A sunset proposal on Jeju Island can be absolutely gorgeous, especially along the coast where we get a clear view of the horizon, making it easy to take in the gorgeous afternoon light. The beaches along the northern coast are the perfect locations for sunrise and sunset as we get lovely side light at both times of day all year round.
Hamdeok Beach is one of those pretty white-sand beaches we find along the northern coast, and is a summer hotspot because of it. At sunrise, it is often dotted with pre-wedding photo shoots and dog-walking locals, but later in the day, it becomes a hangout for families and friend groups alike. Even with all the people on the sand, though, we can find clear spots on top of the cliffs between the two beaches and that’s exactly where we planned Mike’s proposal.
We’d discussed several locations before deciding on this one, including Jeolmul Recreational Forest, Manjanggul Cave, and a couple of sunflower fields. In the end, the late-blooming flowers and Mike’s holiday schedule meant that we settled on the beach as being the spot that would raise the least suspicion with Xiu Han.
After my recce of the location, I shared several different possible angles with Mike. He chose this simple ocean view so as to have them be the focus of the images and the gorgeous afternoon sunlight illuminate the moment. Mike had actually done his own research with maps and sun trackers, which is part of my service! But, I was glad to have him thinking through the moment with me, as well!
In the lead-up to every proposal, I always remind my client to take their time with the proposal. Not only does this give them both time to absorb what’s happening and feel the moment together, but it gives me the time to capture the proposal in its fullest and a variety of different moments to photograph. Mike had prepared quite a few things to say and his proposal was a spectacular collection of moments and emotions. I often get asked how many photos I provide for a proposal. The simple answer to that is that it depends! With a heartfelt, lengthy proposal like this, there are dozens of moments to capture. Here are just a few of them.
After the proposal, Xiu Han’s family joined us for a quick portrait together to celebrate. Then the couple asked if they could re-enact the moment in movie-still fashion, for those picture-perfect moments that are so hard to get while still keeping the proposal a secret! So, we ran through it and in between bursts of laughter, made a second set of images for the couple to take home.
Once that was done, we skipped around the coast and made some more images to celebrate this moment for the couple. The strong afternoon sun soon gave way to the golden glow that comes just before blue hour. In summer, this roughly 20-minute period of the day makes for a quick way to capture a lot of variety in your images. In other seasons, it can be a bit shorter, but summer gives us time to take things a bit slower and experiment.
Congratulations to Mike and Xiu Han again, and thank you guys for having me along to document these moments for you. If you’re reading this and looking to have your own proposal photographed, please do reach out!