Storm King Mountain Engagement Photos on the Summit
Storm King Mountain Engagement Photos on the Summit
Kate + Shawn
Set amidst the rugged landscapes of Upstate New York, Storm King Mountain provided the perfect backdrop for Kate and Shawn's engagement session. In this blog, we'll explore their thrilling journey as they embraced nature's beauty, scaled rocky trails, and captured moments of love amidst the wilderness.
Embracing Nature's Majesty: Kate and Shawn were drawn to Storm King Mountain's natural beauty. With camera in hand, they set out to explore the untamed wilderness, admiring towering cliffs and sweeping vistas along the way.
Scaling New Heights: As outdoor enthusiasts, Kate and Shawn eagerly tackled the mountain's rugged trails. With each step, they embraced the thrill of exploration, ascending the summit to enjoy panoramic views of the Hudson Valley.
Capturing Moments of Love and Adventure: Against Storm King Mountain's dramatic scenery, Kate and Shawn's love story unfolded. Their engagement session was a celebration of laughter, joy, and tender moments, captured effortlessly by their photographer.
Cherishing Memories Amidst Nature's Splendor: As the sun set, casting a warm glow over the landscape, Kate and Shawn reflected on their day with gratitude. Amidst nature's embrace, they found solace, knowing that their love was as enduring as the mountains themselves.
Surprise Proposal in NYC
Surprise Proposal at One World Trade Observation Deck in NYC
Jake + Maddie
Planning a proposal at the One World Observatory, located atop One World Trade Center in NYC, can create a memorable and romantic experience. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you plan a special proposal:
Contact the One World Observatory:
Reach out to the One World Observatory events team or customer service to inquire about any special arrangements or considerations for a proposal.
Confirm any necessary permissions or approvals required for your proposal.
Select a Date and Time:
Choose a date and time that holds significance for both of you, considering factors like the sunset for a romantic atmosphere.
Keep in mind that weekends and evenings may be busier, so plan accordingly.
Purchase Tickets in Advance:
Buy tickets for both of you well in advance to ensure availability and to avoid any last-minute hassles.
Consider purchasing priority or skip-the-line tickets to make the experience smoother.
Choose a Specific Spot:
Identify a specific location within the One World Observatory where you'd like to propose. This could be near the windows with the stunning city views or at a quieter spot.
Hire a Photographer:
Capture the special moment by hiring a professional photographer to discreetly document the proposal.
Discuss the plan with them in advance and choose the best angles for capturing the moment.
Prepare Your Speech:
Plan what you want to say during the proposal. Keep it personal and heartfelt, expressing your love and commitment.
Dress Accordingly:
Consider the dress code and weather conditions, as it can be breezy at the observatory. Dress appropriately for the occasion.
Celebrate Afterwards:
Have a plan for celebrating the proposal afterward. Consider dinner at a special restaurant or a romantic activity to continue the celebration.
Ensure the Ring's Safety:
If you plan to have the engagement ring with you during the visit, ensure it's safely tucked away and easily accessible when the moment arrives.
Practice Patience:
Be patient and wait for the perfect moment. Let the excitement build, and savor the experience together.
Remember that the key to a successful proposal is personalization and thoughtfulness. Tailor the plan to reflect your relationship and create a moment that both of you will cherish for a lifetime.
Horsetooth Reservoir Engagement Session in Fort Collins
Horsetooth Reservoir Engagement Session in Fort Collins
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:
Pound Ridge Proposal Photography Upstate NY
Matt & Danielle’s Proposal | Pound Ridge NY | Upstate New York Engagement Photography | Apollo Fields Wedding Photographer
It was a cool morning last Friday in Pound Ridge. I had been up since before the sun to make my way over the city before rush hour, and found my own peace on the lake overlooking the house that Danielle and Matt were staying in. I already scouted the little hideaway space in the woods where I would be able to discreetly capture their proposal and had been texting back and forth with Matt to coordinate the last details to make the morning perfect.
He was busy scattering rose petals on the jetty that he had delivered to his work address to keep this huge secret from Danielle. They live together in NYC so it’s not easy to pull off this kind of surprise without arising suspicions, and Matt went above and beyond for this one— even flying to Chicago on a “work trip” to go custom design her engagement ring and another secret trip to her parent’s house to ask permission to propose!
For whatever reason, proposals are the ONLY thing that make me nervous to shoot (in a good way) and par for the course, as soon as I saw them walk out the back of the lake house, my heart began pounding. Danielle began connecting the dots when she saw the big rose petal heart on the dock and the water carried her “Oh my god oh my god”s in a way that suggested that she was just as surprised as intended. Before long, Matt was down on one knee and they were engaged!
