Elili Brown Photography

Alhambra Park is near where I live in Pasadena and that means that I have spent lots of time walking around and through the park. And if you are a photographer or know any, you will know that means I have tons of ideas for couples’ sessions there. So, throughout this blog post, I will share some of my favorite pose ideas and prompts for Alhambra Park, why it is an amazing session location, and some of its history.

Alhambra Park’s History:

Alhambra Park was built in 1906 and first known as Story Park. Honestly, I wish the name hadn’t changed because Story Park is the perfect name for a park used to tell your love story. But alas the name was changed to pay homage to Alhambra’s rich cultural heritage in 1909. Throughout its life, it has undergone numerous renovations and expansions, adding in recreational facilities, such as the basketball and tennis courts in addition to the swimming pool. The Park itself is roughly 12 acres and full of grassy spots to sit and read a book and even has covered picnic tables perfect for birthday parties or working outside! The park even includes an amphitheater that is used to host free concert and movies nights over the summer.

Alhambra Park’s Engagement & Couples’ Photography Opportunities

There are infinite engagement photography opportunities at Alhambra Park. I love using open space in my photography sessions and this Park has the perfect balance. Additionally, because the park is 12 acres, there is enough space that you can find a secluded spot to work with. So, you do not have to deal with tons of people in the background. Additionally, there are massive palm trees scattered throughout the parking creating shady patches. If you are having your engagement session or couples’ session during the day, this is ideal, so you don’t have to deal with your subjects being blown out or recruiting a handy dandy ND filter.

The spaciousness of the park allows you to give your clients prompts or instructions that require more movement. For example, you can have your clients run around, playing tag, pretend they’re drunk, or spin each other around. Even though there are lots of parks throughout Los Angeles, a lot of them are super busy and it can be hard to find uninterrupted space.

As shown above, there are sheltered picnic tables. The vines going up the side of the columns are gorgeous and extremely photographable. There are also speckled picnic tables throughout the park that are not covered. Personally, I would love to do a photography session utilizing these.

Alhambra Park Engagement Posing Ideas:

As I mentioned in my blog post about Amanda and Kevin’s couples’ session, their session was my Valentine’s Special, so we incorporated my beautiful, handcrafted crochet heart and body pillows into their couples’ session. Per usual, I have so many ideas we cannot fit all of them into our one hour session, but here are some examples.

I start the majority of my session’s playing a silly couples’ card game, which forces you to listen up and do silly things, like spin around like washing machine, or do parkour off nearby objects.

The photographs from these prompts are not always winners, but they help loosen up my clients for the rest of my prompts. (I call them prompts not poses, because the majority of them require some movement).

Using the picnic tables:

• Have one person sit on the table and one on the bench. Then the person sitting on the table can play with the other person’s hair and bend down and kiss their forehead or cheek. This is a sitting version of a spiderman kiss.
• They can kiss each other across the picnic table.
• It can be a great way to start a piggyback ride around the park
• They can share some snacks
• They can both sit on the table, look at each other, kiss each other.
• If they are straddling the bench facing each other, you can have them play the blind kissing game aka try to kiss each other with their eyes closed. The best way to do this is have them lean as far back as possible first, then close their eyes, and then have the go in for the kiss. Sometimes they make it but when they don’t it is usually hilarious.
• Have one person sit facing you and the other sit horizontally across their lap. From this position they can play with each other’s hands, look at each other and retell their first date story or first impressions of each other.

Using just the grass

• You can have them drunk walk towards you or walk in zigzags holding hands so that they are constantly bumping hips and stumbling.
• You can have them play tag. In this park you can do this around a tree. So that they are chasing each other around the tree and after a little while somebody pulls the other back into them with a kiss on their cheek.
• If they are down, you can have them do pretend there’s a hill and roll together. Eventually, they will stop rolling and it will cause them to laugh.
• You can have them hold each other’s hands and spin each other like we used to do in elementary and middle school.
• You can have one person sit and the other lie across their lap and have them look at each other, trace each other’s faces, etc.
• You can have them sit facing each other and do rapid fire kisses all over the other person’s face.
• You can have them kiss up against a tree.
• Piggyback rides
• You can have one person run and jump into the other’s arms and spin in circles.
• You can have someone surprise the other person in a bear attack. So somebody is facing away with their eyes closed and then the other comes from behind startling them. Often this is super cute if they can lift them off the ground.
• You can’t go wrong with some classic airplane arms.
• You can have them tickle each other.
• A classic…the butt lift. This one is lifting your partner up with your arms underneath their butt. Then the lifted person kicks a leg up and you look into each other’s eyes.
• Another classic…slow dancing with some dips, twirls, and lots of precious moments.

The Playground

If there are not too many children, the playground would also be super fun to incorporate.

• You can have them chase each other around the park.
• Go down the slides.
• Swing holding hands in between the swings, or push each other.
• Sit on the same swing and look at each other.
• Help each other across the monkey bars.
• Hide in the playground and scare each other.

Amenities at Alhambra Park:

Playgrounds

Alhambra Park has an beautiful playground, consisting of slides, swings, climbing structures. Basically, anything a little kid could ever want.

Picnic Areas

As I described earlier on, there are tons of shaded picnic tables and benches. So, you can enjoy your lunch underneath the shade or with the sun shining down on you.

Sports Facilities

Alhambra Park has tennis courts, basketball courts, grassy fields for soccer. Basically, everything an athlete could want.

Amphitheater

Alhambra Park even has its own amphitheater. Throughout the summer months this is used for live music, theatrical performances, and community events!