COUPLES PHOTOS THAT FEEL LIKE YOU TWO, NOT A PHOTOSHOOT

The best couple photos look like a regular Tuesday, not a stiff, posed production. That's what I'm after every time.

You don't have to know what to do with your hands. You don't have to know how to pose, or gaze meaningfully into the distance, or any of the things that make people feel silly in front of a camera. You just show up together, and I'll guide you through the rest. Most of my favorite frames happen in the in-between moments, when you forget I'm there and it's just the two of you. Couple photo session guide

What if we're nervous in front of the camera?

Almost everyone is, at least a little — usually one of you booked this and the other said yes a bit reluctantly, and that's completely fine. I keep things low-key and easy. We'll walk, we'll talk, and I'll give you small things to do so you're never just standing there wondering what to do with your hands. Most couples are surprised by how natural it ends up feeling.

By the end, it just looks like the two of you on a really good day — which is the whole point. The best frames almost always come from the in-between moments, when you forget I'm there and it's just you two.

Where do you photograph couples?

I photograph couples across San Francisco and the Peninsula, at favorites like Filoli in Woodside, Half Moon Bay, the Palace of Fine Arts, and the Dutch Windmills in Golden Gate Park, plus the greater Bay Area. If there's a place that's meaningful to the two of you, we can shape the whole session around it.

The right setting makes everything easier, and it gives the two of you somewhere to wander and relax into the afternoon. A few of my favorite couples spots:

• Filoli Historic House & Garden (Woodside) — romantic formal gardens and soft golden light, hard to beat

• Half Moon Bay — coastal bluffs and beach, especially lovely as the sun drops

• Palace of Fine Arts (San Francisco) — gorgeous architecture and dreamy reflected light

• Dutch Windmills, Golden Gate Park (San Francisco) — tulips in spring, quiet and green the rest of the year

I shoot couples sessions across the bay and further south as well when it's the right fit — Vasona Lake (Los Gatos) and the San Jose Rose Garden are favorites, and Roberts Regional Recreation Area (Oakland) is beautiful too. Had a first date somewhere, or a spot you love to walk? Tell me, and we'll work it in.

What does a couples session actually feel like?

Warm and unhurried. We move, we talk, and I photograph the real connection between you instead of asking you to perform it — a mix of close, intimate frames and wider shots that show off where we are. Romantic, but grounded, and never cheesy. You'll come away with photos that feel like the two of you on a really good day together.

Because that's what it'll be. See a recent couples session

And couples sessions aren't the only thing I love photographing — weddings and cultural celebrations are some of the most meaningful work I do, like Karina and Tim's Chinese tea ceremony. Karina and Tim's Chinese tea ceremony

Ready When You Are

Let's make something you'll both love looking back on. I'd love to hear your story and what you have in mind. Contact Me