Engagement Session: Rachel & Keith
ny wedding photographer | apollo fields | engagement session | engagement photos
Engagement Session: Rachel & Keith
There’s something truly magical about capturing the love between two individuals in a setting that perfectly mirrors their easy-going nature. I recently had the pleasure of photographing an engagement session that can only be described as laid-back elegance. Set against the backdrop of their favorite local lounge, with vintage tones, and an aesthetic that fit them to a “t”, the pure ecstatic love between Rachel and Keith illuminated every frame.
As a photographer, it’s moments like these that continuously spark a new passion and love for the art of photography and telling others stories through my lens. After some wine amongst the beautiful retro radio and enjoying a ton of love and laughter, we headed into the gorgeous city park to take advantage of the cherry blossoms and greenery in full bloom.
Strolling hand in hand, Rachel and Keith discussed their excitement for the next steps in their love story, and the journey they were about to take in planning the wedding day of their dreams. Their laid back attitudes and genuine love for one another made it a joy to capture. They are truly a perfect pairing and I loved every moment of their engagement session!
If you are newly engaged and looking for your wedding photographer we’d love to chat with you!
Beach Engagement Photo Session
beach engagement sessioin | engagement session photography | engagement photos | NY engagement photos| ny wedding photography | beach style photos | golden hour
Connie & eric
“Golden hour, magic hour, l’heure bleue. Evenings when the beauty of the changing sky made us both go still and dreamy. Sunlight falling at an angle across the lawn so that it touched our elevated feet, then moved up our bodies like a long slow blessing.” — Sigrid Nunez
Golden hour with a beachfront lighthouse landscape could not create a dreamier engagement photo session location! I had such fun with Connie and Eric as you could feel their sheer excitement to begin preparation for the journey towards their wedding day.
The sunset gods were in our favor as we played in the stunning golden hour magic amongst the lighthouse and the ocean views. Connie and Eric’s laid back fun nature made for beautiful photos full of love and smiles that I hope they cherish forever! They brought multiple outfit options to switch up their photos and were enthusiastic with every pose and idea presented to them!
I love when couples choose a location for your engagement session that offers multiple photo backdrops to ensure that we capture the essence of you and your love story and create perfect options for your new favorite photos. From the boardwalk wood patios to the lighthouse and ocean it gave a similar theme to their photos but gave us options for color, warmth and allowing the sun to speak.
Popping the champagne and toasting to their new life ahead they strolled through the wooden walkways pausing for sweet moments along the way. We look forward to their wedding day and cannot wait to celebrate their next chapter of their love story with them soon. If you are recently engaged and starting the process of looking for your wedding photographer we would LOVE to chat with you! Contact us today here!
Sunken Meadow Pavilion Wedding Photos
Apollo Fields | Long Island Wedding Photographers | Sunken Meadow Beach Wedding Photos | New York Wedding Photography | Best Wedding Photos
Gina + Peter
It’s funny how every growing family finds their little nook to get away from it all. Many times it’s a lake house or cabin in the woods that the family has been renting for generations. Other times it’s a landmark of mom and dad’s relationship that brings them down memory lane.
For my family, it was Cape Cod, Massachusetts, a wind-swept peninsula an hour-and-a-half drive from Boston. Its cozy cottages, relaxing beaches, seafood restaurants, and family-friendly establishments makes it a destination for the entire New England area. I always thought that the vibe was remarkably similar to the north fork of Long Island, not too far from where my grandmother lived in Wading River. This notion was driven home when I walked into the house that Peter grew up in Patchogue, where his mother warmly greeted me in the sunroom of her adorable colonial-meets-beach style home.
rom-com Relationship Origins
The story of the first time that Gina met Peter sounds like it is straight out of a rom-com: Gina was babysitting and went into a pizzeria that Peter worked at and the little one she was caring for ordered an eggplant Parmesan slice. Peter couldn’t believe that was what they wanted because he still didn’t like eggplant, and offered them a free slice of pepperoni on the house. There wasn’t any monumental shift in the kid’s palate but both Peter and Gina knew that there might be something between them.
Fast forward a couple years when they’re coincidentally both working at a restaurant in Patchogue. Peter comes in to meet up with one of their co-workers when they see each other and remember one another from the pepperoni/eggplant encounter. They wind up going on a beach date shortly thereafter and both show up to work one day rocking the same sunburn. They didn’t care about everyone knowing that they were dating but this totally blew their cover.
