Cozy bookstore and cocktail bar engagement photos in Capitol Hill, DC

Creating a “date night” type of vibe is one of my favorite ways to make an engagement session feel special. I might be biased, but what better date is there than sipping old fashioned cocktails and exploring shadowy bookstore aisles together? We found the perfect spot for these two activities nestled right in the heart of DC in Capitol Hill. These moody, sultry locations were the perfect choices for intimate shots cuddling up together and enjoying each other’s company.

Gin Bar Speakeasy in Capitol Hill

We began this engagement session at a stunning gin bar right near Eastern Market. We were able to book the room all to ourselves for a quiet and romantic atmosphere – I love starting sessions in private spaces so that it’s easy to get comfortable in front of the camera without worrying about other patrons or onlookers.

The opulent jewel tones of the speakeasy’s Hollywood Regency-style interior created such a stunning backdrop, with so many cozy corners to cuddle up in. We used direct flash to make the couple stand out against the rich green velvet sofas and gold detailing, while still highlighting those gorgeous details!

The perfect bookish engagement photos for readers

We then walked over to Capitol Hill Books, a snug bookstore with lots of character and a favorite among DC residents! I love chatting about books with my clients – it’s always such a great conversation starter and so much fun to get to know each other with. Throughout this part of the photoshoot, we talked about everything from our favorite genres to our Harry Potter houses.

I decided to contrast these photos with the bar photos by relying completely on indirect lighting in order to preserve the moody and mystical atmosphere that the bookstore offered. Since the shop was open to other patrons at the time, we also didn’t want to disrupt the other readers by using flash. It was a great way to get creative with the space and the lighting and lean into a more cinematic and candid feel.

With these two contrasting locations, it was such a joy to really let the setting tell the story and immerse ourselves in a date-like scenario for these photos.

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