Well I guess it must be the off season since I’m over here leisurely thinking of helpful blog posts I can write to all you folks out there. I often have couples asking me for location suggestions for engagement photos. First and foremost I always recommend they choose someplace that is special to them whether it be where he/she proposed, somewhere they walk their dog often or just a location that is meaningful for one reason or another. If they can’t think of anything then I am always happy to help. And that’s where this blog post comes in.
I’ve compiled a few of my very favorite engagement session locations in Victoria. We are so friggin spoiled with the beauty of this city so this wasn’t hard for me to write, only to narrow down locations. Here are a few of my favorites.
1. Mt. Doug. I meannnnn where can you get a better view then this one? The beauty of Mt. Doug is that there are two sides – the “beach side” as I can it and the “lookout side”. I typically start the session on the beach side about an hour before sunset while the forest is still lit up enough but the beach isn’t too bright. Then about 20 minutes before sunset we head up to the lookout. The light up here is unbeatable, as is the view of the city and ocean. The only downside is it can be a little crowded so you may have an audience….still worth the pictures in my opinion!
2. Glencoe-Cove. This is a little known and very private beach in Gordon Head. I moved to Gordon Head not too long ago and found this little beauty while scouting the neighborhood map. I love it because it’s private (ya I already said that but I really love this about it), the lighting is great even without waiting until later in the evening in the summer as it’s a bit sheltered AND it provides a few different backdrops including accessible rocks to climb onto, some stairs, long grass and a stunning view of the ocean. Oh and the water is pretty warm so sometimes I convince my couples to jump in!
3. Beacon Hill Park/Dallas Road. I’m combining these two because they are so close that I often schedule engagement sessions with the intention to use both locations. Beacon Hill is a huge park and provides an array of backdrops – flowers, long grass, super cool Garry Oak Trees, an amazing and massive totem pole and even a petting zoo if you are so inclined. Right up over and down the hill is Dallas Road – specifically Finlayson Point. This area is a favorite of mine because there are some cool old stairs leading down to the beach which I always utilize. Once on the beach the rocks are gorgeous and if the light is right you get some pretty stellar golden grass on the hill behind you not to mention the Olympic Mountains.
4. Downtown Victoria. Maybe it’s the city turned country girl in me but I love a good urban shoot. I rarely have clients wanting to have their engagement photos downtown but when I do I eat it up. Victoria has so much character and the city is full of nooks and crannies to explore. Actually – funny story. One time we got chased but a fairly inebriated fellow at one of my sessions, yelling profanities at us and throwing punches at my client. But don’t let this throw you off…all is well that ends well.
5. Arbutus Cove. This is another very private beach in my neck of the woods I found fairly recently. A favorite feature of this location is a massive (and I mean MASSIVE) Arbutus tree overlooking the ocean. From there you can take the stairs down to the beach, explore the rocks and walk along the beach to find an old swing hanging from one of the trees. I love all the driftwood that provides interest to photos, the greenery readily available and also the fact that the lighting here is generally great in the evening at any time. Such a variety in one place!
I could keep on going and going with locations but I didn’t want to make this post TOO long. Maybe I will write a second one in the future! Hope this helps all you location scouting couples out there 🙂
Stunning locations. Oh, how I miss BC. The west is truly the best! Your work is beautiful.
Thank you so much for your comment Linda!