Some Hartford Flavor

Savannah and Andy had originally planned to go to a local park for their engagement photos, but the late October weather had other plans. Instead, Savannah was able to get us into the Hartford Flavor Company's tasting room.

I'm actually really glad for the change, as I think the photos came out great and are much more unique to this couple.

One of the staff on hand made some cocktails for Savannah and Andy and told us a bit about the company.

When we had exhausted our picture ideas inside, we popped outside for a few rainy photos.

It was a really fun day, and the bottle of birch liqueur I brought home was awfully tasty.

A Family Engagement

(This is a bit of a throwback post, to bring a little summer brightness into our winter!)

I met Heather, Brian, and their son at Wickham Park for an engagement and family photo session. We were lucky to have a beautiful evening and a wonderful selection of flowers in bloom.

We moved around the park's various gardens, with quick breaks to look for frogs.

A great afternoon, and fun to introduce another client to the hidden gem that is Wickham Park.

Congratulations on your engagement, Heather and Brian!

Till Death

I'm so excited to finally be able to share these! Skoobah and Nate are college friends of mine, so they asked me not to share their engagement photos till they could surprise everyone with their save the dates... which they appropriately timed to arrive for Halloween!

As soon as Skoobah told me they were planning on doing skull face paint I knew the perfect spot - a local trail where I've taken other couples, but which is also home to a bunch of creepy hidden gems.

Skoobah and Nate were great! They were having so much fun, it was easy to get amazing photos.

I love these photos so much, they've actually changed the way I do engagement photos a bit - I'm trying to encourage couples more to find something unique to them as a theme for their engagement session.

I can't wait for the wedding!

Get Pumped for the Wedding!

I was so excited when Paige contacted me about her engagement shoot - she and her fiance, Jay, wanted to do the photos in one of their favorite places, Snap Fitness.

I love a flower-filled park as much as the next photographer, but it also puts a smile on my face to do a shoot that is truly unique to the couple - and this was definitely a first for me!

The shoot itself was pretty straightforward - Paige and Jay arrive ready to exert themselves and with a variety of poses and favorite exercises in mind.

I could tell they were more relaxed and having more fun than most because they were in their element. I know these two are going to have a fun wedding too!

Congratulations, Paige and Jay!

An Engagement for a Friend

I've known Emily for a while through my wife, so I was thrilled when she asked me to take engagement photos of her and her fiance, Josh.

We went to Wickham Park, a spot I've worked at many times before, but this time we visited a number of spots I hadn't before - the Scottish Garden, Zen Garden, and the Sensory Garden.

It was muggy but otherwise a beautiful day, and so much fun to work with a friend and to finally meet Josh.

Congratulations on your engagement, Emily and Josh!

A Castle For Lovers

I met Shannon and Kevin atop Castle Craig in Meriden. (Which, wow, it was much more of an adventure getting up there than I'd expected from Google maps!)

It was a beautiful view, but chilly and just a bit too windy - made for some dramatic shots, but was more hindrance than help.

So we moved down the mountain - getting stuck behind a car that stopped to talk to every dog walker on the road... - to Hubbard Park. The rain held off and let us explore the park to find some scenic spots.

We were joined by Shannon and Kevin's dog Bentley, who was extremely cooperative and one photogenic little guy.

It was a great day for photos, with a bright overcast sky giving off just beautiful light.

Shannon and Kevin were great, very relaxed and good at making each other laugh.

And, even though we ended up not needing it for rain, we still got a few photos with Shannon's clear umbrella.

I can't wait to work with them again next spring!

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!