Out For A Hike

I am deeply, incredibly sick of snow. So here's a write-up of an engagement shoot from back in the beautiful, green, warm days of August.

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Russ and Diana are a great couple - laid back and fun to hang out with. We met at Valley Falls, a park just around the corner from me, for their engagement photos. 

After getting rained out on our first day, the second morning was beautiful, warm, and bright.

It was a great time that involved a fair amount of scrambling over rocks and trying not to fall into streams. Always can tell it was a good shoot if I come home with muddy khakis. 

I'm looking forward to their wedding next year!

'Round the Reservoir

Last week, I finally caught up on the last of my 2016 editing. The next day, I had my first shoot of 2017.

I met up with Laura and James at the West Hartford Reservoir, near the spot where he proposed to her. We had hoped for snow, but Connecticut is not cooperative. We got all the cold without any of the fluffy whiteness.

No trouble, though. We toughed out the cold weather and had the place nearly to ourselves, with beautiful soft light from the overcast sky.

It was a lot of fun and a great way to kick off the new year. I can't wait to photograph their wedding later this year!

Sunset at the Vineyard

I met Angela and Jalen at Brignole Vineyards in East Granby for an early-autumn engagement session. The folks at Brignole were very considerate to allow us to use their beautiful grounds on a day they were closed, and it turned out to be the perfect evening for photos.

Angela and Jalen looked fabulous, and were a lot of fun to work with. They kept teasing each other about the quality of their posing. (For what it's worth, I think they did great!)

Later in the evening, the sun went down and the sky lit up beautifully. They were very patient as I set up a couple of interestingly lit shots, and I think it paid off.

We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful night. I can't wait to see these two on their wedding day next year!

Plan B (B is for Better)

I had planned to meet Maria and Shawn at Wickham Park for their engagement shoot, but bad weather postponed it a couple times, and suddenly Wickham was closed. (As an aside - not the first time I've had this problem. Wickham Park is lovely but has the weirdest calendar.)

So instead we met at Valley Falls, a great park just around the corner from me, and the Belding Wildlife Management Area across the street. 

The weather was surprisingly beautiful, and we had both parks totally to ourselves (a real treat for me).

I can't wait to work with them again next year at their wedding day. I know it will be a beautiful day!

Love Without Borders

I first met Paulina and Cristhian at my windy wedding last November, where he was teaching the bar tender to make caipirinhas. (Incidentally, this detail has stuck with me because caipirinhas are one of my dad's favorite drinks.)

We reconnected this past summer at Elizabeth Park in West Hartford for their engagement photos.

They're an amazing couple. He's from Ecuador, and she's from Poland. 

As part of their portraits, they wanted to recreate the proposal...

...which got cheers of applause from the crowds around us! It was a lot of fun.

Congratulations, Paulina and Cristhian!

Windy Before The Wedding

(This shoot is from a couple months ago, but since this weekend is Sophy and Jeff's wedding, it seemed like a good time to share some engagement photos!)

I met Sophy and Jeff at Elizabeth Park for an engagement shoot on a beautiful but windy day. No trouble! Big celebrity photographers buy giant fans just to get that wind-swept look.

They also brought their adorable doxie Hannah, who was a really good sport and totally adorable.

It's prime time in Elizabeth Park, and we made sure to wave at the other photographers moving around with their subjects.

Can't wait to work with these two on their wedding day. Jeff - practice that natural smile! :)

Betrothed in Branford

Kristen and James met me at a beach near their home in Branford on a beautiful summer evening for engagement photos.

Somehow we had the beach practically all to ourselves, so we got to play around with lots of fun poses without an audience.

We had so much fun. I'm sure their wedding will be a blast!

An Uncommon Engagement Shoot

I met up with Marylou, Kevin, and their adorable dog (and Marylou's mom, professional dog wrangler) at Boston Commons on an overcast afternoon this weekend.

Despite the cold and the crowds we had no trouble getting lots of beautiful pictures for this couple and their pooch.

Also, I got the chance to do something I didn't even know I needed to do: take a photo on Acorn Street, arguably the most photographed street in the United States. I don't know if I believe that part, but it was definitely an amazing spot for some photos.

For a day I worried would get rained out, it went really well! I can't wait to work with Marylou and Kevin again for their wedding day!