Chambers Bay is a world famous golf course, so I showed up ready to shoot under par. I missed every putt, but I still came home with a couple of eagles, the photo kind. Brian and Jerah are a Navy couple stationed near Bremerton who love the Pacific Northwest, and they wanted engagement photos that felt as natural and scenic as the place itself. They are planning an intimate outdoor wedding ceremony with their closest people, and they won their engagement session through our giveaway. We met them at golden hour at Chambers Bay in Tacoma, and the evening could not have been more them.
Planning your own session here? See our complete Chambers Bay engagement photos guide for the best photo spots, timing, access, and tips.
Why we chose Chambers Bay for their engagement session
When a couple tells us they love the water and the mountains, Chambers Bay in Tacoma is one of our favorite answers. In a single golden hour you get sweeping views of Puget Sound, dramatic bridge columns, rolling fairways, driftwood along the shoreline, and big open sky. It is about thirty minutes from us, so there is no long travel day, and the variety means a couple can move through several looks and backdrops without ever leaving the property. For a sunset session, it is hard to beat.
We always time these sessions for the last hours of light. We backlight our couples so the sunset glows behind them, then brighten and warm their faces in editing, which is how you get that soft, romantic Pacific Northwest look without anyone squinting into the sun. You can read more about why we love that window in our guide on golden hour photography, and more on the location in our Chambers Bay engagement guide.
How we helped them prepare
Every couple we photograph gets help planning their looks before the session. We build a simple mood board together and guide outfit choices toward classic and dressy pieces that photograph beautifully and feel like them. An engagement session includes up to five outfits and five different backdrops, so there is room to play. Jerah brought a flowing white gown and Brian wore his Navy dress uniform, which felt especially meaningful for a couple whose story is tied to their service, and the result was timeless.
A few simple things make a big difference: bring pieces in colors that complement the landscape rather than compete with it, keep a light layer handy for the waterfront breeze, and take care of the small grooming details, since these images become keepsakes you will print and hang. Our full what to wear for engagement photos guide walks through it.
Why Navy couples book engagement photos around Bremerton
Because the water is already part of your story. Brian and Jerah are stationed near Bremerton, and like a lot of Navy couples they wanted engagement photos that look like the chapter of life they are actually living, not a random pretty backdrop. Chambers Bay sits about 45 minutes from Bremerton right on Puget Sound, so the same water that shapes Navy life around Kitsap glows behind every frame.
Military schedules are the other reason this pairing works. Between duty days, deployments, and PCS timelines, Navy couples rarely have unlimited flexibility, so we plan the session around your real calendar, confirm the details in a quick Zoom call, and deliver sneak peeks within 72 hours so you both have images to share even if the calendar gets complicated right after. If your window is tight, say so when you reach out. We have planned sessions around far tighter ones. Chambers Bay also photographs beautifully in the evening after duty hours, which is when most of our couples sessions happen anyway.
How to pose a couple with a big height difference
Brian and Jerah have a significant height difference, and they told us other photographers had struggled with it. This is one of the most common worries we hear, and it is completely solvable with a few techniques. First, we position the shorter partner a little closer to the camera, which balances the proportions naturally. Second, we use terrain to our advantage, and Chambers Bay is perfect for this, with gentle hills and slopes that let the couple stand at different levels so their faces come closer together.
From there we lean on connection poses that work regardless of height: foreheads together, a hand on the cheek, walking hand in hand, or the taller partner wrapping around from behind. Seated and leaning poses are wonderful equalizers too. The goal is never to hide a height difference but to frame the couple so the focus lands on how they feel about each other. If posing makes you nervous, our guides on how to pose for engagement photos and what to do with your hands take the pressure off.
What to look for in your photographer
On our planning call, Brian and Jerah asked great questions, and we share the same advice with everyone. Ask about turnaround time, because some photographers take many months to deliver. Our team delivers full galleries within one month, with sneak peeks available in twenty four hours. Ask about backup too. We shoot on cameras with dual memory cards and save every file in three separate places, so your images are never at risk. And always ask to see full galleries, not just a few highlights, so you know the work is consistent.
The Nautical Moments engagement experience
Our engagement sessions are a guided, relaxed experience. The session fee is $299 and includes up to five outfits and five backdrops, full posing direction the whole time, and a reveal about two weeks later where you see your images and can order prints, wall art, and albums with no minimum, plus one 11×16 print is included. Brian and Jerah enjoyed all of that for free as our giveaway winners. If you are wondering whether it is worth it, here is our honest take.
For weddings, we offer collections as well as custom coverage for couples who only need a few hours, so whatever your day looks like, we can build something that fits. The best next step is simply to reach out and tell us about your plans.
Frequently asked questions
Where are the best engagement photo spots at Chambers Bay?
The waterfront overlooking Puget Sound, the iconic bridge columns, the rolling fairways, and the driftwood along the shoreline are all favorites, and they are minutes apart, which gives you great variety in one location.
When is golden hour at Chambers Bay for photos?
Golden hour is the ninety or so minutes before sunset. We schedule sessions to end right at sunset so the light over the water is at its warmest and softest, and we check the weather twenty four hours ahead in case we need to move the date.
How do you pose a couple with a height difference?
We place the shorter partner closer to the camera, use the natural hills and slopes of the property to bring faces closer together, and rely on connection poses like foreheads together, seated, and walking shots so the height difference simply is not the story.
What should we wear for engagement photos?
Classic, dressy pieces in colors that complement the landscape work best. You get up to five outfits, so mix a dressed up look with something more relaxed, and we help you plan it all with a mood board beforehand.
How soon do we see our engagement photos?
Sneak peeks land within 72 hours of your session, so you can share a few favorites right away. The full gallery follows once our editing team finishes polishing every image, and we walk through everything together at your reveal, where you also choose the 11×16 print that is included with every engagement session, a $300 value.
Is Chambers Bay good for engagement photos in every season?
Yes, and each season reads differently. Summer gives you warm golden grass and long evenings, fall brings moodier skies over the Sound, spring turns the meadows green, and winter sessions are quieter with soft light that arrives early. The constant is the open horizon over Puget Sound, which makes every season look intentional rather than like a compromise. If you are not sure which season fits your timeline, ask, and we will map it against golden hour for you.
Do you photograph weddings too?
Yes. Weddings at Nautical Moments are photographed on collections, and both the Anchor and Legacy Voyage collections include an engagement session, so many couples start exactly here, in front of the camera well before the big day. If you are already planning, our Bremerton wedding photography page walks through how the collections work.
Chambers Bay keeps proving the point: see Breanna and Kolle’s golden grass and concrete ruins session for a completely different look at the same park.
Plan your Tacoma engagement session
If you want golden hour engagement photos at Chambers Bay or anywhere around Kitsap and Puget Sound, we would love to help you plan them. You can see more of our favorite spots in our guide to photographing couples around Puget Sound, learn more about the venue on the official Chambers Bay website, and get in touch to book your session.
For a wider look at the work, the Kitsap County photography portfolio gathers the best frames from sessions all around Puget Sound.
Fully guided sessions, a professional editing team behind every image, and a private reveal where you choose finished artwork for your walls. That is the difference between hiring a photographer and booking an experience.
Let’s bring your vision to life! Fill out the form below to ask any questions, share your story, or start planning your session. I’m here, ready when you are.
