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

Heckscher Park Engagement Photos in Huntington, NY

Vince & Meredith’s Engagement Session | Heckscher Park Engagement Photos in Huntington, NY | Long Island Photographers | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography

We first met Merideth at her sister-in-law Sage’s wedding in September 2019 when we walked into Sage and John’s home on Long Island. Hair spray was in the air, bagels on the table, and mimosas in hand. Meredith and Sage made sure we had anything that we wanted and we really felt the warmth of their welcome. Their kind of hospitality never goes unnoticed on our end.

We met up with Merideth and Vince almost a year later in Huntington for their engagement photos at Heckscher Park. We walked and talked and laughed as the early autumn sun warmed us in the breeze. They spoke about how excited they are for us to become parents and how they’re in the process of moving. I’ve definitely noticed a pattern of families becoming closer both literally and figuratively during 2020, and it makes me grateful to come from a large family. We can bicker and fight each other all we want, but when it comes down to it, there is nothing more valuable in life than having people in your corner.

For me, part of the fun of doing engagement photos is seeing how a couple reacts to one another. Are they playful, does PDA come naturally, or is this whole experience an exercise in torture. Heather and I love to make the experience as light as possible because the vast majority of people have not been in front of a camera like this before. There are different strokes for different folks but we can guarantee by the end of it that we will capture the nature of your relationship because it will naturally pour out of you. There is no putting a lid on love.

Right from the get-go Merideth and Vince had their hands on each other, whispering things into each other's ears, and giggling. People think that engagement photos have to be something more than this but at Apollo Fields this is all we want--for you to be unabashedly yourselves. In a world where our social media lives are as curated as the art that hangs on museum walls, authenticity still reigns supreme. No photo will ever be as good as the one that you let yourself go and exist as naturally possible. That kind of peaceful confidence is the best outfit any of us could wear.    

It’s the kind of confidence that we have when we’re around our families, catching up in the living room on a holiday or summer vacation. It’s so easy for us to slip into the roles that we’ve been carving our whole lives and our egos wind up taking the back seat to the speed of a witty family back-and-forth. There is no time to wonder what we look like or where our hands are when a relative walks by and either physically or verbally jabs us. We just exist naturally. 

And that’s what I’ll remember from Merideth and Vince’s engagement photos. How they and we just walked in the park and took some pictures. It was as easy as a summer night and that’s all it had to be.

Harlem NYC Engagement Photography

Mike and Madelyn's NYC Engagement Photos in Harlem | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography

There’s always one moment during our engagement photo sessions—when I’m holding Heather’s backup camera lenses and am more-or-less a glorified coat rack—when a tingle goes up the top of my spine and out onto my shoulders. It is the same feeling you feel at the crescendo of a theatrical performance when you’re seated in the front row, or the first time as a kid when you walk up the tunnel of old Yankee Stadium to the bright lights and green grass; it is being witness to something spectacular. For us wedding photographers, it’s when you watch a couple look into each other’s eyes and really mean it.

As professional performers, Mike and Maddy were no strangers to the camera. It is almost literally in their job description to turn their facial expressions on and off like a light switch. But the first time we asked Mike and Maddy to bring their faces close and look into each other’s eyes it wasn’t a performance. It was real. It gave me that feeling that I’ve discovered that there’s actually a word for: frisson; a brief moment of emotional excitement. It is accessing that space and capturing that genuine connection between our couples that drives us. We just can never get enough.

Lucky for us, Mike and Maddy had moments like that on the ready as we moved through New York’s steamy summer streets. We started the photo session at the Hamilton Grange in Harlem, where they typically take their adorable dog, Millie, on a walk to a wonderfully secret local dog park. As the early evening golden light came through the trees, Mike and Maddy effortlessly showed us what it looks like to love someone. Turns out the fairytale vibes were just beginning. 

In a beautiful combination of Heather’s understanding of the way that light refracts off of water and New York being New York, we stumbled across a fire hydrant spraying into the street. Whereas I would just walk by and smile as the neighborhood kids played and cooled off, Heather stopped all of us in our tracks and shouted “hol’ up!” She then told Mike and Maddy to do what they do best and love up on one another with the mist in the background. This moment led to one of my favorite images that Heather has ever taken and I look forward to storing it in my memory bank for years to come.

Mike and Maddy have decided to have a small wedding to celebrate their love in a couple weeks and it will be the first wedding we get to document as an Apollo Fields team since Covid-19 happened. I’d be lying if I said getting through the uncertainty of 2020 has been easy, but its engagement photo sessions in New York like these that my optimistic side will choose to focus on. Frissons of happiness may’ve seemed to be in short supply for the last few months, but if these photos of Mike and Maddy are any indication, we’ve got plenty of 2020 to look forward to.

Enjoy these sneaks from Madelyn and Mike’s Engagement Session:

Photography: Apollo Fields