A woman smiles over her shoulder towards a man in the foreground of the photo as she runs along the water of North Avenue Beach in Chicago

Sunrise Photos at North Avenue Beach in Chicago | Abi + Riley

Couples

Something I’m always striving for with my couples is to document the real connection between them. Posed portraits are great don’t get me wrong, but love is SO much more than just smiling at the camera together. It’s the goofy inside jokes you tell one another, the way you look at one another with big heart eyes right before you kiss, the joy you feel as you walk hand in hand together with your person. Love is all these things and SO much more, and that energy is what I love about my documentary style of photography. Abi and Riley’s photos at North Avenue Beach are the perfect example of this as they’re an honest representation of their fun loving relationship!

Photo of a couple in t-shirts and jeans walking barefoot along North Avenue Beach at sunrise
Black and white photo of a couple embracing one another and spinning around while barefoot on North Avenue Beach

A Cinematic Sunrise for Their Photos at North Avenue Beach

Our session began just as the sun began to rise over the waters of Lake Michigan. Sunrise sessions have always been some of my favorites as they allow for a much more intimate and personal experience in addition to the beautiful golden rays. North Avenue Beach is one of the best locations in Chicago for photos like this, as it typically is incredibly crowded on any given summer day. At sunrise though, Abi, Riley, and I practically had the beach to ourselves, giving us plenty of space and privacy for some fun in the sun-rise.

A woman smiles as a man lifts her in the air while the two are barefoot on a beach at sunrise
A woman rides piggyback on a man as the two smile towards the camera while standing on a beach at sunrise
A woman laughs and smiles over her shoulder while running along a beach barefoot as the man she's smiling at walks towards her
A woman smiles over her shoulder towards a man in the foreground of the photo as she runs along the water of North Avenue Beach in Chicago
A couple in swim suits embrace one another and smile while looking out towards the sunrise over the water
Vintage style photo of a couple embracing and smiling while in their swim suits on a beach
Photo of a couple at North Avenue Beach running into the water at sunrise while lifting their arms into the air
Photo of a couple in their swim suits at North Avenue Beach at sunrise, the man is splashing water towards the woman as she laughs

Thinking Outside the Box for Your Couples Photos

I have to give Abi and Riley a TON of credit here. I’ve always wanted to do a sunrise swimming session on the beach, but nobody wants to get up at the crack of dawn to swim in front of the camera! Shocking right? These two were down to try it though, and I’m honestly a bit obsessed with how their sunrise photos at North Avenue Beach turned out! I love sessions where my couples are going the extra mile to make their session more unique to them. Whether that’s through a cozy in-home session, or swimming on the beach at sunrise, it’s these types of settings and activities that really allow the true YOU to shine. Check out some of my other favorite ideas for engagement photos here if you’re looking for more inspiration!

A couple stand in the water of Lake Michigan at sunrise and splash at one another while wearing swim suits
A woman laughs while being splashed by a man as the two stand in the water of Lake Michigan together at sunrise
A couple in their swim suits stand in the water of Lake Michigan together, the woman is laughing while the man reaches down to splash water at her
A man lifts a woman into the air while spinning her around as the two stand in the waters of Lake Michigan together in their swim suits
A couple in their swim suits sit in the water of Lake Michigan at North Avenue Beach and smile as the waves crash on them while having their photos taken
A couple in swim suits embrace while sitting in the water at North Avenue Beach for engagement photos, they're laughing as waves crash into them at sunrise
A couple smile and laugh together while sitting in the water at North Avenue Beach as they have their photos taken at sunrise
A couple in their swim suits sit in the water at North Avenue Beach and kiss one another while the sun rises as they have their photo taken
A couple kissing one another while in their swim suits sitting in the water of Lake Michigan at sunrise
A couple smile with one another as waves of Lake Michigan crash around them
Vintage style photo of a couple kissing while water drips off of them from the waves of Lake Michigan
A couple stand in the water together at North Avenue Beach in Chicago while the sun rises behind them during their engagement photos
Vintage inspired photo of a couple embracing one another while standing in the water at sunrise while at North Avenue Beach in Chicago
A couple in swim suits sit in the water of Lake Michigan together while the sun rises, the man smiles towards the camera while the woman faces the opposite direciton
A couple wearing swim suits hold hands as they run into the water together while the sun rises
A couple in swim suits embrace one another while standing in the water at North Avenue Beach at sunrise
A woman smiles over her shoulder while walking through the water in her swimsuit as a man in the foreground looks at her while the sun rises over the water
A woman smiles as a man carries her from behind while the two are in swim suits on North Avenue Beach in Chicago
A woman hugs a man while in their swim suits as the sun rises behind them
Vintage inspired photo of a couple hugging one another while in their swim suits at sunrise after getting in the water at North Avenue Beach
A couple hug one another while in their swim suits as waves crash behind them as they stand on North Avenue Beach at sunrise for engagement photos

Check out some of my other work over on the blog, and if you’re looking to book me for your engagement photos send me an inquiry through my contact page today!

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