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Damn y'all. I am completely obsessed with this Wes Anderson inspired engagement shoot.
The idea behind this engagement photography package on film was to capture a documentary-style day-in-the-life photo series that felt really authentic to Matt & Talia.
The photos go from their apartment to their favorite coffee shop (where they hang at on the weekends to drink coffees and listen to music) to their favorite dive bar (where they let me play around with my new film flash - with great results IMO!!). We also wanted to incorporate a retro, Wes Anderson style aesthetic to the photos to go with the theme of their wedding (I'm already screaming over how that's going to look).
I love shooting people in their own homes - telling a visual story of their day-to-day lives, and creating a gallery they'll be able to look back to remember a specific time in their lives. Talia and Matt had so many perfect little details in their home to add to the vintage Wes Anderson vibes - an epic record collection, funky graphic mugs, and a typewriter. Plus the cityscape backdrop view from their apartment was just insane.
Their apartment in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle was such an ideal location for photos - with their postcard-quality balcony view of the Space Needle and picturesque small city streets. The local theater was also the perfect addition to the Wes Anderson vibes.
Matt and Talia spend weekends at their local coffee shop and radio station which I must say was another perfect location for an engagement session. High ceilings, lots of natural light, band posters and coffee merch everywhere.
This place was poppin' that weekend because of a video game convention going down next door but this cafe had plenty of seating and we were able to snag the comfy leather couch and chairs for a quick film portrait shoot. We grabbed some Wes Anderson inspired straight-on shots in front of the music posters and got the Caffe Vita branding in there.
(Pro tip for photogs: Always call the business where you want to shoot before showing up. 9 times out of 10 they'll say yes, sometimes you'll get free stuff or featured by the business, and you'll avoid any chance of an awkward encounter if they're not into it.)
We went to a couple of Matt and Talia's favorite late night stops and they were kind enough to let me use my brand new Godox Lux film flash to blind them in the dive bars with. We played some pool and the Rainier arcade game which ended up being perfect backdrops for the vintage film engagement session vibes.
I"m so happy with how these flash photos came out - especially as a first attempt with the new flash. Honestly y'all there are still so many more photos from this gallery I haven't shared yet. Maybe I'll have to do a round two.
Thank you so much Matt & Talia for trusting me to document a little chapter of your love story on film. Cheers to more music and movies and dive bar shoots in the future.
I loved working on this engagement shoot and am so excited to book more film engagement photoshoots in 2024 and 2025. This session was a day-in-the-life package which includes 2 separate sessions and up to 5 locations. This package is perfect for couples who want a documentary-style engagement shoot that goes beyond the traditional portraits.
If you're in the market for a film photographer specializing in candid Portland wedding photos please get in touch! I'm a Portland photographer available in the greater PNW and always open to travel. Reach out for an updated list of travel locations for this year, I'd love to shoot with you, wherever you're located!