center in April!

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When Rachel first contacted she said she wanted engagement photos taken in Long Beach because she wanted the photos to represent her and Ryan’s life at this point. They live in Long Beach, just a stone’s throw from the pier, and so we decided we would wander around their neighborhood and capture their love, just as it is now. They’ll be getting married next year in Hawaii, which is where they are from, so I loved the idea of their engagement session being a reflection of this stage in their lives.

I had such a fun time wandering the streets of Long Beach with this adorable couple. I saw parts of that city I had never seen before and now have a new appreciation for the area. After the sun set Rachel and Ryan treated me to an amazing dinner, complete with an ice cold beer. Clearly, they know the way to my heart. This session was the perfect ending to my busy weekend and I only hope Rachel and Ryan had as much fun as I did.

Here are just a few of my favorites.

Rachel and Ryan – you two are AWESOME and I am so glad that we got to spend the day together. Thanks for showing me around Long Beach, I hope we get to hang out again soon!

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