Tatum and Ben have to be the coolest couple I know. They live on a school bus. I’m sorry, but you cannot beat that. They had me over to their bus to take van life engagement photos & it was a joy.

Their story & love is beautiful, playful, adventurous, and purposeful. I was so excited to get to capture a glimpse of the beautiful life they’ve built, on wheels. Ola the Bus is so much fun, beautifully renovated, and has brought Tatum and Ben to some pretty amazing places. 

I gathered a few tips to keep in mind for van life engagement photos with the help of Tatum and Ben – here’s what we came up with.

1. Since you’re living in a van, you have the most incredible freedom to travel and explore beautiful locations for your engagement photos. Tatum and Ben chose a park in Oceanside, CA where they have often come to use the outdoor grills, picnic in the fields, all while being a short walk to the ocean. Whether it’s a place you’ve been a million times that is special to you both, or a location you’ve always dreamed of going, van life gives you the freedom to choose and I highly recommend taking advantage of that!
2. Tatum and Ben informed me of the storage they utilize on their van to be able to stow things away for trips, and conveniently for photos as well! Make sure any clutter is put away to make your van life engagement photos as perfect as possible.
3. As with any sort of engagement photos, deciding what to wear is often overwhelming for couples. I’ve created an outfit inspiration Pinterest board to help with that! Tatum and Ben told me this helped them tremendously, especially since a van is such a unique place for these photos!
4. The natural light inside your van can provide some beautiful lighting for your photos. We had so much fun capturing the different angles of the sun inside and outside of the van! There truly is so much you can do with these unique engagement photos.
5. Make yourself at home (literally)! Some of the best engagement photos are the ones that capture natural and authentic moments. This is where van life engagement photos really show a strong suit. Hopefully, you already feel at home in your van and your photographer can capture that! Take photos of the two of you enjoying each other’s company in your living space, or cooking a meal together, or cuddled up on the bed! There are endless possibilities!

FOR OTHER BLOG POSTS LIKE THIS ONE, TAKE A LOOK THROUGH MY JOURNAL PAGE AND SEE WEDDINGS AND SESSIONS FROM OTHER LOCATIONS. I’VE HAD THE HONOR OF TRAVELING TO PLACES SUCH AS THE OREGON COAST, NEW YORK CITY, CAPE COD, TEXAS, AND MORE!