Paulo & Christine’s Montara State Beach Surprise Proposal

For this big moment, Paulo planned his surprise proposal at Montara State Beach with not only his girlfriend Christine, but also their son as well. He was in on the surprise, and besides serving to distracting her as part of the plan, he also helped to take some photos from the side! [ read more … ]

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Pankaj & Vaibhavi’s San Francisco Lake Boat Surprise Proposal

One tranquil morning last weekend, the world held its breath as Pankaj and Vaibhavi paddled a rowboat around the waters of Stow Lake. As the birds chirped around them, they glided towards the iconic stone arch bridge. Little did Vaibhavi know that this ordinary morning was about to become an extraordinary memory. With their calm surroundings amplifying the moment’s intimacy, Pankaj positioned their boat perfectly in front of the bridge, then took her by surprise with a heartfelt proposal. [ read more … ]

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Brandon & Sabrina’s Proposal in the Berkeley Fire Trails

Brandon had been preparing for this moment for months — he envisioned his proposal to Sabrina to be perfectly set up, at the perfect location, and timed right at sunset. He was concerned about fog (it is the month of Fogust, after all), and to mitigate the risk, he chose a location up in the Berkeley fire trails. As luck would play out, it did end up being very foggy that day… but because of the great location choice, his proposal would happen well above that thick sea of fog down below, making an incredible scene. [ read more … ]

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Stan & Yanyu’s Fremont Mission Peak Surprise Proposal

I can say with certainty that Stan & Yanyu’s proposal is, and will forever remain, one of the most memorable photo shoots of my career. Mission Peak is (according to AllTrails) a grueling 7.3-mi hike featuring a 2,135-foot elevation gain, by far the most intense hike I’ve ever attempted. It was quite the climb, especially when dual-wielding heavy cameras and carrying enough water to last me the ~6 hours I was out in the 90-degree sun. But the sweeping, panoramic views all along the way, and especially the resulting photos, made it all more than worth the trek! [ read more … ]

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Austin & Erin’s Palace of Fine Arts Surprise Engagement Proposal

Sometimes, surprise proposals don’t quite end up being 100% a surprise — and this has its charm, because among other things, it means she has a chance to prepare for what will be an amazing moment. Last weekend, Austin and Erin had a special dinner together in San Francisco, then afterwards made their way over to the Palace of Fine Arts, where we were ready to capture the moment. The evening sun gave them a warm, golden welcome [ read more … ]

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