The Incredible Lightness of Being (In Love)
I never read the Milan Kundera novel of the same title minus the parentheticals, but I couldn’t help but notice the lightness of Gina and Peter’s relationship. It was clear in the way that their body language relaxed as they approached one another, folding together not only physically but socially and emotionally as well. You could tell that they were on the same wavelength, like they perpetually living in the “honeymoon stage.” You might think that every one of our couples behaves like that on their wedding day, but not quite like Gina and Peter.
Heather and I’s Relationship Origins
Coincidentally, Heather and I met at hospitality jobs also. We worked across the street from each other in 2013 at neighboring restaurants on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. People always find it romantic when I tell them that story, but it wasn’t until after getting to know Peter and Gina’s relationship origins that I began to understand why. I think it’s the idea of an organic, budding romance in the age of dating apps; how of the many relationships that come from working in the hospitality industry—where workers more often than not are in transitory parts of their lives, and people are growing into or building towards the next stage in their lives—that the idea of two people happenstantially meeting to come together and grow together seems improbable. That the odds say most paths diverge.
For Heather and I it adds to the strength of our relationship. We were talking about it the other day and it’s like we were building a foundation even though we didn’t know it. And every subsequent year or period of growth we were building on top of that. It would follow then, that we, and Gina and Peter feel lighter, because rather than building separate foundations we were building on the same one. The higher we go, the lighter we feel.
Vendors
Photography | Apollo Fields
Venue | Sunken Meadow State Park Pavilion | King’s Park, NY
Lake Tahoe Engagement Photos
Apollo Fields | Lake Tahoe Wedding Photographers | Best Wedding Photos | Destination Wedding Photographer | NYC Wedding Photos
Hannah + Bobby
I’m a simple man–give me sunshine to soak in, mountains to stare at, a body of water to throw myself into and a local beer. If you put me in an infinite loop of those things you might not see me until my hair is gray. So when Hannah and Bobby told us that they wanted to travel to California for their engagement photos in Lake Tahoe I started packing before I bought a plane ticket. I knew it was going to be a place I loved before I even set foot there, kind of how I feel about Bend, Oregon.
Lake Tahoe Engagement Photos
Hannah and Bobby are one of those couples that make you question your adventurous spirit. They’ve championed the sky by diving out of planes, the sea by delving beneath the surface, volcanoes with their sturdy strides, and I’m pretty sure you give them a rocket and outer space is next. Hannah and Bobby have a story for every natural setting out of your earth science textbook. It was so fun getting to know them as we explored Lake Tahoe together, 191 square miles (!!) of mountain adjacent aquamarine waters.
The W Loft Brooklyn Wedding Photos
I’m not exactly sure what color the East River is, but I’m not jumping in there anytime soon. That being said, it does provide its own juxtapositional beauty in the foreground of some of earth’s most beautiful man-made mountains. The skyscrapers of Manhattan have the same capacity to inspire as the Sierra Nevadas, especially from the vantage point of The W Loft in Brooklyn. I was just talking the other day about the strangely comfortable feeling you get when you gaze upon a mountain range, allowing the immensity of its presence to make you feel small. Maybe it’s because mountains can’t move fast enough to crush you, or that they provide a grandiose depth of perspective to your eye, but I can’t quite get at the heart of that feeling.
Epic Engagement Ideas
Okay so when I said before that Hannah and Bobby conquered volcanoes, what I meant was that Bobby proposed to Hannah on an active (!!) volcano in Ecuador. What an absolutely epic and absolutely mad idea! Not to mention that the day Bobby planned to do it he came down with an intestinal infection known as Montezuma’s Revenge. Most people would’ve pushed the proposal to another day or settled for a more modest location–but not Bobby. Everything about Hannah and Bobby’s relationship makes me think of the quote that I thought was Bob Marley’s but is apparently credited to Roger Miller: “some people feel the rain; others just get wet.” Some people go through life, but people like Hannah and Bobby live it.
Surround Yourself With Those Who Inspire
As I enter my mid-30’s I can’t help but constantly assess what is and what is not serving me in my life. Lucky for me, I married Heather, a partner who in more ways than one brings me back to a healthy default. For example, we signed up for a CSA program that brings fresh produce every week from the North Fork of Long Island to our doorstep. We got a membership at a local gym with a daycare to incentivize exercise. But perhaps most important is our business where we meet like-minded inspiring people like Hannah and Bobby. Our social and professional web continues to grow outward and I will never take that for granted. Especially when I have the time to kick back and take in a view of a mountain range or skyline of skyscrapers.
