A Cozy Fall UW Engagement

When Olivia and Ronnie asked me to photograph their engagement session at the University of Washington (UW) campus in Seattle, I couldn’t help but get excited. There’s something so magical about autumn on campus — the golden light, the turning leaves, the soft glow as sunset nears — and it felt like the perfect fit for their love. Their UW engagement in fall turned into one of those sessions that I look back on and smile, remembering the laughter, the quiet moments, and how much warmth they radiated even in the crisp air.

We started our session as the leaves were deep in fall colors — oranges, golds, and auburns painting every path, lawn, and tree-lined walkway on campus. The UW campus is this perfect blend of historic architecture and natural beauty; old brick, ivy-covered buildings, long tree-lined paths, and cozy hidden corners — a place you return to again and again, and always find something new. For a fall engagement, especially one meant to feel timeless, UW is a dream.

When Olivia and Ronnie walked into the frame together, I immediately felt their connection. They moved like two people who know each other deeply — easy comfort, inside jokes, gentle touches, and that kind of quiet laughter that comes from genuine love. There was no stiffness, no forced posing, just real moments between them. As we wandered through campus grounds, they’d talk softly, glance at each other, hold hands, sometimes lean in close just to whisper something small. It felt intimate, personal, and so honest.

One of my favorite parts of this UW engagement was how we used the light. Fall in Seattle has this beautiful: the sun gets lower, the angle softens, and suddenly even a simple walkway glows golden. We caught them walking down tree-lined paths with golden leaves at their feet, we paused near benches and old brick walls with light filtering through branches, and we let the wind catch Olivia’s hair just enough to make the portraits feel alive. There’s something about fall light on campus that adds soft warmth and nostalgia to images — perfect for remembering a season of life.

As the session went on, we walked through different areas of the campus — lawns, stone paths, near wooden benches, under maples and elms shedding leaves, and even near some of UW’s historic buildings. Each backdrop told a slightly different story: from cozy and personal to wide and dramatic, but always with a sense of home and history. For Olivia and Ronnie, this UW engagement felt like their roots: familiar, comforting, and full of promise.

I loved how natural they were. There were moments when Ronnie would quiet his laughter, pull Olivia close, and wrap his arms around her — like they were the only ones in the world. There were times they’d spin, or she’d tilt her head back laughing, or they’d just stand still and breathe together. Those are the frames where I tuck away my heart — unposed, unplanned, real life as it whispers “this is us.”

The campus in fall gave us another beautiful gift: the leaves. We used piles of fallen leaves for fun, candid photos — walking through them, kicking them up, holding each other among the color. The rustle of leaves underfoot, soft wind, and autumn air added a kind of earthy magic that made their UW engagement feel cozy and warm even on a cool day.

As the sky turned soft pastel and the day began to fade, we found one of my favorite corners of the campus for final portraits — a quiet walkway lined with trees, light filtering through, and the world hushed around them. I asked them to close their eyes, hold each other close, and just be. The result was a set of images that feel timeless — soft, romantic, and deeply connected.

Walking away from this session, I felt so grateful. Grateful that Olivia and Ronnie trusted me to capture their story, grateful for the magic that is UW in fall, and grateful that I get to do this job — documenting love, transition, growth, and small sacred moments.

If you’re considering a fall UW engagement session, I can’t recommend it enough. The mix of golden light, historic architecture, tree-lined paths, and cozy autumn vibes makes it one of the most beautiful, meaningful places to capture your love story.

Olivia and Ronnie — thank you for letting me document this chapter. I’m so excited to watch your next steps, and even more excited to see what comes next.