Mikaella + Brandt: On Board Sailboat Living Couple take their Engagement Photos on their Sailboat in Marina Del Rey

The night I met Mikaella and Brandt on board their sailboat marked exactly one year to the day of when Mikaella moved in with Brandt to embrace sailboat living! Together, they live on board Brandt’s sailboat of five years, at home in their floating residence in Marina Del Rey. One week after Mikaella moved on board with Brandt, they proposed to one another to get married and have enjoyed the nearly whole last year as an engaged couple navigating the next chapter of their lives together.

Capturing their engagement photos while at sea on their sailboat was so fun and special. A twist on an “at-home”session, we traded couch cuddles and kitchen coffees for salt air and ocean horizons. Brandt and Mikaella sailed their boat out of Marina Del Rey and towards the open ocean, lowering and raising their sailboat’s sails as we moved past the break-wall.

The night of our shoot was an especially cloudy weekend in Los Angeles. The overcast skies created a very moody, almost romantic feeling to the photos. By the time the sun had set and we were back in the marina, some purple hues illuminated the clouds for a partial sunset as we sailed back to their dock.

These photos feel extra special as engagement photos because they get to tell the story of Mikaella and Brandt and where they are at this stage and age of their lives. I can imagine these photos printed out and framed for years to come, future generations pointing at their image while standing in a living room of a house on land, reminiscing about their life at sea. Getting to take photos like these really solidify the power and possibility of freezing moments and memories in time, for us to reflect on and remember for years and generations to come. It feels such an honor to have the chance to tell their story and give them these photos for the rest of their lives.