Stunning backdrops, perfect light and just the right angles in those amazing proposal photos may have you thinking how did they do that? Well, you are in luck because we have the same questions. We spoke with Josh & Sandra Tompkins of Blue Lotus Photography about the steps in planning the perfect Lake Tahoe proposal and how she gets those once in a lifetime moments on camera. She shared with us her tips on timing, location and a story of a stunning proposal session she recently shot on the lake.
We first get the timing locked in for the proposal upon booking the session. Typically this time will be in the early morning or around the golden hour. This is typically one hour before sunset. Once their session is confirmed, we then plan a phone chat to go over all of the details including location options. A lot of times, our clients have never been to Lake Tahoe and are relying on our knowledge of the local areas. We dial in a location spot after chatting with them to get an idea of what type of scenery they are envisioning.
Then we chat a bit about positioning for the actual moment. This is really important as we are wanting to see the expression of the person being proposed to. We also talk about having a cue as to when the moment will unfold. This can be as simple as them taking a selfie together but this really helps the one proposing to feel comfortable and to be ready for the big moment.
With this particular proposal, the couple Sabin and Christina are a long distance couple and Sabin wanted to bring Christina to Lake Tahoe for their proposal. Together we planned a surprise proposal session and Sabin let us know how he wanted a Lake overview location to capture the moment. Having had a big winter, we still had a lot of snow on the ground making some locations still inaccessible. That being said, we felt so blessed when we went for a site scouting view a few days in advance to find the snow had melted out which allowed us to complete access in hiking all the way down to the lake.
For the actual proposal, we had Sabin pull Christina up onto a large boulder as to make for an unobstructed view of them from both of our angles. She literally had no idea this was going to happen and Christina’s expression was so honest and real. The love these two shares and their connection was truly unmistakable.
We definitely recommend to propose in the way that you feel the most comfortable and to make the moment yours. If you dance together, feel free to spin your partner around freely on a pier before popping the question. We have had couples make sure their dog is there if they want them to be part of the moment too. Whatever reflects who you are as a couple is important to capture.
When choosing your photographer for your proposal, we highly recommend going with a team so that you have two different unique angles. This also helps serve as backup just in case you don’t quite get him or her positioned just right. That way you make sure that the moment is captured beautifully. A definite don’t is please make sure to arrive no earlier than the scheduled time we talked about. We don’t want your future fiancé tipped off by seeing two photographers setting up in a discreet location, it might just ruin the element of surprise! On that same note,please arrive on time as we are natural light photographers so the sun dictates how long we can photograph for.
We hope this advice has inspired you when planning your Lake Tahoe proposal. For more dreamy proposal inspiration head on over to Blue Lotus Photography where Sandra and Josh shoot proposals, engagement sessions and weddings.