Skateboarding Engagement Session in Long Beach, CA

Throwback to Mio and Stephan’s Skateboarding Engagement Session in Long Beach, California

Today I’m throwing it back to Mio and Stephan’s skateboarding engagement session in Long Beach, California. This session is special for several reasons.

First, it was the very first photoshoot I did in California after moving to Los Angeles. Crazy to think this was over a year ago—and that I’ve now lived on the West Coast for that long!

Second, it’s special because they truly made it their own. They did things that were meaningful to their relationship. Although they no longer live in Long Beach, it’s where they used to live together and created so many memories as a couple. Longboarding is something they love to do together, and they definitely wanted to incorporate it into their session.

This engagement session felt more like I crashed their date night than a photoshoot. After we finished skating, they took me to Retro Row, showed me all their favorite spots, and even gave me food recommendations. We ended up wandering around until after the sun had set and took a few flash shots to end the night.

I am here for all the sessions that feel like this! Your engagement photos shouldn’t just be about getting pretty pictures (although that’s definitely a goal). They should also be about making real memories to go along with those photos.

Before social media, photos were simply for us—to remember a moment in time or an event in life. They weren’t about views or likes. They were for our own enjoyment, something to look back on years down the road. I truly believe we should get back to prioritizing the memories when it comes to engagement and wedding photography.

Let’s create space—and move with intention—when planning your engagement or wedding photos. Be yourselves. Do the things you love. Create moments you’ll actually want to relive. Because if you create a memory that means something to you, the photo will always bring you right back to that feeling.