Shuttle Meadow Country Club Wedding Photos
Apollo Fields | Shuttle Meadow Country Club Wedding Photos | Connecticut Wedding Photographer | Best Wedding Photos
Kelly + Evan
One of the first things couples realize when planning a wedding is that their opinions on the event are not the only ones that matter. Whether it’s their parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, or extended family, someone has a monkey wrench to throw into the best laid plans! It can lead to difficult conversations and even harder decisions, but Kelly and Evan’s intimate wedding ceremony in Rocky Mountain National Park followed by their reception at Shuttle Meadow Country Club in Kensington, Connecticut, clearly echoed not only their own values, but also the ones they learned from their refreshingly supportive families.
Family Values
Marriage, like anything else, is an institution that is evolving over time. Heather and I have noticed how marriage preserves some generational values, while it distances itself from others. For example, just a generation ago, getting married in a church by a pastor or priest was the norm, but now couples are opting to get married in beautiful backyards (raises hand) and scenic parks by one of their closest friends or family members. Antiquated reasons for a father walking their daughter down the aisle have given way to a deeper emotional connection that is one of my favorite things to witness. Perhaps the most modern and honorable aspect of the evolution of marriage is when parents who have parted ways come together at the wedding to pay respect to one another as partners and parents while also acknowledging the newer partners and parents in their children’s lives. Emotional intelligence may not always seem like it’s on the rise, but believe me if you were at Kelly and Evan’s wedding in Connecticut you wouldn’t have had dry eyes either.
Family Tradition
Kelly’s grandparents belonged to the Shuttle Meadow Country Club before her parents did and it meant a lot to her family for her and Evan to host their reception there. I don’t typically think about deep family ties and emotions when speaking about country clubs but it was apparent in the way Kelly and her family interacted with the property and staff. Family traditions take many forms and whenever possible you should try to embrace them when planning for your wedding!
Apollo Fields Family Values & Traditions
After Heather and I had Capa it changed the way I looked at my childhood and the choices my parents made. My five siblings and I were pretty much free range chickens in our cluttered house, finding our way home for dinner after playing with neighborhood kids until dusk. The only problem was that I didn’t know that I had autonomy and power over my own decisions until I left for college, whereupon I learned of my lack of discipline and returned home shortly thereafter. I consider it one of the best things that ever happened to me because it made me really analyze what decisions I was making and why.
So when I saw Evan and Kelly’s families and the connection and respect that they all have for one another; it made me think of providing Capa the guiding hand that I did not have, while at the same time giving him the power of his own decisions as early as possible. For our families are the ones who show us our values, but it is up to us as individuals to choose the ones that we wish to celebrate.
Vendors
Apollo Fields | Photography
Venue | Shuttle Meadow Country Club | Kensington, CT
Floral | Kellie Rose Florals
Band | The Parachute Brigade
Dress | Lee-Ann Belter
Dress 2 | BHLDN
Suit | Bonobos
Rings | Traynham’s Jewelers
Hair and Makeup | Opal
Invitations | Minted
Sunrise Session at Eldorado Canyon in Boulder, CO
Eldorado Canyon Photography in Boulder, CO | Colorado Engagement Photos | Sunrise Photo Session | LGBTQ Engagement Pictures
Mercie + Dan
Will I ever get bored of photographing these two love birds? Definitely not. I have been privileged to get to capture Dan and Mercie’s engagement, boudoir, wedding, and now anniversary sessions and have no plans to stop being a part of their lives, both photographically but also as friends.
I usually don’t like the phrase “old souls”, but that’s truly how I feel about these two. They have a certain wisdom and awareness that always leaves Terrence and I feeling both inspired and hopeful. Their love for each other has always been so tender, and makes my job way too easy. They hold space for one another to be their own people, but support one another the way that an ideal partnership functions in my opinion.
We were lucky to get to hook up with Mercie and Dan in Estes Park a few days before this session because they were actually babysitting Capa while we shot a wedding in RMNP! Besides the fact that they were conveniently already in the area, they were the obvious choice to hang with our mini because of their love of children. They both have extensive experience as nannies, but more importantly, embrace kiddos with joy and respect.
