This year, my focus will be on becoming a stronger storyteller with my photography. I’ve already started making a few changes and one of them is the Choose Your Own Adventure session which will be an alternative, more documentary-based approach to the engagement session.

The CYOA session was inspired by the classic storybooks from my younger years that gave you the option to select your own alternate endings. The idea of the session is that you, the couple, get to decide what adventure you’d like to go on. It could be anything from a walk through the forest, staying in a yurt in Big Sur, hip hop dance lessons, or whatever your creative minds can come up with. I recommend doing something you’ve been wanting to do for a while now but haven’t been able to because the busies of life have taken over. My job will be to capture and tell the story of your adventure together.

So what does this session look like? That’s where Chris and Alice come in. Chris contacted me about shooting his wedding and we had a chance to talk for a bit over the phone. Turns out Chris was also an engineer but has decided to pursue his passion for film. I, then, exchanged emails with his fiancee Alice who’s an art director for WIRED magazine and all around amazing person. I knew they would be a wonderful couple to kick off the session. They emailed me immediately with ideas of things they wanted to do and I could just sense their excitement.

The final plans came through and we were set for our adventure. Chris and Alice love to surf but have never tried paddle boarding which was the first stop. They were naturals at it and after they took a couple spins, I decided to try my luck as well. We all managed to stay dry so unfortunately I didn’t get any outtake photos.

Next we payed a visit to Chris’s grandparents who own an incredible hill top home in Sausalito. I could have probably spent weeks listening to the stories Edith and Tibor had to share and looking at Edith’s amazing artwork and Tibor’s architecture from Hungary. You’ll see this gorgeous sketch of a flower Edith did below which I believe she originally sketched on a napkin. Just one immensely talented and artistic family. Although we had never met before, I was treated like the closest of family during my entire visit. It was truly an incredible experience. We didn’t leave without trying some homemade Hungarian desserts.

We spent the final leg of the adventure in the Marin Headland at a beach that Chris and Alice enjoy surfing at. It was an astonishing day and I’m extremely blessed to call Chris and Alice my friends. Thank you both for letting me into your life and trusting me.

I want to thank all the people that are embracing and supporting me in trying new things. Especially my clients that have been open and excited about the ideas I’ve been sharing with them. It means so much to me.

-nirav

today marks our 1 year anniversary as paperback weddings. it has been an incredible first year. thanks to all our past clients, and future clients for making our job so much fun. we have grown up a lot in a year, and cant wait to see what this next year has for us. love you all!
- daniel+katie