On a chilly March morning, I met Joan and Zach at North Avenue Beach just as the sun began to rise over Lake Michigan. You would never guess how early or how cold it was by the looks on their faces. Total pros. 😉

I originally photographed these two in 2020 when many parks and beaches were either closed or restricted to the public. Since we weren’t able to incorporate North Avenue Beach the first time, we made up for lost time with this shoot.

This was my first test shoot with a brand new camera, and I knew within the first five minutes of taking their photos I’d be keeping that camera forever.

In the past, I would have had to shoot the panoramic skyline views much differently (with my center focus being the strongest and then re-cropping in post). But with my new camera, the focus system is strong at any single point of my choosing so I can shoot the image exactly how I’d like in camera.

The autofocus system is crazy fast and kept up with all the running, jumping, twirling, and dancing I had Joan and Zach do throughout.

Chicago Engagement Photos at North Avenue Beach

Joan & Zach

For other location ideas for your Chicago engagement session, check out my blog post here.