DETAILS
6th Street Bridge
Los Angeles, CA
Engagement
Digital Photography
How We Met
Some couples you meet and immediately think, Oh, I’m going to love these people.
That was Katherine and Ricardo.
I actually met Katherine through our Alhambra community Facebook page. Katherine was looking for a wedding photographer, I happened to see her post, and naturally, I had to introduce myself. A few messages later, we were sitting down for boba at Bobacraft Cafe in Downtown Alhambra, chatting like old friends.
And somehow, that first boba date turned into one of those relationships where I knew almost immediately: Yep. I’m supposed to photograph this wedding.
Fast forward to their engagement session, and I was even more convinced.
Because these two aren't just incredibly kind people. They have the kind of love that feels lived-in. Comfortable. Deeply rooted. The kind where you can tell that they've been through life together—and chosen each other through all of it.
And for their engagement photos, there was really only one place that made sense:Los Angeles.
A Love Story That Started in Los Angeles
Katherine and Ricardo met and fell in love in Los Angeles in their mid-to-late 20s.
And while their story sounds romantic—and it absolutely is—it wasn't always easy.
They told me that some of their toughest obstacles as a couple happened during those early years. But rather than pulling them apart, those seasons ultimately strengthened their commitment to one another.
I think that's one of the most beautiful things about photographing couples. We often think of engagement photos as being about the beginning of a marriage. The pretty outfits. The ring. The butterflies. The we're getting married! excitement. But sometimes the best engagement photos are really about everything that happened before you got there.
The hard conversations.
The growing together.
The ridiculous inside jokes.
The moments where you had to choose each other.
For Katherine and Ricardo, Los Angeles represents so much of that. It's where they met. Where they fell in love. Where they navigated some of their hardest seasons. And where they began building the life they now share.
So when they told me they wanted their engagement session to feel like Los Angeles, I was completely on board.
Why We Chose 6th Street Bridge for Their Engagement Photos
The goal was to find a location that felt unmistakably Los Angeles but still matched the elevated, formal look they had planned. And honestly? The 6th Street Bridge was perfect.
The architecture is modern, graphic, and unmistakable, with those massive concrete arches creating all kinds of interesting lines and perspectives. I also knew that photographing them around sunset would soften all of that grey concrete with warm, romantic light.
The formula: editorial architecture + California sunset + ridiculously good-looking couple = yes, please.
Kat walked up in an absolutely gorgeous emerald gown, and Ricardo arrived in a sharp checked suit. They looked GOOD. Like "excuse me, are you two sure this is an engagement session and not a magazine editorial?" good.
The emerald against the neutral concrete was especially gorgeous, and their formal looks gave the entire session this elevated, cinematic feeling while still allowing their personalities to come through.
“But We're Going to Look Awkward!”
One frequent thing about engagement sessions is when couples tell me they're nervous about being photographed. Katherine and Ricardo were worried they might feel awkward in front of the camera. They had absolutely nothing to worry about.
These two were naturals.
And I think that's partly because I don't want engagement photos to feel like you're performing for a photographer. I'm not interested in giving you 47 different versions of the same Pinterest pose and calling it a day. I want you to move. Laugh. Talk. Look at each other. Forget I'm there for a second.
And then, every once in a while, I'll step in and guide you into something a little more editorial or cinematic.
We played with the architecture of the bridge, using the arches, lines, shadows, and negative space to create more cinematic compositions. Then we'd come back to the two of them—close together, laughing, talking, and simply being themselves.
The result was a mixture of fun, flirty, soulful, and romantic photographs—which is exactly how they described the kind of images they wanted.
Why I Love Photographing Los Angeles Engagement Sessions
This is exactly why I love being a Los Angeles engagement photographer. Los Angeles gives couples so many ways to make their engagement photos feel personal. You can choose a location because it's beautiful. But even better? Choose a location because it means something to you.
For Katherine and Ricardo, 6th Street Bridge wasn't where their love story began. Los Angeles was. The city gave them the backdrop for their first chapter, and now it gets to be part of this one, too.
That's what I'm always looking for when I'm planning a documentary engagement session: the story behind the pretty picture. I want your photographs to look beautiful, of course. I want the light to be gorgeous. I want the composition to feel intentional. I want a little editorial drama. I want those cinematic frames that make you stop scrolling.
But more than anything, I want you to look at your photographs years from now and immediately remember how it felt to be there together.
The laughter. The nerves. The way you looked at each other. The city around you. The season of life you were in. And the person standing next to you.
That's the magic. And that's exactly what Katherine and Ricardo brought to their Los Angeles engagement session at 6th Street Bridge.
A little glam.
A little cinematic drama.
A lot of laughter.
And a whole lot of love.
I can't wait for the next chapter.🤍
Planning a Los Angeles or Destination Engagement Session?
If you're looking for a documentary destination or Los Angeles engagement photographer who will give you beautiful, editorial photographs while still keeping the experience relaxed, playful, and true to who you are, I'd love to hear your story.
Whether you're dreaming of downtown LA engagement photos, an iconic Los Angeles location, a quiet restaurant or bar that means something to you, or an entirely different adventure, your engagement session should feel like you—not like a photoshoot you have to know how to pose for.
Let's make some magic.