A Cannon Beach engagement session was a new thing during The Gathering. Year after year, we’ve photographed elopements along this stretch of the Oregon Coast, drawn in by the dramatic landscape, endless shoreline, and the atmosphere that makes Cannon Beach feel unlike anywhere else.

This year, however, I wanted to do something a little different. Instead of hosting the elopement portion of the experience at Cannon Beach like we had in previous years, we decided to bring the engagement session there instead. It felt like a simple change, but it allowed us to approach the location with fresh eyes and create something completely different from what we’ve done before.

One of the challenges that comes with returning to the same location year after year is finding new ways to experience it. Cannon Beach is famous for a reason, but it’s easy to fall into familiar patterns and photograph the same areas repeatedly. For this session, we intentionally ventured into a part of the beach that I don’t normally explore. Rather than heading directly toward the open shoreline, we stayed within the tall coastal grasses that line the dunes before they drop down into the sand. The result felt quieter, more intimate, and completely different from the images I typically create at Cannon Beach.

You don’t always need to travel farther or find a completely different location to create fresh work. Sometimes all it takes is slowing down, stepping off the familiar path, and paying attention to areas you’ve overlooked before. During this engagement session, that decision completely transformed the experience.

As part of The Gathering, this session also served as an opportunity for photographers to see how small location choices can dramatically influence the final photographs. The beach itself never changed. The light never changed. We simply chose a different perspective. And honestly, it became one of my favorite sessions from the entire retreat.

This Cannon Beach engagement session reminded me that creativity often comes from curiosity. Even in a place you’ve photographed countless times before, there are always new stories waiting to be told.