Gyasi & Maddie's NYC Engagement Session

Gyasi and Maddie met me at Grand Central Station (Gyasi’s favorite place in NYC) to begin their engagement session. Despite the bustling crowds, we managed to find some spaces without too much traffic and incorporated the crowds into other shots. I have been inside GCS at least 100 times commuting when I lived in NYC, and there was so much about the details of the architecture and the decor inside that I had never truly appreciated. I’m so glad I was able to explore the space in a new way with these two!

From GCS, we drove up 9A to the couple’s neighborhood of Washington Heights and explored another area that was brand new to me. The Met Cloisters was closing by the time we arrived, which we knew would be the case, so we spent our time exploring the beautiful architecture surrounding the building as well as the paths leading from the Cloisters into Fort Tyron Park. There were lots of intersecting paths jutting out from the original one, and because of our limited sunlight, we did not get to explore all of them, but what we found was perfect for our session. The museum and this park are #1 on my list to explore further when I return to Manhattan next.

Congratulations, Maddie and Gyasi! I can’t wait to photograph your wedding in (less than) 8 months!

Want to look as fabulous as these two for your engagement session or couples lifestyle photography session? Check out my post on What to Wear to Your Portrait Session for some helpful advice.

Zach's Proposal to Kim (Central Park, NY)

My coworker Zach reached out to me about photographing his proposal to his girlfriend Kim in Central Park. Zach had put lots of planning and effort into the day and sent me (and a bunch of their friends who were involved) an email with the plan. Excerpt from said email:

“9:45 - 10 a.m. - Zach and Kim leave to go get coffee at Daniel and to "plan to meet" Dan and Martha in Central Park.
10:30 - 10: 45 a.m. - Zach bends the knee at the "Native Meadow" where Kayla will be waiting for us.

10:45 - 11:30 a.m. - Zach and Kim take Photos"

Central Park is a very common photo-op spot, and the area where Zach was planning to propose was especially beautiful and filled with flowers and plants, so it wasn’t suspicious at all that I was there with my camera. I waited until they were entering the path leading to the large rock where Zach would get down on a knee and I followed. At this point, Kim was getting a bit suspicious as she recognized me as Zach’s coworker and now I was following them, but Zach didn’t waste any time and proposed on the top of the rock and Kim said yes. Yay!

Congratulations, Zach & Kim!

Dori and Joe's Engagement Session (West Village, NY)

Dori & Joe’s engagement session began where their relationship started, Solas, a bar in the West Village. I always recommend incorporating special locations like these into engagement sessions as it brings an added layer of depth and meaning to the images. From Solas, we ventured through some of the beautiful cobblestone streets in the West Village including Washington Mews, one of my favorite locations to take photos in NYC. Some history on the street via good ol’ Wikipedia: “it was originally part of a Lenape trail which connected the Hudson and East Rivers, and was first developed as a mews (row of stables) that serviced horses from homes in the area. Since the 1950s the former stables have served as housing, offices and other facilities for New York University.” Interesting stuff! As the sun was setting we made our way towards the Hudson River for some gorgeous golden hour photos. Congratulations, Dori & Joe!