Rod had just gotten back from an electrical engineering conference when we met at Golden Gate Park for this engagement session. Katherine had been holding down the fort. And somewhere between the Shakespeare Garden and the Conservatory of Flowers, they told me — laughing — that I had planned them a really good day date.

I’ll take it.

The Setting

Golden Gate Park doesn’t get enough credit as an engagement session location. Most couples default to the Golden Gate Bridge or Baker Beach, which are beautiful — but Golden Gate Park has something different. It has texture. The Shakespeare Garden is tucked and intimate, full of blooms that have been cultivated for centuries. The Conservatory of Flowers is architectural and otherworldly, its white Victorian dome rising out of the trees like something from another era. Together, they make for a session that feels layered and a little unexpected — which was exactly right for Rod and Katherine.

The Couple

Rod is a PhD graduate at UC Berkeley in electrical engineering — I know this firsthand because I had the privilege of photographing his doctoral portraits after this session. Katherine is equally brilliant. These are two people who love learning, love growing, and have built something genuinely special together in the process.

But here’s the thing about incredibly smart people: they’re also incredibly fun when they let themselves relax. And Rod and Katherine let themselves relax completely.

They laugh easily. They’re playful with each other in that quiet, comfortable way that only comes from really knowing someone. In front of the camera, they didn’t need much direction — they just needed permission to be themselves, and the images took care of themselves from there.

A September Wedding to Look Forward To

Rod and Katherine are getting married this September, and I cannot wait. If this session is any indication of what their wedding day will feel like — warm, joyful, completely at ease — it’s going to be a beautiful one.

If you’re considering Golden Gate Park for your engagement session, I’d love to show you what’s possible there. The Shakespeare Garden and the Conservatory of Flowers are two of my favorite spots in all of San Francisco, and sessions like this one are exactly why.

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Rod and Katherine are getting married in September 2026. Rose Freedman Photography is a Bay Area wedding and engagement photographer serving couples throughout San Francisco, Marin, Napa Valley, and beyond. Inquire here.