It was an absolute dream working with Nicki and Luckaz to achieve their editorial engagement photos! As a professional wedding photographer, I really listen to my clients and help them feel like confident models to achieve their dream photoshoots. These are memories that they will treasure for the rest of their lives, so attention to detail is key! 

Originally Nicki and Luckaz sent me their engagement session plans, where they expressed interest in editorial, fun, sexy, and classic photos. So, I kept that in mind when discussing their upcoming session with them. I am obsessed with flash photography and like to pair it with an editorial style with some blurry movement photos mixed in. At the same time, I also love the classic couples’ shots and romantic shots on the beach. We even discussed using lots of old-school film to achieve more of an editorial look (yes, please!). 

Planning Your Editorial Engagement Photos

After nailing down their style, we discussed their ideal locations. We wanted to do something indoors with a cozy, intimate, and sexy feel. The photos would still reflect the editorial vibe but dark enough to use flash and low light to achieve that date night, day-in-the-life feel. After reaching out to numerous places, we finally found The One! 

(Note: When considering venues, hotels, and restaurants for photoshoots, allow plenty of time to hear back from each one.)

For this editorial photoshoot, we had to wait several weeks before hearing back from some places (in the end, it can be worth the wait!). A few venues offered to let us use their space for free, while others asked that we pay a permit fee. However, we landed on a fantastic restaurant that didn’t charge us (best of both worlds)! If you find a venue as generous as this one, prep as much as possible so as not to take up too much space and time. Ask if they prefer you purchase drinks there or bring your own props. It is so important to have a complete plan before beginning your photoshoot, and I’m happy to help with that! 

Making the Most of Our Time

The restaurant allocated 45 minutes for our shoot, so we quickly ran around and took photos in all the best spaces. We decided to use flash, low light moments and shot a little date night while the staff set up the restaurant. The lighting and colors of the space helped to bring out all the editorial and warm moments of a date night in each photo. Plus, we utilized the front room with some natural lighting, which diversified the photoshoot instead of the same setup on repeat. (It can be tricky to avoid redundancy in small settings, but we can absolutely make it work!)

Changing Things Up for Editorial Vibes

The upside is that we can play with posing during the shoot, which is so much fun! I especially love the shot of Nicki lying on top of the booth—I am just obsessed with the two of them! They even wore perfect outfits which complimented the space—timeless, trendy, and a little dressy without feeling too over the top. Plus, the outfits were easy to move around in and pose, which is always a bonus! (Remember that while short dresses are cute, they aren’t ideal for sitting and lying in photos.) 

Once we finished shooting inside the restaurant, we headed out the front door for photos of the lovebirds strolling down the street and heading in and out of the building. These turned out so cute, and they were a big hit with Nicki and Luckaz, too. 

Kissing in the Rain

For the grand finale, we headed out into the city! Nicki and Luckaz are not getting married downtown, but they wanted to capture the city ambiance during their engagement photoshoot. One of my favorite locations was on the bridge. I used a flash on my camera, and we captured some fun paparazzi-style photos. Eventually, it started sprinkling outside a bit, but the hint of rain cleared the streets and allowed us to get some stunning final shots. 

Nicki and Luckaz fully embraced the creativity of this photoshoot and gave it their all—model perfection! We had a blast running around the restaurant and strolling the city blocks to keep the creative energy flowing and allow their personalities to shine through. The photos reflect all the love, romance, and fun that make up their relationship, and it’s an honor to be along for the ride as their photographer.

Ready to plan your editorial couple’s session? Let’s get in touch! Follow me on Instagram for more inspo: @hannawalkowaik.