I am always humbled by these moments because there is something special about being the only other person to witness such a huge moment. After the proposal, I was able to come out of hiding and celebrate alongside them with a champagne toast, some FaceTime calls to family, and a few pics before giving them the rest of their day back to enjoy the big moment. I loved their sentimental and playful energy and felt so lucky to have been a part of such an amazing moment!
Here’s to Danielle & Matt— cheers to your engagement!
As seen in: BROOKLYN BRIDE
Proposal Photography: Apollo Fields
Pound Ridge Venue: AirBnb
Ready to pop the question?
I’m your girl for the job. Proposals make me almost pee my pants but I love shooting them so much. Reach out to plan the most epic proposal ever!
Pikes Peak Engagement Session by Apollo Fields
Jenny & Tara's Epic Mountain Engagement Session | Pikes Peak, Colorado Springs | Denver Engagement Photographer | LGBQ Weddings
I was so excited when I first heard from Jenny. She is friends with Lindsey, one of my beautiful brides from 2017 and happened to be looking for a wedding photographer when I delivered Lindsey's photos. She loved them and immediately reached out to have me photographer her own wedding! So much of my business is word-of-mouth and I am so grateful for my awesome couples who refer me and connect me to their other awesome-couple-friends.
I met up with Jenny and Tara and immediately clicked with their fun personalities, and the sweet way in which they interact with each other. They have a great energy, and I knew right away that I wanted to be their photographer. They must have felt the same way, because I asked them at our meeting, "Do you ladies have any questions?" and they seamlessly responded with, "How do we book you now?" Love it!
They initially weren't looking for an engagement session, but I'm so glad that they decided to do one because look at how epic these mountain backdrops were! A photographer's dream. I had never been to Pikes Peak before, so I was just in awe of the landscape the whole time. We caught golden hour (my favorite!) just in time before the park closed. Literally, they were closing the whole roadway up for sunset and we were being swiftly shuffled out of the park by the time we had captured every last golden ray that we could!
They also brought their three children and new puppy along for the shoot. I have quite a few couples that have children and while it might not seem obvious at first to have them present for engagement photos, I feel contrary to that old-fashioned traditional expectation of what it means to be an engaged couple. Marriage is about partnership and family, and if kids are already part of that equation, I feel like they should be included in some of the pictures. Oh, and if you have a cute puppy too... that doesn't take any convincing! We are animal lovers to the core, and have an impossible time keeping our composure around tiny pups.
Colorado Adventure Photographer: Erny Photo CO | Apollo Photo
Location: Pikes Peak, Colorado Springs
Rocky Mountain National Park Engagement Session
Don & Aliyah's Autumn Inspired Engagement Session | Gold Aspen Trees | Rocky Mountain National Park | Colorado Engagement Photographer | Apollo Photojournalism
When Don and Aliyah asked for the iconic gold aspen trees for their engagement session, I knew I wanted to make it happen right away for them. The season is sort for the leaves, and Colorado autumns can be unpredictable. This year, we had an early frost that stripped most of the trees naked out by the ski villages, which is where we were originally hoping to shoot.
September is also my busiest month of the year. And for good reason! I love fall weddings because the air smells so good, the mountains look majestic, and those leaves make for the most colorful and bold photos. But it's no guarantee out here. Mother Nature can be a real mother at times, and when the season for the aspens got cut short this year, I had to call an audible on our original plan to shoot later in the month out west.
On a whim, I called Don and said, "Could you guys do 6:15AM in Rocky Mountain National Park on Sunday?" I think at first he thought I was joking. Deep down, I sort of hoped I was joking, too. I'm not a morning-enthusiast, so the idea of voluntarily signing up for that kind of wake-up was normally outside of my vocabulary. But this was our last chance at getting the trees and the morning light was my only option because I was booked solid for my evenings. He quickly agreed, and found an epic location with beautiful mountains and a scenic river.
I drove up the windy mountain roads in the morning, and as the alpenglow began to creep over the peaks, so did a hard rain shower. Suddenly, a rainbow broke and I knew that we only had a small window of time to grab it! We hit the jackpot. We got a rainbow, all of those mountain views, a river, and the gold aspens! It was SO worth it. I just love my couples that are down to adventure and trust in me when I ask them to get up crazy early and hit the rockies. We had an awesome time shooting together, and I'm so excited to shoot their wedding this upcoming September!
Adventure Mountain Photographer: Erny Photo CO | Apollo Photo
Farm Engagement Session in Arvada, CO
Allison & Michael's Engagement Session | Farm Engagement Photography | Clear Creek in Arvada, Colorado | Nature + Wildflowers + River | Apollo Photojournalism
Allison and Michael are a fun and energetic couple from who came up from Colorado Springs for their engagement session at Clear Creek in Arvada. I love this location because it has open space as well as woodsy and intimate natural settings. The golden light pours through the trees and if you go during the right times in the season, you get these wonderful pops of wildflowers.
