I had received a call from Dan about a month before the BIG DAY. He explained that he was going to propose to his girlfriend Nicole, and how he wanted to have the whole, big emotional moment captured through imagery. Now, I'm not typically a wedding or event photographer, but I do love doing artistic photo documentaries.
When Dan visited my website saw the nature of my work, he decided he'd rather keep the elation of the engagement going long after...through some beautiful wall art which he'd gift to Nicole in the weeks AFTER the proposal.
But there was one catch...Nicole could NOT know I was there or see me shooting them.
I could not have been more excited. Also, it totally changed my view how to capture the engagement session. I wanted a dreamy, monumental moment in this beach haven.
We planned a meeting spot during their weekend getaway to be their Long Beach Island, New Jersey photographer. There, I waited on the lookout for Dan and a very unsuspecting Nicole.
A storm was rolling in and I saw lightening in the distance, so I knew we didn't have much time. I was standing behind a fence and they walked along a path right past me. I smiled, pretended to be talking on my cellphone and headed straight inside a patch of dense bushes.
From a distance, I captured a series of moments and watched the whole thing unfold. After, when it started to rain, they walked past me again. "Excuse me, can you take my iphone and get a shot of us?" she asked, "We just got engaged." Um... "Oh wow! Congratulations!" I said, doing my very best Meryl Streep acting performances and tucking my camera bag behind my back.
As they walked on, I hid in playground structures, bathroom buildings and even a stranger's car to get more epic shots. (Thank you to those lovely strangers who gave me shelter in their Ford Explorer). ;)
A few weeks later, Dan presented Nicole with two huge gifts of my metallic finish painterly wall canvases. Now, this epic moment was immortalized, long after the joyous engagement.
Nicole surely has landed herself one sweet, terrifically romantic guy in Dan. And Dan, could not have found a more beautiful loving bride. Best wishes.
Congratulations to Dan and Nicole. Wishing you love, happiness and a whole Life, As Fine Art...together.
xoxo,
Cate
