Sabrina and Mark met with a “hello, nice to meet you” introduction through a work colleague in Chicago in August 2014. The second time they went out with their mutual colleague and friends. Well, that night they hit it off and talked the whole night. He asked her out again but she declined because she was looking for something serious and he didn’t meet her family’s criteria (different background and beliefs). But Mark persisted paid off. He continued to pursue Sabrina after much rejection. One thing led to another and although Sabrina didn’t even know how it happened, everything just fell into place.
Why Camping theme?
Sabrina wanted a camping theme for her engagement session since they both love the outdoors. And after a downpour that hot, humid June day in Atlanta, the skies parted and we all enjoyed an amazing time having fun pretending there was a little crispness in the air.
Click here for more from Mark + Sabrina’s engagement session.
When you think of Emory University, many things come to mind. Its rich history dating back to 1836 in Oxford, Georgia. Its prestigious School of Law named by the Princeton Review as one of the best law schools in the United States. Or perhaps their stellar research work in health sciences. Emory Healthcare is the largest healthcare system in Georgia and one of the largest in the world; making great strides in the fight against cancer and other devastating diseases. All the things you would want from an institution. However the campus itself, nestled in the suburban Atlanta neighborhood of Druid Hills, is the perfect location for an afternoon photo session with a couple very much in love. Many beautiful buildings including the Candler Library, the Old Theology building and the Carlos Hall, with its adjacent museum surround a large, open green space called the Quad.
May we introduce to you…
This is where we get the opportunity to introduce and feature Jibran + Leia. A modern, up-and-coming couple with the sweetest disposition. Both are proud to have called Emory their school and as former Eagles, they couldn’t think of a better place to photograph their engagement. You see, this is where they first met. On the steps of Carlos Hall is where their story began several years ago. All throughout college they shared so many special moments on those grounds. Therefore, circling back to connect their present to their past made all the sense in the world. Today Jibran + Leia are working professionals practicing their love for the field of law. With successful careers already blooming, their personal relationship continues to be the highlight of everything they are. It seems as if they are smiling at each other constantly; loving and caring to each other in the simplest of things. So what does that mean to us? Everything! It’s so great to have a job where we get to see sincere happiness like this. Plus it makes photographing a couple like this so effortless. Talk about people made for being in front of a camera. We enjoyed this session so much. Running out of time was really the only thing that we didn’t like about it.
Inside Carlos Hall
On this chilly afternoon we started the shoot indoors with the beautiful circular staircase inside Carlos Hall. From there we jumped outside and went directly to the stairs where they first met outside. Even as it got colder and darker; it was almost unnoticeable. All in all we feel we have a great representation of who Jibran + Leia are as a couple. Warm, loving and sophisticated with fantastic individual personalities. This September we get the privilege of spending 3 days with them as we photograph their wedding and we can’t wait for that weekend to come. Once again, congratulations Jibran + Leia on your engagement!
What an amazing building this library is! The architecture and marble facade are so impressive.
A group touring the grounds of the university arrived when we took this shot below.
Seriously, there were so many amazing shots from this session it was so hard to narrow down. But if you’re curious to see more, check out the video slideshow.
It’s funny how many times you can visit a place and still overlook many of its best features. We’ve walked through Centennial Park many times over the years with family visiting from out of town or with friends as we catch a concert or a game at Phillips Arena. Never did we give it all that much thought in terms of photography. Perhaps this was the case because we were always focused on something else, or because of the large crowds that are always present. So this is where we have to extend a big thank you to Jeff + Annette for requesting we shoot their engagement session in this area of downtown Atlanta. Yes, we appreciate their suggestion even on a slightly overcast day when the park was covered with activity. Tourists, street entertainers, joggers and families everywhere. Nonetheless, we were able to embrace the chaos and also uncover many spots we never really looked at before.
Let’s go on an adventure
What really makes the shoot better is having a couple like this to photograph. Easy going, adventurous, and totally in love. Jeff has a very calming influence about him. Annette seems to have a permanent smile. Together they have compatibility written all over them. Inseparable at all times, it really doesn’t take much to find natural moments where you can just shoot away and grab tons of great expressions and emotions. They also understand the artistic importance of photography. So when we asked them to run through the water jets of the Olympic Fountain of Rings on a chilly afternoon so we could try to get some unusual shots; Jeff’s response was an enthusiastic “Let’s go!” Yeah, they got a little wet because of some bad timing; but they did’t care one bit. We had just as much fun behind the camera watching them. not only did we get to see the excitement in their eyes with each other, but the water allowed us to add layers to the photographs as if we were right inside the moment with them. This was just a microcosm of the entire session. The more we explored the park and the neighboring streets, the more they wanted to keep going. Their energy was outstanding and any photographer will tell you that this type of enthusiasm and collaboration only leads to better creativity. It’s because of Jeff + Annette that we have a whole new appreciation for Centennial Park. In the future we look forward to working there again. There are so many additional spots and ideas we left on the table simply because we ran out of time. But that’s a good thing; isn’t it? We can’t wait to work with this couple on the biggest day of their lives. Thanks again Jeff + Annette for such a wonderful afternoon in downtown Atlanta.
