Jessica and Paul | A Sunset Bay Shore Park Engagement Session

Location: Bay Shore Park, in Brown County, Wisconsin 

Time of session: about an hour and a half before sunset

*Gear used: Canon EOS R6, EF 35mm, EF 100mm, EF 70-200mm, (2) Canon 600 ex rt, (2) MagMod Magrid, (2) Magmod MagSphere, Spyder Holster  (Please see affiliate disclaimer below.)

For Jessica and Paul’s engagement session we chose Bay Shore Park at sunset due to the versatility of the location.  We began their session in the upper park area, mainly utilizing the rustic fence and the open field with the gorgeous tree line. 

We kept it light hearted and fun.  Amari was totally down for all of my games, but I think his favorite was when I let him use my camera to take some photos of Jessica and Paul.  He got a few really good ones.  He also helped me play some “tricks” on Jessica and Paul by surprising them by running into the photo.

We moved down to the dock area to get that perfect view of the Bay of Green Bay and the sunset.  I utilized a mixture of natural light and OCF (off camera flash) to capture the various looks of the sunset.  Once the sun had set I chose a two flash setup in various degrees.  For some of the images I used one Canon 600 ex-rt as a key light and another as a rim light, and for the more subtle images I used one flash as a key light and the other as a fill.  When I photograph sunsets I like to do a mixture of lit images and a selection of silhouette images. 

I cannot wait for their wedding and look forward to their wedding reception at Gather on Broadway in the fall.

Further explanation of gear use:

Canon EOS R6- I love the light weightiness of this camera. It doesn’t kill your back carrying it around for 10-12 plus hours.  It has all the right features that I’m looking for in a camera to photograph couples and weddings. The Canon EOS R6 has dual card slots, insanely accurate subject tracking, it’s super quick and sharp.  

EF 35mm- I take advantage of this lens to do my wide shots and for it’s ability to shoot so open.  If I need it, I can open it up past f/2, but typically f/2 is as open as I need to go for an engagement session. For the sunset photos I did close down the aperture a bit somewhere in the f/3.5 range and one or two shots a little further than that. 

EF 100mm- While I have used this lens for portraits, it was only used for the engagement ring photos. 

EF 70-200mm- AKA Bertha, she is my favorite lens by far, and yes she has a name.  I love using this lens, wide open, and at 200mm.  Nothing compares to the creamy bokeh and crisp subject.  It’s great for eliminating unwanted distractions in the background or when the subject is at a great distance.   

(2) Canon 600 ex rt- I rarely use more than two lights at an engagement session. Since this session was at sunset, and not midday, they had plenty of power for what I needed them to accomplish.  My favorite feature is the built-in transmitter/receiver.     

(2) MagMod MagGrid- The MagGrid is used to help direct the light so that there isn’t as much spill off of the subject.  

(2) Magmod MagSphere- The MagSphere helps soften the light, so any shadows are not as harsh. 

Spyder Holster- I use this system to carry my camera because it effectively eliminates my back aches while shooting.  

As usual if you have questions about gear reach out or check out our youtube channel for more detailed information and explanations.

*Affiliate Disclaimer:

Hey Friends I just wanted to let you know that I am a part of many affiliate programs.  This means that I may receive compensation when you make a purchase from any links contained in this website. The cool part is that it doesn’t cost you any more to make a purchase from my links, which is super cool because this also helps support my family.  

As always, when making a purchase make sure you do your own research on not only the product but the seller as well.  I do my best to only post links of products I have purchased but there may be instances where I may need to post a link for informational purposes only due to lack of availability of other resources.  For example: I purchase all of my camera gear locally and they do not have a website with their product listings.  I post the Amazon links so you know which models I am referring to.  If you have questions please reach out.