Engagement sessions are the best way to get to know your photographer before your elopement, and to send out announcements + maybe even invites to the people you love. But how do you go about making your dream session happen? I had SUCH a great time shooting Emily + Brett’s engagement session recently on the Oregon Coast, that I figured I’d use their shoot as an example of exactly what to do when it comes to planning your own Oregon engagement session. Follow these 8 tips to make sure y’all have an unforgettable engagement experience + the most epic images possible!

8 Quick + Easy Tips for Epic Oregon Engagement Photos

1. Choose a location you love

Location is everything when it comes to engagement photos: it’s what sets the tone, the mood, the vibe, and the energy of your shoot. It’ll determine the way your photos feel, and what emotions they evoke; the mountains bring an adventurous spirit, while the coast may feel more tranquil and peaceful. It’s totally up to you and what your personalities are like + what the two of you like to do together, and how you want your relationship to be represented in your images!

Oregon is well-known for its insane diversity, so you have a TON of different types of landscapes to choose from—mountains, deserts, lakes, forests, beaches, you name it, and Oregon’s got it. Below, I’ve included a few of my personal favorite places to take Oregon engagement photos, and I also linked guides that go into more depth about the locations themselves to help y’all plan.

Best Oregon Engagement Photo Locations

• Mt. Hood
• Crater Lake National Park
• Bend
• Painted Hills
• Sparks Lake
• Columbia River Gorge

Or if you’re not quite sure where you want to have your session yet, but you do know what type of landscape you want, here are a few lists to get you started:

• Wildflower photo locations
• Twilight-inspired engagement photo locations
• Waterfall engagement photo locations
• Forest engagement photo locations
• ADA-accessible engagement photo locations

2. Visit multiple locations

My next location tip is to actually visit multiple locations during your Oregon engagement session! If you can pick a location that also has other spots nearby to drive, walk, or hike to, it’ll create SO much more fun + variety in your photos, and you’ll have an even more memorable experience. One of my favorite location duos for engagement sessions is the Southern Oregon Coast and the Northern California Redwoods; I am obsessed with exploring places the Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Corridor with my couples, and then taking them down to Jedediah Smith State Park in Cali for a totally different type of atmosphere! Here’s an example of how you can visit both of these dreamy places during your session for a really unique and beautiful engagement experience 🙂

3. Turn it into a mini vacay

Why not turn your engagement session into a little couple’s getaway?! Book a romantic Airbnb and make a trip out of it! You deserve it, and it’s such a perfect opportunity to be present together, enjoy every moment, and maybe even dream up your future elopement/wedding. If you need help finding a great place to stay, check out my guide to the 25 Best Airbnb’s in Washington & Oregon! The PNW has ENDLESS cozy A-frames, log cabins, luxurious mountain homes, and sooo much more to choose from, so definitely take advantage if you can.

4. Be prepared for any weather

The more prepared you can be for any scenario + conditions, the better in the PNW! Oregon is infamous for its unpredictable weather and you really never know whether you’re going to get sunshine, rain, fog, hail, wind, or a mix of all of them. . . one minute it could be blue skies and sunshine in the mountains, and the next it’s overcast and drizzling. It’s best to be prepared for anything + everything when it comes to your engagement session so that no matter what, you’re able to embrace the adventure and make the most out of it, even if the weather isn’t what you were planning/hoping for! Check out this packing list for my top tips on what to bring with you for any type of outdoor adventure session.

5. Wear neutral tones

Neutral tones are gonna be your best friend when it comes to the landscapes of Oregon. The scenery is going to speak for itself in your images, so if you can wear neutral tones that don’t distract from the incredible landscapes behind you, then you’ll be golden! Earth tones such as beige, forest green, burgundy, rust orange, mustard yellow, and deep blues are always good options, and so are black and white. Adding accessories and jewelry is the perfect way to let your personality and spirit shine through your photos, too, no matter what colors you’re wearing!

6. Don’t leave once the sun goes down

I have worked with sooo many couples who think that their session has to end once the sun sets, but that’s not the case at all; in fact, after dark is one of my FAVORITE times to shoot. You typically have more space to more around + get creative, since other hikers/tourists have already left, and you can really tie in the full story of your shoot by ending your session when it’s dark out. We can bring out lanterns, string lights, and tealights to add some magical vibes to your photos, or you can wear headlamps underneath a starry sky for some epic star shots (as long as the skies are clear). Trust me on this one!

7. Follow Leave No Trace principles

It’s super important to Leave No Trace anytime you go outside, and especially when you’re doing a photoshoot outdoors + using the beautiful landscapes of Oregon for your own personal experiences. The goal every time I shoot with a couple is to leave the location(s) just as beautiful as we found them by picking up trash, being respectful of other visitors, leaving what we find (like wildflowers or shells on the beach), and maintaining distance from wildlife. Be sure to read through my Leave No Trace guide before heading outside for any type of shoot, wedding, or elopement so that you are able to minimize your impact!

8. Hire a photographer who shoots film

I’ve been having a blast trying out different film types lately, testing it on shoots, learning what it’s all about and I can tell you right now, I’m OBSESSED. I’ll be carrying around my new-to-me film camera daily for my fam life, and slowly adding in film into my work more and more—it just adds such a nostalgic and romantic energy to my couples’ galleries, it’s so magical. Here are a few film photos from Emily + Brett’s engagement session on the coast, how freaking dreamy are these? 10/10 recommend hiring a photographer who shoots film for an extra special touch in your engagement gallery. 

Oregon Engagement Photographer

There you have it y’all, my top 8 tips for epic Oregon engagement photos and an experience that you’ll never forget! If you’re looking for an Oregon engagement photographer who has a documentary + storytelling style, and whose goal is to document your most cherished moments to be looked back on forever, then I think we’d be a great fit. I’d love to begin this journey together!

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Want further inspiration for your PNW engagement or couples session? Take a look at the two galleries below:

Whimsical Redwoods Engagement Session at Sunset

Ruby Beach Engagement Photo Inspiration

Laid-Back Couples Session at Gold Creek Pond