Best of all, it's not oversaturated with too many people, photographers, or foot traffic. My couples get an intimate and unique backdrop to really ease into one another to get those truly connected moments where they can just settle into each others arms without any awkwardness. Alli wore a fun white dress that complimented the country setting so well, while Mike was clean, classic, and preppy. We chatted about their wedding plans and details, which I am very excited for because I have had a great experience in the past working alongside a few of their vendors (dream team status)!
I love getting to do engagement sessions in the woods and farm spaces like this one because you can immerse yourself in the fresh air while listening to the creek running next to us while we play some music and go for a nature walk. It doesn't get too much better than that in my opinion!
Alli and Mike are getting married this upcoming May at the Highlands Ranch Mansion and I can't wait to shoot their wedding. They have been so wonderful to work with! They have an easygoing relationship where they can just stroll with one another and hold hands, but still play around and make one another laugh. They met at the Air Force Academy and have big plans for their future and I'm excited to be able to follow along their journey, camera in hand!
Colorado Engagement Photography: Erny Photo CO | Apollo Photo
Location: Clear Creek, Arvada Colorado
Wes & Chelsea's Breckenridge Engagement Session in Colorado
Chelsea & Wes' Engagement Photography in Breckenridge | Colorado Engagement Photography | Mountain Wedding Photographer | Apollo Fields Weddings
What could be dreamier than a wintery snowy engagement session in the beautiful Rockies!? Breckenridge is best known for being a popular ski town in Colorado and gets a lot of tourism in the winter months. Chelsea and Wes were visiting from their hometown in Texas to celebrate and I was so excited to be able to shoot their engagements for them in this iconic ski town.
The town of Breckenridge is really settled around the slopes but makes it very easy to get around. There are cute little coffee shops, bars, and shopping stores to pop in and out of. We did our session down by the little river that runs through the town from all of the snow runoff. We were lucky to have a snowy day but nothing too severe.
I actually blew my tire out on the way to this session when a rockslide on i-70 came barreling down onto the highway. I was busy dodging the smaller rocks when I hit the mac-daddy of boulders and immediately popped the tire. I was stressing out because I knew I had to get up to this session and luckily, Terrence was able to throw the donut on the car and we drove to a little mechanic shop in Georgetown and the guy was able to hammer it out and refill the tire (he originally thought it wouldn’t be salvageable so you can imagine my excitement when we got back on the road for only $20)!
I was still able to get up to Breck on time (the benefit of leaving ridiculously early for shoots) and meet up with this fun loving couple. These two had such a great and easy chemistry with one another that made this wintery session a blast to photograph. It was chilly but they never once complained, and one of my favorite things about the dry cold in the mountains is that the snow doesn’t get heavy and soaked through your pants so it is easy to stay happy without needing a wardrobe change!
I can’t recommend this location more to anyone visiting Colorado and love to shoot in this cozy mountain town so please reach out to set up your own engagement and/or wedding in this great ski town!
Colorado Engagement Photographer: Erny Photo CO | Apollo Photojournalism
Mitch & Bobby's Engagement Session at Golden Gate Canyon State Park in Golden, CO
Mitch & Bobby | Colorado Engagement Photographer | Golden Gate Canyon State Park | Golden, Colorado | Apollo Fields Wedding Photography
Golden Gate Canyon State Park is a real gem for photos because you get such a wide range of landscapes to use as your backdrops. The mountains are lush on one side and arid on the other which gives a lot of variety for photos. There’s also some great areas with open space and good hiking trails to roam around and keep moving around.
This was great for us because Mitch and Bobby wanted to bring their rescue dogs to their shoot. They were recently engaged and so excited, and naturally, their fur-family would be included. We’re the same way! We couldn’t have imagined not having our dogs a part of our engagement session or our wedding. We’re total dog lovers (no surprise there) and love when couples want to bring their four legged friends along!
Mitch worked at a dog grooming and boarding facility and her and Bobby are enthusiastic about rescuing over buying dogs. It was obvious right away that their dogs have a great quality of life now because you could just tell right away how loyal they were. When I wanted to snag a few shots without the pups, Terrence held their leashes and they both couldn’t wait to get back to their owners! Being able to have the trails and paths to keep everyone walking was great for the pups, too.
One pro tip for this location is to meet at the visitor center because the cell reception in this state park is pretty much nonexistent. That is probably the one and only drawback of the spot, if you are meeting up with your photographer in the park instead of driving in together, it can make it hard to actually find each other. The visitor center is pretty easy to find (also, there is an entrance fee so do your due diligence) but it is really convenient for actually hooking up with one another so you’re not driving around the (beautiful) roads unable to find one another!
