Ever wondered what happens if the forecast is showing bad weather for the day of your engagement session? The short answer: we adapt and make an awesome time out of it. Then you end up with the most fun rainy engagement photos!
Alexis & Freddy’s Rainy Engagement Photos
Alexis and Freddy had the epitome of an engagement session with “bad weather.” Seriously – we got it all. The weather was all over the place and constantly changing, going from tons of wind to shining sun to a bright rainbow. We got the best variety possible of moody lighting with the rain, beautiful direct sunlight + sunbeams, and the soft glow of golden hour. How could you ask for anything more?
We actually had around 20mph gusts of wind on this day – it wasn’t just a light breeze. But my favorite part about wind is that it makes for really beautiful movement. I love getting to have the wind come out during my sessions, even though it might make it a little chillier. Just look at how amazing that movement is in Alexis’s hair and dress in the photos below!
A Sweet Review from the Couple
“We wanted to hire a professional photographer because we wanted beautiful photos of us that we truly love, photos that we could walk past in our home and never tire of for years to come.
That is exactly what we got with Emily.
Having taken professional photos once before, we were familiar (and not too happy) with photos that made us look “posed” and stiff, so we really wanted more natural photos that felt more like us. When we came across Emily’s gallery and photography, we immediately fell in love. She does a great job of trying to get to know the couple before the shoot so she can tailor the shoot specifically to the couple. It wasn’t just hiring her then seeing her at the shoot – we had many discussions via email and texts beforehand. This effort and the research on her part really stood out to us. Because of it, we felt more comfortable at the shoot – like a friend was taking our pictures – which helped everything feel so much more natural. We were concerned with the actual shoot feeling awkward, but we were shocked at the end of it by how much fun it was!
All of this is just about our experience working with Emily…I haven’t even touched on the final product – the photos themselves! She edits the photos beautifully in a true-to-life manner with a hint of moodiness. Basically, perfection. And the best part of what she does, is the way she captured us sharing a quiet moment, or laughing at something we said to each other. She didn’t prompt these delicate moments, but she let them happen naturally and was there to catch them. Her ability to do this is something really special about her work. When I see those photos, it takes me back to those moments, and I can relive them over and over and remember exactly what he whispered in that moment to make me laugh.
Emily somehow figured out how to bottle up a beautiful memory and a feeling of happiness. That is what she gives you, and frankly, it is priceless. Hiring her was one of the best investments we have ever made.
To anyone on the fence about booking with her, I’m willing to bet that she will be one of the best investments you will ever make, too.”
Read the full review on my Yelp listing!
What to Do with Bad Weather During Your Session
Many people might think that we automatically reschedule our session if the weather forecast isn’t looking great. But as you can tell by what I’ve already said, I really do enjoy some crazy weather! Hawaii gets a lot of passing rain showers, which is how everything is able to stay so beautiful and green. We will most likely continue on with our session even when we get some showers, as our rain on the island is often light and passing.
Rain creates a completely unique atmosphere for your photos and really adds variety. That way, not all of your photos look the same. Rain enables us to capture different beautiful lighting scenarios. And to me, rain is something that reminds me to let go of my expectations and go with the flow! Rainy engagement photos can absolutely be just as beautiful as sunny ones. We’ll make an amazing time out of the rain as long as it’s not a dangerous storm! And don’t worry about my photography gear at all – I have weather gear to shoot with in the rain, since Hawaii does get showers so often. I’m ready for anything!
Check out more of my recent work as an Oahu elopement photographer below:
Ho’omahluia Botanical Garden Wedding
