When it comes to engagement shoot locations there are plenty of options in and around Vancouver! Here are my top 7 in no particular order.
This post has been updated and can be found here: https://www.wilsonlau.ca/engagement-locations
1. Jericho Beach
Jericho Beach is one of Vancouver's main beaches and is conveniently located in West Vancouver. There's a string of beaches in that area so it can be a bit confusing as to where to go. To start, you’ll want to park in the parking lot across the street from Brock House. The great thing about Jericho Beach is it’s also a large park so there's plenty of places to shoot beyond the beach!
2. Kits Beach
Kits Beach is Vancouvers most popular beach and is absolutely packed between May and September. With that said, it’s a great place to shoot between those months as its significantly more quiet. Specifically I love how versatile the beach is as it can offer a variety of different looks. When I shoot there I like to start by the yacht club, then work my way to Vanier Park, and then finish off at the actual Kits Beach as the sun sets.
3. Pacific Spirit Park
Pacific Spirit Park is forest that’s named as a park thats right next to UBC. Theres so many spots around this park that I honestly haven’t explored all of it. The great thing about this location is that you can be out on a busy street and within 5mins of walking you will be in the middle of a forest with thick walls of trees. Oh, and the free parking and abundant spaces is a plus too!
4. Spanish Banks
Neighbouring Jericho Beach, Spanish Banks offers the best view of the North Shore Mountains of all the beaches in the city. Like Kit’s Spanish Banks can get pretty busy between May and September, but from my experience in May and September it’s quiet enough to shoot at during sunset. Parking is free!
5. Stanley Park
Stanley Park is the most popular park in the city, but it’s also the largest park in the city! This means that despite how busy it can get in the summer, you can still shoot here year round and have it look like you’ve got the park all to yourselves! Except for the beaches though, those will be quite full in the warmer months, but if you want water there's still the Lost Lagoon!
6. UBC
UBC is a super versatile spot to shoot in! Beyond just going around the campus you’ve got the Botanical Gardens, the Rose Garden, Cecil Green and you can even make your way down to Wreck Beach! UBC can work well at any time of the year, and theres plenty of parking to be found around the campus.
7. Whytecliff Park
Whytecliff Park is one of the most popular rocky beach parks. It can get busy during the summer months, but is usually fine on weekdays. The park is large enough to offer a variety of different backdrops while being small enough to be easy to navigate. Watch out for the high tide though if you’re gonna venture to the little island as the pathway will be under water!
Engagement prep and tips:
1. Wear clothes you feel comfortable in. Don’t feel the need to be anyone else but yourself!
2. Footwear is important as I get my couples to move around a lot
3. If we have a sunny day we’ll aim to shoot at around sunset, though this is location dependant
4. Is there a location that’s special to you guys? Does that spot work for photos? If not, I’m happy to come up with one for you!
5. if it rains, we’ll reschedule! I want you to have the best photos possible.
6. Approach the session as if it were a date. It’ll be a lot more fun that way!
Like what you see and are interested in getting an engagement shoot from me? Get in touch here!