Sunrise Engagement Session on the Oregon Coast

There’s something otherworldly about the Oregon Coast at sunrise. The air feels softer, the colors shift every second, and the ocean seems to breathe along with you. This sunrise engagement session on the Oregon Coast was photographed during one of my creative retreats near Gearhart, Oregon—where the mornings begin with mist rolling over the dunes and end with laughter echoing through the coastal pines.

These retreats have become a space for artists to slow down and reconnect with their craft. Each year, a small group of photographers gathers along this stretch of coast to learn, experiment, and remember why we fell in love with creating in the first place. The early light that morning felt like a reward for getting up before the rest of the world. We watched the horizon melt from deep indigo to soft gold while the waves whispered in the background.

The beaches near Gearhart hold a quiet kind of magic. Long before photographers set up tripods here, the Clatsop and Chinook peoples lived and traded along these shores. Later, settlers built railways and small seaside cottages that still stand today, their weathered wood carrying stories of the past. You can feel that history in the air—the mix of wildness and nostalgia that makes the Oregon Coast so captivating.

Photographing a couple here feels like stepping into a timeless story. Every frame catches a bit of salt, wind, and soul. The soft morning light paints the skin in gentle warmth, while the sea reflects the kind of emotion you can’t quite describe but always remember. It’s a beautiful place to wake up at and wander the sand dunes in.

This blog post is a mix of digital and film images.

View another session from the Oregon Coast here.