There’s something really magical about Los Angeles before the city wakes up. The streets are quiet, the air is soft, and the sun gives you just enough warmth to know it’s going to be a beautiful day. That’s exactly what we walked into for Francesca and Eldrin’s sunrise engagement session at Griffith Observatory, a place that feels like its own little world above the city.
We all piled into one car that morning, coffee in hand, that little buzz of excitement already building. They told me they were nervous and a little shy in front of the camera, but the second we arrived and they started walking ahead of me, I saw it... that playful ease they have only with each other. They didn’t need direction. Their connection did the talking.
The fog that rolled over the hills at first gave us that soft, cinematic glow, but as the sun climbed higher, the sky turned the brightest blue. We wandered along the path overlooking the skyline, playing with shadows, light, and that iconic view of Los Angeles stretching beneath us. At one point, while I was trying to line up the city backdrop, Eldrin suddenly broke into dance, completely unprompted, and playfully took Francesca's hand to dance finishing with a dip. The kind of moment that makes photographing love feel like a privilege.
To be honest, it felt less like an engagement session and more like tagging along on their date. So, naturally, we ended the morning at one of their favorite spots: Fred 62 in Los Feliz. There with breakfast plates, a milkshake, and my camera in hand, I saw the sweetest dynamic on full display. Them sharing bites, laughing over inside jokes, being incredibly kind to the staff… all the little gestures that tell the real love story.
As a Los Angeles wedding photographer, my favorite sessions are the ones where couples can just be themselves. There is no pressure, no posing that feels unnatural. Just love, movement, sunlight, and the city that holds so many of their memories.