Capa got to spend the afternoon getting showered with love by them and their little squad, and we couldn’t have been happier knowing that he was having a blast while we worked! And then on our last day in Colorado, they were down to rally for a sunrise session at Eldorado Canyon in Boulder! Sunrise can be a hard sell sometimes, but it is ALWAYS worth it! There’s something so amazing about venturing out into the mountains when it is still dark, with a little of that alpine chill in the air, seeing the first light start to inch it’s way towards the horizon line.
We explored the canyon, walked through nature, played in the water. It was so joyful and good for the soul that it felt like the photos were just sugar on top!
Boston Engagement Photography in the North End
Boston Engagement Photography in the North End | Apollo Fields Engagement Photographers | Massachusetts Wedding Photographer | Golden Hour Engagement Pics | Destination Wedding Photographers
Tyler & Rachel
Despite being a die-hard New Yorker, I love Boston. Well, everything except driving there and their baseball team, but Boston really does pack a lot of charm and a guaranteed good time.
I got to meet up with Rachel and Tyler in the North End for their engagement photos. The timing worked out perfectly because we were already up in the Cape for the annual Huie vacation so I was able to scoot over to Boston pretty easily. We immediately hit it off and started exploring the neighborhood together.
I asked them what spots they had in mind and after informing me that the vibe they were going for with wedding planning was “elegant”, they suggested a “great alley and parking garage” as potential spots to shoot in. Now these two don’t normally go hand-in-hand, and if I didn’t know any better, I’d probably be sketched out. But away we went, and I must say, I’ve NEVER seen a parking garage look better than the one we hit. The alley was pretty dope, too.
The views up there boasted the skyline with a perfect golden hour to boot! A total hidden gem, and a bit of a nice reprieve from the more touristy things that people usually do in the city. We had such a great time together adventuring around and chatting about their favorite things to do there. One of the other great things that the North End has to offer is amazing Italian food, which was one of my other favorite quotes that these two cuties left me with— when I asked what they loved the most about living in that neighborhood, they replied “that it always smells like garlic when we open our windows!” I mean, girl after my own heart, right!?
Montauk Engagement Session at Camp Hero State Park
Montauk Engagement Session at Camp Hero State Park | Hamptons Engagement Photography | East End Wedding Photographer | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographers
Ijeoma + Richard
Target Rock Beach Engagement Photography
Target Rock Beach Engagement Photography
Caity & Mike
Santa's Christmas Tree Farm Engagement Photos
Santa's Christmas Tree Farm Engagement Photos | Greenport NY | December Engagement Sessions | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographers
Bianca & Sal
Long Beach Engagement Photography
Long Beach Engagement Photography | Long Island Engagement Photos | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographers
Justyna & Steve
Horsetooth Reservoir Engagement Session in Fort Collins
Horsetooth Reservoir Engagement Session in Fort Collins
Greenport Long Island Engagement Photography
Greenport Long Island Engagement Photography | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographers | 67 Steps Beach NY
Gina & Peter
Oyster Bay Engagement Photography
Oyster Bay Engagement Photography | Apollo Fields | Long Island Wedding Photographer | Oyster Bay Wedding Photographer | NY Wedding Photographer | Best Wedding Photos | Long Island Engagement Photos | Best Wedding Photos | Wedding Photographers Near Me
It’s November 12th, 2021, and it’s just starting to get cold. There are still a ton of leaves on the trees and it looks like we’re going to skip fall and go straight to winter. Two weeks ago the darkness began stealing the daylight from us and I’m kind of okay with it. We’re approaching Capa’s first birthday and the long nights remind me of his first few months of life: hunkering down, cuddling and watching The Sopranos on our pull-out couch, and waking up to crisp, cold, and bright mornings. Pristine memories as clear as photographs. We are very lucky people.
Erin + Gavin
I first met Erin at Six Harbors Brewing Company in Huntington, NY. I mentioned that Heather and I run a wedding photography business and we exchanged info on the fly. Erin and her fiance, Gavin, are set to get married at Water’s Edge in Centerport in the spring of 2022 and we can’t wait!
We decided to begin with Erin and Gavin’s engagement photos in Oyster Bay at their house. The session started in their front yard, right in front of a couple of large, beautiful trees, one of which Gavin used to climb as a child. From there we headed to the backyard to involve their two adorable pups who were more interested in showing us what zoomies looked like. We eventually wrangled them for a couple of cute shots before hopping into the car and heading to a beach on Oyster Bay. The golden light poured over the trees from a pure blue sky that only a late afternoon in the fall can deliver. When there is that slight chill in the air that makes you want to throw on a sweatshirt and fall into the arms of someone you love.
