When planning your engagement photo session, it’s important to consider what style of photos you want. This article by The Knot provides a brief overview of the most common photography styles. However, remember that, as creatives, all photographers have their own signature styles. That’s why viewing a photographer’s portfolio and recent sessions is important to see what you’re getting. (If you aren’t finding much, that’s a sign they may not be the real deal.) Editorial photos are among my specialties, so I’m excited to share a few of those with you.

Typically, many wedding photographers will capture a mixture of styles to provide both candid and styled shots from your wedding day, but they probably lean more toward one style than another. Some prefer flash photography, while others hate it. Some specialize in photojournalistic photography, and others prefer traditional wedding shot lists. 

What is Editorial Photography?

However, there is one style that stands out from all the rest—editorial photography. These photos make you feel like you are flipping through a fashion magazine. They are intentionally planned, styled to perfection, and most importantly, emphasize creative composition. Editorial photography is art. That said, couples must be ok with giving the photographer some artistic freedom. It’s not for everyone, and that’s ok! But I do love a good editorial session, and I couldn’t wait to share this killer editorial engagement with you—these two were a blast to work with! 

Fi and Cayley sent me an EPIC mood board full of candid moments, movement, motion blur and film vibes, so we did it all. We started with a museum where we had to patiently wait out the people with minimal posing so as not to disturb the other museum goers. Then, we changed styles and did the opposite running around the beach by ourselves around sunset. The photos involved getting dirty in the sand and Cayley and Fi warming up in each others arms on a cold winter day. (The best part about doing your engagement session in the colder weather is the beaches are much less crowded!)

While many couples fall in love with the editorial style, it is not always easy coming up with photoshoot locations—and the backdrop plays a significant role in editorial compositions. So, if you’re considering bold statement portraits that look like they came straight out of Vogue, here are a few of my top editorial locations. 

Best Los Angeles Locations for Editorial Photos

Museums

Given their visual purpose, museums often make gorgeous photoshoot locations due to the building’s stunning paintings, architecture, and variety of background options. Try to visit at a time when the museum won’t be busy, so you can take your time and get the best shots. Use your creativity to play with outfits, lighting, background, poses, and angles.

Some popular museums in Los Angeles are:

–Natural History Museum
–Getty Center

Note: Photography is not allowed at some museums, especially flash photography, so we’ll need to check the museum’s policy first and schedule our session with them in advance. Or, we could just use the architecture outside the museum for part of our session.

Libraries

Every city has a local library. While some are not very glamorous, others feature intricate designs and brilliant architecture. Take advantage of this free photoshoot location by shooting on a magnificent staircase, against a marble column, or in front of bookshelves. The possibilities are endless; you just have to get creative! 

A few of the most beautiful libraries in Los Angeles include:

–Los Angeles Central Library
–Hoose Library of Philosophy
–Powell Library
–West Hollywood Library

Like museums, we’ll need permission to shoot inside the library before our session.

Hotel Lobbies

For the best hotel lobby setups, try to locate a luxury hotel. These hotels have stunning architecture, mood lighting, and styled interior designs. We can try to schedule your session at a non-peak time so we can get a few editorial photos in the lounge areas, bar settings, next to a large window on an upper floor (hopefully with skyline views), or on a spiral staircase. Entryways and elevators can work well, too.

Before photographing, be sure to get permission from the front desk and not disturb any guests.

A few recommended hotels in the Los Angeles area include: 

–The Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles
–Beverly Wilshire- A Four Seasons Hotel
–Mondrian Los Angeles

College Campuses

College campuses offer some of the most aesthetic landscape and architectural combinations, and there’s plenty of room to spread out and explore for compositional variety (especially if we catch it in the off-season or between classes). Take advantage of the variety of backgrounds and the natural lighting outside. Some campuses you may consider in the Los Angeles area are: 

–UCLA
–Loyola Marymount University
–University of California

Train Stations

This classic mode of transportation is often found in some of the most historically significant and brilliantly designed buildings. Exquisite wall clocks, metal accents, and vintage flooring make train stations unique photoshoot venues. 

Note: Photographing on or near the train tracks is illegal and unsafe. (And we don’t want to get in the way of passengers getting on or off the train.) It is best to stick to the main lobby area.

Union Station is a photogenic train station in Los Angeles.

Be Prepared & Considerate

No matter which photoshoot location you choose, try to arrive prepared with ideas in mind, especially for editorial photos. I would be happy to help with this! Get in touch with me here to start planning your editorial photo session.

You can always count on Pinterest to offer up some inspiration, and you can browse my blog and Instagram feeds for editorial photos, too. If I haven’t photographed at the location you have in mind, I’ll take a trip or get in contact with the venue ahead of time to see what our options are.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind for an On-Location Session

-Obtain permission from the venue staff. 
-Double-check venue hours to ensure they are open on photoshoot day.
-Avoid scheduling during private events 
-Don’t hinder staff from completing their work. 
-Check on any construction/renovation projects at the site.
-Avoid taking longer than a few minutes if other visitors are waiting. 

2023 spots are filling up, so book your session today! We would be happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have. I can’t wait to work with you!

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