Brooklyn Bridge Park DUMBO Photography

Katie & Anthony’s Anniversary Session | DUMBO Brooklyn Photography | Top of the Rock Session | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography

From a Colorado mountain engagement sunrise session to an anniversary celebration in New York City, the early hours of daylight continue to breathe new life into our work. Who knew that the Brooklyn Bridge is literally empty at sunrise? Or that you can basically have a private session at the Top of the Rock if you show up around opening time? By utilizing the sunrise rather than our beloved “golden hour” sunset, we captured one-of-a-kind moments of Katie and Anthony that they will cherish forever.

Katie, a fellow photographer based out of Illinois initially found us through our shared network of shutterbugs. This made taking their anniversary photos a breeze! There’s nothing like working with professionals who know what they’re doing. It was refreshing despite the fact that it required us to get out of bed at 4am. Through yawns and coffee we all powered through and had a magical morning.

I say magical because you will never find a time where the Brooklyn Bridge is completely empty — it was like stepping onto the front of the stage at Carnegie Hall to an empty auditorium — and the silence and solitude allowed the immensity of the structure to sink in. That’s because a moment of peaceful reflection in New York City is more rare than an empty, clean air conditioned subway car. You gotta get real lucky to find one. Or maybe you just gotta get up as bars are just closing and the morning papers are hot off the presses (Do people still say this in the 21st century?)

The point is, if you have your heart set on a certain shot in a certain spot in New York City, you have to make a concerted effort like Katie and Anthony to get it. Otherwise it’s a battle against a city of 8 million people who all have a place to be. At Apollo Fields, we are more than willing to schedule a sunrise session because of what it avails us — whether in New York or in the Rockies (or anywhere else for that matter!) — because there is an undeniable peace or resetting of the mind that comes with the real beginning of the day.

Don’t settle for the cookie cutter images that other people have. Don’t settle for what is easy. Pursue the photo or the life you imagine because the world outside of your body should reflect what’s on the inside. The kids say that they’re “woke,” and Childish Gambino tells ‘em to stay that way, but we’re telling you to wake up early, reset your mind, and truly embrace the peaceful light of the day—at least once in awhile.