Early Bird Gets the Worm

Gab and Joe honestly had every reason to cancel their engagement shoot we planned to do in the Upper West Side and Central Park in February earlier this year. The night before the shoot, there was a pretty significant snowstorm in New York and the surrounding area. I was texting with Gab, and she told me they were debating on rescheduling. While I would have totally understood, given the fact they were coming into the city from the Jersey Shore for a 6:30 am start time, I was hoping and praying they wouldn't! As a photographer, how often do you get to photograph a couple with snow on the ground? Maybe a few times a year if you're lucky. So not only did Gab and Joe share my enthusiasm for a winter-themed engagement shoot, they also hit the road from NJ to NYC before the crack of dawn. I always become excited to work with clients that are willing get up for a sunrise shoot. That's a clearcut sign they are as dedicated as you to getting beautiful images

Couple sharing intimate winter moment on snowy city street wearing warm coats.
Couple laughing together while walking down snow-covered urban street in winter coats.
Intimate close-up of couple sharing tender moment on winter city street.

Laughter is Essential

We started our photoshoot around Lincoln Center, and leaned in heavily to the beautiful Upper West Side streets, around w 65th-w 75th and Central Park West. The snow covered streets and sidewalks created a magical atmosphere and we were immediately telling ourselves this was worth the early wake up!

When I'm photographing clients during a couples shoot, one of my main goals is to bring out their silly sides by evoking organic laughter. I have various methods and prompts for doing this: bumping hips while walking, poking each other in the nose, etc. But as for Gab and Joe, they needed very little direction in order to have fun with each other. This took the pressure off, and made the entire photoshoot effortless!

Joyful couple walking together in snowy urban central park setting.
Playful couple holding hands on snowy city sidewalk in winter coats.
A joyful couple sharing an intimate moment while wearing winter coats on a snowy new york city street.
A romantic engagement photo showing clasped hands with a diamond ring and red nail polish.

Time to Hit Central Park

After frolicking around the streets of the Upper West Side for quite some time, it was time to hit Central Park. We entered around Strawberry Fields and walked the paths to the Bethesda Terrace, by far my favorite place in the park to shoot. Once again, we were blessed with little to no crowds, and beautiful snow-covered views all around.

A winter engagement photoshoot in front of Bethesda Fountain in Central Park, New York.
A romantic couple embracing under decorative arches in Bethesda Terrace in matching neutral-toned winter coats.
A stylish couple posing dramatically against the Bethesda Terrace arches in winter coats.
A couple playfully interacting on snow-covered stone steps in winter coats in Central Park

You Get the Photos You Earn

After finishing up in Central Park, we walked the path back to the Upper West Side and found a quaint coffee shop for some warmth, hot coffee, and more photos.

Reflecting on this shoot had me thinking about something my good friend, and amazing photographer, Anthony often says: "You get the photos that you earn." Do you want photos with amazing golden light in Central Park or most other NYC locations? Well, you have to get out of bed extra early to beat the crowds and catch the light. In this case, it would have been so easy for us to stay in bed on this could February morning, but Gab and Joe were down to go out and earn some amazing memories with me. I'm grateful that they were!

A couple sharing an intimate moment in a cozy cafe setting with window light.
A playful couple walking across a snowy crosswalk in winter coats on a New York city street.
A couple ascending snow-covered stairs in Central Park framed by an architectural arch in black and white.