Fall has always been Heather’s favorite season but I’m partial to the first warm days of spring. One of the things she loves to do is collect a few colorful leaves every year, trying to capture that autumnal feeling like a ship in a bottle. I love that first run or sporting event in the spring where I can open up my lungs and eyes and truly breathe. Staring at my pale, dry, complexion in the fogged up mirrors of the gym just doesn’t quite do it for me. The idea of 70 degree weather year round is alluring, but I think the changing of the seasons helps us connect to the cycle of the earth and reminds us that we are alive.
For the first year of Capa’s life it has been difficult to schedule time to exercise--it’s been even harder to resist comfort food and find the energy to do it! Having a child sends your priorities for a loop and the dust is just beginning to settle. Being able to spend time with couples like Gavin and Erin reminds Heather and I of the early stages of our relationship at a time when it’s also hard to make time for each other. It makes taking those pictures and printing out engagement photos that much more special. We are all lucky people and it’s up to us to try to create as many pristine memories as possible. Whichever season is your favorite, I just hope that it makes you feel alive.
Clinton NJ Engagement Photography with Motorcycles
Clinton NJ Engagement Photography with Motorcycles | Outdoor Engagement Session in New Jersey | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographers
Allie + Dan
Our business has a way of merging my old worlds with new ones, and I have absolutely loved reconnecting with friends in order to celebrate their engagements and weddings over the years. Allie and I met many years ago, when we were both working at Horsemen’s Outlet in NJ. I was riding horses full time and doing photography as a hobby, and I worked a few days a week at the local tack shop.
Fast forward to 2021 and we were able to hook up for their engagement-style sesh (Allie and Dan actually got legally married last year). I knew they were bringing their bikes, which is one of their favorite things to do together, but I didn’t realize just how cool it was until I heard a faint hum in the background as the two of them rolled up to their session. Their helmets glistened in the sun, and up the long driveway they pulled up on their motorcycles despite the cold temps that day. Totally badasses.
But their badassery was also met with such warmth and kindness, as Allie unhinged her storage spot on the back of her bike and pulled out a personal charcuterie box for me! What a great surprise, and so thoughtful, as I immediately dove into the cheese and fruits. Good food is the way to my heart, and there’s no better way to start a session than a little nosh, in my opinion.
We had a blast catching up while I also got to meet Dan for the first time! No matter how much changes over the years, it is reassuring to see certain qualities, like Allie’s love of animals and the outdoors, stay the same. I can’t wait to celebrate their wedding reception and party the night away with these two— I have a feeling it’s going to be one for the ages.
Coney Island Engagement Photography
Coney Island Engagement Photography | Brooklyn Engagement Photos | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographers | NYC Photographer
Jenny & Frank
The last time I was at Coney Island before Frank and Jenny’s engagement session I was swinging from a trapeze. For real. Now I’m not in the circus and judging by my performance that day, I should stick with photography, but for an afternoon my best friend and I took a trapeze class at Coney Island. It was pre-covid and I was still living in NYC at the time, so Terrence, Grace, and I all took the subway down to Coney Island for the day. We spent some time on the beach, and the blistering sun reflected off the waves on all the New Yorkers looking for a summer escape from the hot concrete in Manhattan.
When we were there, the beaches were practically shoulder-to-shoulder busy, and the boardwalk was booming with both locals and tourists. The rides were in full swing, and we made the obligatory trip to Nathans. I think I got tatertots, the lame-o vegetarian that I am.
Jenny and Frank have similar memories from Coney Island, and have spent many date-days exploring this fun spot. We met up in October for their engagement session and Coney Island looked distinctly different than the peak season craziness that I remembered from my last visit. At first, it was mildly eerie, like the set of a movie where the streets are a little vacant and the year-round dwellers are all characters of their own. The amusement park was closed for the season, but the sun was warm and the light was hazy and reminiscent of summer despite the time of year.
My father was visiting from South Carolina, so him, Terrence and Capa all took off for a stroller tour of the area while Jenny, Frank, and I made our way up and down the boardwalk. We took a moment to get on the sand near the beach, but spent our time exploring and chatting. They are such a sweet couple planning a Buffalo NY wedding, so it was extra fun to get to shoot their engagement in Brooklyn in a place that is so sentimental for them!
