How well this amazing couple got on with each other and how well they complemented one another stood out for me doing this photo shoot. It was really a treat for me to work with them.
I first met the couple on the day of the photo shoot because there was no other time in their busy schedule. I didn’t have the opportunity to ask them what and how they wanted the photo shoot done. As the day panned out it was easy to assess their needs quickly. The fiancé was initially not very keen and quite camera shy like most other males usually are. However, between me and his lovely lady we managed to put him at ease quite quickly and as you can see in the photographs, he relaxed very soon and both of them ended up really enjoying the photo shoot. The beautiful picturesque surroundings helped too. It was my very first engagement shoot in George. The location of the photo shoot was at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains fairly deep into one of the many forest trails. The surrounding magnificent trees could easily be anywhere in the Rhine forest in Europe.
This specific location is uniquely special for photography because of the beautiful trees and the natural beauty. The privacy we enjoyed while doing the photo shoot was a bonus because there were no interruptions. Just as well it was a rainy day because nobody ventured out to go for a walk or bike ride up the mountain trail. Fortunately it stopped raining just as we were about to start. And I must say, not having an audience also helped the couple to relax. All of this really made working with them such a pleasant experience.
A small tale I can share regarding this engagement shoot is that despite the wet muddiness on the trail and unpleasant cold weather the couple was laughing a lot and having loads of fun as if they were on a sunny island beach in Mauritius.
Although the location wasn’t really a venue as in four walls with a roof, the beautiful tall trees created something like a canopy which rendered it the perfect ‘venue’ for a very romantic photo shoot. The city of George is really incredibly beautiful with so many amazing options regarding venues and locations for great photo shoots. I can really recommend it. If I could I would love to be able to jump in a travel machine to get to George in the blink of an eye to do more photography work there.
Couples don’t always want to talk too much about their love stories but I do know that this couple has been together for a number of years and that the guy proposed the previous day. Since they have been in love for so many years they wanted to capture their special day’s memories with photos. It was quite special for me too to ‘help’ them celebrate their engagement capturing their great step.
Choosing to photograph them this way all depended on the fact that they reacted very well to the camera. I always treat engagement shoots the same way, on merit. And since they were such fun to work with it really was a breeze getting the best shots. They enjoyed it and so did I.
I don’t normally work according to a specific shot list in my head. I rather use what I call the ‘ice breaker technique’. I joke around with them, get them to laugh and relax in front of the camera. I also tell the couple to ignore the camera while I take a few shots of them while they pose with their backs to me. After that, everything just flows smoothly. However, with this couple it wasn’t necessary at all, them being such fun loving people and very much in love.
They were keen to do all sorts of things I asked them to do. Like when I asked them to kiss in a funny way or pull a funny face, they were all for it although they did ask why. I explained that although it seems funny to them the camera doesn’t see it as funny and that they should just trust me which they did.
This engagement shoot took place around 16h00 which normally would be too early for an outdoor photo shoot because the daylight is still very strong at that time. The location being George with four to six seasons in one day, everybody knows that the weather can change several times a day. Googling the weather helped because I could tell the light would just be perfect. Luckily the sky was covered with dark clouds which made the light perfect to take stunning photographs
My iconic shot of the day was when the couple was standing amongst the mountain fern bushes staring into the distance. It really is a unique photograph which I enjoyed immensely to take.