Look at how adorable they are!
We were having so much fun. We didn’t want this day to end.
All we can say is WOW! It was so hard to pick just a few from this Atlanta engagement session at Emory University for a sneak peek so it’s a little longer than most. Can’t wait to share more.
They actually met on the stairs near the Carlos Hall so we had to incorporate it for their engagement session.
Loving her choice of dress for the shoot. And oh…those red soles are to die for! Christian Louboutin anyone? Yes, please!
As we take one final look back at 2015, we thought we’d share some of our favorite images from the past year. We’re going to divide this into two sections starting with some of our favorite engagement session photos. Soon afterwards, we’ll be sharing a second blog post with our favorite weddings from 2015.
FYI… we still have some open spots for 2016. Therefore, if you’re recently engaged, we’d love to speak with you about your wedding photography ideas. Contact us directly for details at 678.905.7545 or click here to email us directly.
Yesterday we had an amazing time with Sean and Laura visiting the Big Creek Greenway in Alpharetta for their engagement session. Here’s a quick sneak peek of what’s to come.
Sweetness is at its very best! That’s what comes to mind when describing the connection Jimmy + Michelle have as a couple. What’s even sweeter is hearing how they met and how they arrived to this point in time.
Jimmy met Michelle at a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in July of 2013 when he moved to South Carolina from Connecticut. It was truly an instant impact. Jimmy fondly remembers:
“She was completely stunning and I still remember exactly what she was wearing that day…she gave me a gorgeous smile and from that day forward, I was in love!”
Although he was extremely shy and a man of very few words, Michelle just knew he was special. “I just crushed from far away.” One weekend Michelle’s cousin encouraged Jimmy to get to know her better and the very next day, he made his move. That day was October 17, the same day that will now serve as their wedding date! In any case, things just exploded from there. Michelle recalls,
“He made it very easy to let my guard down.”
In particular because as she says, “I was the type who claimed I would never get married. People even recorded me saying that!” They got to know each other well and shortly thereafter, on March 9, Jimmy went old school and asked her parents for permission to date her. Gotta love him for that.
The Proposal:
Moving ahead to the summer of 2014, Jimmy was now planning his proposal with all her friends. Meanwhile, for some time, Michelle and her friends were talking about doing a scavenger hunt in Savannah as part of their bucket list. This was perfect timing. So on they all jumped in a car and went down to this historic city, finding themselves at Forsyth Park. As they were enjoying their girls day, Jimmy popped up from behind a shrub to surprise Michelle. It was then and there that Jimmy dropped to one knee and proposed. “I was so nervous”. Jimmy laughs as he describes that moment. “I really don’t remember what I said as I was about to faint from the nerves.” Michelle remembers, “It was a complete surprise to see him there. He was so nervous, but it was so adorable and I was so happy it was finally happening.”
The Location: Forsyth Park
On this August day, we return to the site of their engagement, Forsyth Park, to relive this memorable moment in their lives and capture some beautiful photographs of a couple absolutely made for each other. Congratulations Michelle and Jimmy. We can’t wait to document your wedding day in just a couple of weeks!
Wanna see more…see below for their video slideshow. Makes sure you select 1080 HD for its full effect.
Whoa…what a weekend. After a fantastic wedding Saturday (check out their a sneak peek), we met with Ruben and Sasha at Whitewater Creek for their engagement session. Here’s a taste of what’s to come.
For more than a century, the Duck Pond Park has been a much-loved and enjoyed natural green space in the Peachtree Heights East neighborhood of Buckhead. As one of the best kept secrets in Atlanta, it serves as a serene natural environment for many activities. On this day the park served as the setting to photograph Todd and Chrissy’s engagement session. All morning long storms kept blowing rain through the metro area. It almost seemed as if the session would not happen. Nonetheless, with a little faith and determination, we were able to catch a break and the clouds actually allowed the sun to shine through at times. What a wonderful time with this couple we had.
The Couple: Chrissy and Todd
Todd, who’s originally from Athens gels perfectly with Chrissy, an Auburn grad. Together they have a very caring but easy going demeanor that makes it so easy to get along with them. Their smiles are just off the charts; and they’re adventurous enough to go along with all our crazy requests. We even had some time for Maddie to make an appearance. By the end of the day, we weather was still cooperating. Well, sort of. So we made a quick run to get a couple of shots at the Jackson Street Bridge for the Atlanta skyline before the skies opened up again. All in all, a fantastic experience.
The Duck Pond Park needs your help! Check out their website to see how you can help keep this treasure for another century.
They are so cute together. Her smile lit up an otherwise cloudy day.
The light was so amazing after the rain.
We were so happy to have Maddie join us now for the session. She’s such a sweetheart and playful. She really enjoyed playing with the ducks by the pond.
After some time playing with the ducks and dropping off Maddie, we headed over to the Jackson Street Bridge to end this amazing session. Congratulations and we can’t wait to cover your wedding next Spring.
We were so happy to have Maddie join us now for the session. She’s such a sweetheart and playful. She really enjoyed playing with the ducks by the pond.