Enjoy these photos from Frank and Jenny’s Coney Island Engagement Session:
Central Park Engagement Session
Central Park Engagement Photography | Bethesda Fountain and Terrace Wedding Photographs | NYC Engagement Photographers | Apollo Fields Husband and Wife Photo Team
Natalie & Eugene’s Engagement
Anytime I get to walk through Central Park it reminds me of my old running route. I’d start at West 112th Street and run down Broadway to 79th Street, cut across the avenues past the Museum of Natural History, and stop at a pull up bar near the Great Lawn to do some calisthenic exercises. I’d continue my run south towards Sheep Meadow to play Ultimate Frisbee with one of the best communities I’ve ever known. I’d eventually make my way back to the west side strolling by Bethesda Fountain, past the Bow Bridge, and along my favorite path on the south side of The Central Park Lake, the body of water where tourists take out the cute paddle boats. I can’t help but think about this time of my life without a great longing, reminiscing about the freedom of my twenties. It seems that no matter how old I am I always ‘[\want to be somewhere else or be older or younger. It makes me beg the question: is there any way to get over this “grass is always greener” mindset over the course of our lives?
Heather and I met Eugene over the summer at one of our friend’s going away parties, but this was the first time we met Natalie. We connected with them through our mutual friend, John, who went to Marymount Manhattan College with Eugene. We didn’t expect John to come along for the engagement session in Central Park but there he was, giving Eugene style tips and busting his chops like a good friend and quintessential best man. We started the shoot at Bethesda Fountain, dabbled in the Mall between street performers and skateboarders, then finished up by The Lake and Bow Bridge because Eugene and Natalie are set to get married at the Loeb Boathouse in just a few short months.
Eugene and Natalie have one of those quiet connections, and according to them it’s been there since their very first date. One of the questions we ask on the questionnaire we send over to our couples is: “When did you realize that you loved your significant other?” Well, for Eugene and Natalie, all it took was one date, because afterwards they jokingly referred to each other as ‘husband’ and ‘wife.’ The way they interact with one another is intimate but casual, conversational and playful. There is an understanding beneath their every exchange that made them very easy to photograph through our walk in Central Park. We all decided to grab a drink on the Upper West Side afterwards.
The most unfortunate thing about love is that it all comes down to timing. The kind of understanding that Eugene and Natalie and Heather and I have all stems from meeting someone at a particular time in our lives when each of us 1) had a strong idea of who we were as individuals, and 2) had a strong idea of what we wanted our significant other to be like. The alignment of these two factors is critical to a healthy relationship with any hope of longevity. A lot of us spend most of our lives trying to figure our “who we are” and a lot of us are too wracked with doubt and insecurity to effectively learn what a good partner for our particular needs looks like. Every time I try to explain how Heather and I have such a working, loving relationship, there is a feeling of an insurmountably large chasm between being alone and being where we are. The best thing I can suggest is to start with a better understanding of yourself.
Despite always feeling like “the grass is always greener” most of my life, I can confidently say I am thoroughly enjoying my thirties. Heather and I have hit a stride in our business, and we have one happy, healthy boy. I still get frustrated and am overtired most of the time, but once I hear Capa giggle or see him peacefully sleeping any sort of bullshit stress just washes away. Capa helps ground me in a way that makes life feel finite for the first time. For as long as I can remember I’ve always felt that I’m going to live forever—and each day and year that passes its hard to wrap my mind around all that has changed—that is until you see a newborn baby become a ten-month-old. We all grow older everyday and it is up to us to appreciate the green grass beneath our feet.
Enjoy these images from Eugene and Natalie’s Central Park engagement:
Historic London Town and Gardens Engagement Photos in Annapolis
Historic London Town & Gardens Engagement Photos in Annapolis | Maryland Engagement Photographer | Destination Wedding Planning | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography
Kelly & Evan
While we were snapping photos for Evan and Kelly’s engagement session, I noticed that one of the buildings on the property had a propped open door. It seemed to suggest that we were welcome to explore the venue, but without any obvious signage, it was unclear as to whether or not the building was truly open to visitors.
So in I went.
I tend to be more in the ask-for-forgiveness camp, while Kelly is in the ask-for-permission camp. This fact has been well established for many years now, considering that Kelly and I actually attended the same boarding school, Ethel Walker, in the same class of ‘08.
