let's take it back...
...to the night when KaLynne and Ryan met each other at Play Arcade in downtown New Bedford. Ryan essentially saved KaLynne from having to talk to some other dudes who she had no interest in having a conversation with and ever since then, they've been inseparable. So it was a no-brainer that one of the backdrops for their engagement session should be the bar where their story started. And shout out to Adam, Play's owner who was so gracious to host us and let us have free-reign of the space- you're the shit and I appreciate you. Also, if you haven't been to Play yet, you really seriously need to go. It's such a neat spot with a full bar, tons of nostalgic arcade games, an 80s living room themed area, and even a rooftop area for the warmer months that has views of the wharf. I'm obsessed. Check out some of my favorite images we shot at Play:
And it didn't stop there
After we got warmed up at Play, we decided to keep the flow going by shooting with Ryan's gorgeous antique Chrysler. Don't ask me what year the car is because I can't remember, but regardless, it's beautiful inside and out. I suggested we park the car on the roof of the garage nearby and lo and behold, that's apparently where Ryan proposed to KaLynne so CLEARLY I have ESP. Or something. Or maybe it's a coincidence idk but we'll pretend I had a sixth sense for a moment.
The photos we shot at the garage and around Fairhaven afterwards are some of my all-time favorite images I've ever shot. Ever. I mean, it IS like a cheat code when your subjects are this hot and well-dressed and obsessed with each other but I mean... still. I'll take a modicum of credit.
They're super hot, right?
I know. And some of my other favs we shot I can't even post- gotta keep some things sacred to the couple, ya know?
Want to know the secret to getting engagement photos like this? Comfortability and access.
I had a bit of a leg up on this one because I've known KaLynne since elementary school. I actuallly have the cutest photo of her sitting in the bus seat next to me on the way to school when we were kids and I wish I had that easily accessible because I'd 100% toss that into this blog post. You're safe for now, K.
Being super comfortable around the person photographing you is so key to getting the results you want from your session. Make sure you're choosing a photographer who has work you really seriously love and can see yourself in, but also be sure that they are someone you want to be friends with.
The second part is access. You saw how close I got to these two in some of these photos- I was up in there like Barry Keoghan was up in that bathtub drain in Saltburn. IYKYK
I wouldn't be able to capture those really special, intimate moments if I didn't have access, which ties back in to comfortability. So keep that in mind when you (assuming you are a potential client searching for a photographer for your own wedding/elopement/engagement and if not, thanks for reading this anyway) are searching for a photographer to capture authentic, genuine moments of your own.
K off my soap box. That's all for today! Talk to you l8r
XO,
D
