Rachel and Dakota’s Modern Portland Engagement Session at the Portland Art Museum and Sandy Hut

Rachel and Dakota’s engagement session was the kind that reminds me why I love pushing outside the “expected.” We met on a rainy Wednesday in November at the newly renovated Portland Art Museum, letting the gray skies and quiet midweek energy set the tone for something a little more introspective and art-driven. The museum felt like the perfect backdrop for their understated, modern connection — soft light, clean lines, and moments that felt almost suspended in time.

Shooting inside the Portland Art Museum was both a challenge and a gift. With no flash allowed, I leaned fully into the ambient light, slower moments, blurred motion, and the natural rhythm of the space. Navigating crowds and darker lighting pushed me creatively, and the result was a series of images that feel intimate, quiet, and deeply artistic — the kind of photographs that invite you to linger a little longer. Rachel and Dakota slipped so easily into the environment, moving together in a way that felt effortless and honest, even in the middle of a public space.

For a complete shift in mood, we headed to The Sandy Hut — a Portland classic — for the second half of their session. Shot the day before Thanksgiving, the bar had that extra-cozy, end-of-fall energy: warm lights, familiar faces, and the hum of conversation in the background. Here, flash was not only allowed, it was essential. The contrast between the no-flash museum images and the bold, direct flash at the dive bar is what makes this session feel so dynamic and fun.

Some of my favorite film frames from their session:

(More of their film scans are included in the post, these are just some of my favorites!)

The Sandy Hut gave us permission to loosen up, lean into imperfection, and embrace a little chaos. Flash bouncing off wood-paneled walls, candid laughs over drinks, and that unmistakable dive bar nostalgia made this part of the session feel playful and alive — a perfect counterbalance to the calm, muted tones of the museum.

This engagement session was shot on a mix of Polaroid, film, and digital, which felt especially fitting for a day built around contrast. From soft, grainy museum moments to punchy flash photos with a bit of edge, Rachel and Dakota’s session feels layered, intentional, and uniquely them — a love story told through light, texture, and mood, right in the heart of Portland.