Valley Capri Palm Springs Engagement

May 22

Backstory: When Ginger and Jes first inquired with me about their downtown Toronto wedding (as Ginger is originally Canadian), I was already excited. When I learned they currently live in Los Angeles, California, ideas started buzzing. What could be better than capturing an engagement in LA? We weren’t sure if it would initially be possible, and tentatively planned to do a local engagement here in Canada at some point during one of their visits. But I held out hope that we would be able to make an abroad session work. In addition to being a clearly photogenic couple, this bride happens to have some modelling experience, and both work in creative fields with a relation to film. Essentially, they have great taste, and collaborative creativity runs in their veins.

Why LA? The vibrant cityscapes, the iconic palm tree-lined streets, the without-fail perfect sunsets, what’s not to love? While I’ve been to California a few times (and love it deeply), LA and I have never crossed paths. Miraculously, one of my best friends happens to pop in for various work projects every now and then, and we knew that if I was free tag along during her next trip, we could make it work. Not only did my friend need to head to the sunshine towards the end of February for work, but other good friends of ours were there visiting at the exact same time. And, one of us was celebrating a 30th birthday. It was the most serendipitous combination of events, and I trip I’ll never forget.

The shoot: As mentioned in their “Vintage Car” portion of their engagement, we had to split their session in two. For anyone else, this would have been quite the undertaking, but it’s true that there were simply too many good ideas to fit into one engagement. And how often am I in LA with the opportunity to shoot with these kick-ass clients? Never. So we really went for it.

This portion of their engagement took place at The Valley Capri, an authentically 70’s styled home that can be rented out for editorial shoots. The owners do in fact live there, and keep it absolutely pristine. Upon researching the place, we basked in the excitement of knowing it once housed photoshoots featuring Lana Del Ray, John Hamm, Georgia May Jagger, the list goes on. THAT’S how out of this world it is, and every inch lived up to the hype.

From the warm wood and funky wallpaper-ed interior, to the Palm Springs inspired backyard pool with its vibrant umbrellas and desert flora that encased it, this location was a dream. We had multiple outfit choices to coincide with each setting, and while we were there for almost 3 hours, we really could have stayed all day. Realistically, it WOULD take all day to fully appreciate each distinctive and thoughtful detail of the space. The magic we created here is not something I’ll be forgetting anytime soon. The perfect vintage 70’s paradise engagement. I’m forever indebted to these two, their love, and their enthusiastic creativity.

Film Scans: C41 Film Labs