I hope you all had a lovely holiday! Even though all the winter coziness is great, I’m hankering for a little bit of sunshine and warmth, aren’t you? Luckily enough for us, the incredibly sweet Ashleigh Taylor of Ashleigh Taylor Photography was kind enough to share Andrew + Andrea’s gorgeous engagement photos with us. I don’t know about you, but I’ve got a soft spot for engagement photos with a touch of personal flair and whimsy, and this couple certainly brings both these elements to this lovely shoot with their vintage music collection and (as you’ll see) a bit of paleontology.

Read on to learn more about Ashleigh Taylor Photography and see some photographs full of love, music, and dinosaurs!

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1) Can you describe your photography style in one sentence?

I describe my style as glamorous yet genuine because I’m all about making my clients look fabulous and like they should be in a magazine, however, I also place a huge emphasis on capturing my clients genuine personalities– I never want anything to look posed or stiff!

2) What do you love about doing engagement photo shoots?

I am very passionate about doing engagement shoots with all my wedding clients because I think of it as a “dress rehearsal” for the big day. It’s a really great way for us to get to know each other better. I learn so much about my clients and they also learn what it is like to be in front of my camera, and how to pose, etc. The whole experience builds a lot of confidence for them, and by the time the wedding day rolls around we feel like old friends, and they are so excited to be in front of my camera. It’s definitely a really great way to make the wedding day run smoother– and bonus is that engagement shoots are tons of fun and another way to have nice photos to decorate with and cherish forever!

3) What was unique about Andrea + Andrew’s Santa Barbara engagement shoot?

I encourage all my clients to personalize their engagement shoots. Andrew and Andrea did this by bringing along their fabulous and extensive vinyl record collection, as well their bass and ukelele. We also went to the Natural History Museum because Andrea is part of a paleontology society… the whale skeleton out in front not only made for cool pictures, but references Andrea’s love of natural history!

4) What are some tips you have for couples looking into doing an engagement shoot?

I would recommend working with your wedding photographer, first of all! The “dress rehearsal” effect of the shoot really only works if the same photographer who is shooting your wedding, photographs your engagement session as well! Another thing I recommend is to make it personal! As you can see from Andrea + Andrew’s session a few cute, personalized props can add so much to a session and really make it unique.