Kelly was the Head of Judiciary committee (aka the moral one who could be trusted to not only abide by the school rules but also be the student representative when problems with other students happened). It was no surprise that she fit this role well, but it definitely was a surprise that I never ended up in “judish” myself. In fact, our tiny class of 36 or so also had a reputation for getting into hot water, and by the time we all lugged across the finish line, half of us were frequent flyers in the makeshift courtroom that sat on the corner of the library. (For context though, I did have to help set up the folding chairs for my own graduation that morning to work off my outstanding detentions).
We found ourselves joking about how much trouble our class got into during their engagement session, “You guys kept me busy”, Kelly remarked. It is funny how even after all these years, memories like these linger on. But of course, we’ve done a lot of growing up in the years that have passed since then and it was great being able to catch up during our time together in Maryland. And it was great to meet Evan for the first time in person— he is a child psychologist and such an easy person to get along with that we were able to seamlessly hang out for our afternoon there.
Kelly and Evan wanted to do engagement photos near Annapolis, where they have been living, and a place that is extra special to them because they are going to be moving out to Denver shortly. Kelly is in a urology med program and is about to start her next journey in Colorado. We’re going to be capturing their ceremony in RMNP next year and then their reception in Connecticut afterwards, so truly connecting so many of our own dots. We love being able to not only be a part of these special moments for our couples, but especially love when we’re able to travel to some of the places that are so near and dear to our own hearts, too.
Enjoy these photos from Evan and Kelly’s Engagement in Maryland:
Photography: Apollo Fields
Venue: Historic London Town & Gardens
Fire Island Engagement Photos in Long Island
Fire Island Engagement Photos in Long Island | Fair Harbor Photography | Apollo Fields Engagement Photographers
Kayla & Jonathan
Sound Beach Engagement Photos
Apollo Fields | Long Island Wedding Photographer | Engagement Photos On Long Island | Long Island Engagement Photography | Beach Wedding Photos | Beach Engagement Photos | Wedding Photographers Near Me
Krista & Matt’s Engagement Photos
Driving through the meandering roads of Sound Beach, Long Island, past the cottages and wooden fences, childhood memories of grandma’s house crept into my mind. This area on the north shore of Long Island, not quite “out east” and not quite “down port” [Port Jefferson], as Krista and Matt referred to it, is a mix of the beachy charm from Cape Cod combined with the vestiges of a simpler time. The chaotic network of the streets bend and shoot in all directions like the strings of a spider’s web as families wearing flip-flops with towels tossed over their shoulders casually make their way to the beach.
When Heather, Capa, and I arrived a little early for our engagement session, Krista and Matt invited us into their home. I immediately noticed a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf packed with titles ranging from classics to postmodernist and felt the nerdy bookworm in me bubbling to the surface. I couldn’t help mentioning a collection of David Foster Wallace’s non-fiction work, A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again: Essays and Arguments, because it means that either Matt or Krista took a deeper interest in the author of the infamously laborious work, Infinite Jest. It turns out Matt is an english teacher and we were off to a splendid start.
We piled into our respective cars as Matt and Krista led us to a private beach a few minutes away from their house. After descending a flight of steps that would make a stairmaster blush, we kicked off our shoes and walked onto the rocky and shell-laden beach. Krista and Matt moved with each other effortlessly, stopping every so often to bend down and pick up a piece of beach glass to add to Krista’s collection. They then busted out a wicker picnic basket complete with champagne and stemless flutes (with two for us!), and settled onto a blanket. They told us about their relationship’s beginning, a friendship turned romance, but got a little distracted when they remembered they also packed sparklers for the engagement shoot!
We love when our couples come prepared like Krista and Matt--props, champagne, beer, wine, picnic blankets--whatever makes you feel comfortable! Whatever makes you feel you. It’s easy to retreat back into your shell when the camera comes out, but this is why engagement sessions are so great: they give us a chance to get to know who you are before your wedding day. So by the time the big day arrives, when your family descends upon your location ready to test your patience, we know when to let you soak in those beautiful moments and when to pull you away for a breath of fresh air.
After taking their engagement photos in Sound Beach, we got to enjoy a nice dinner with Krista and Matt at one of their favorite local spots. We got to talking about Matt’s favorite book to teach (Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury!) and growing up on this part of the island with most of their family close by. Turns out Heather and I moved back to Northport for the same reason Matt and Krista see themselves staying around Sound Beach. Family visits become less of an obligation (in our case) and more of a welcome trip down memory lane.
