Engagement Pictures at Portage River Walk

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Mike and Heather will be having a winter wedding in New Buffalo, Michigan this February.  I will be the photographer for their celebration!!  We recently did some engagement photos at Portage River Walk.

It's a hidden away gem of a place with access to Lake Michigan and opportunities for many different scenes for photos.  The opening image has a From Here To Eternity, edge of the earth feel to it.  A few steps in another direction can give you a marina like scene complete with a lighthouse as background.

One of Heather and Mike's favorite photos from this engagement session is this "love on the rocks" shot taken with the couple gazing out at the boats on Lake Michigan.

A few moment later I placed the happy couple on some beachwood and they new exactly what to do.  A great, loving moment for the soon to be bride and groom.

These guys were great sports as this field was a bit of a trek for them.  I wanted to make sure we utilized all of the scenery at this hidden away scenic spot.  Had to get those nice Fall colors in there as well.  I often "shoot for the album" so to speak.  This change of scenery makes sure that the book doesn't get boring page after page.  I like to see new backgrounds appearing as we go along.

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One of my favorite photos of the engagement session is this playful one with the soft blue background.  I like these type of candid moments best.

The Portage River Walk is off of Rt.20 and Rt.249 and is hidden by an industrial mill.  If I were to pan to the right for this next image you would see smokestacks just beyond the river walk.

Soon it was dusk with a temperature drop.  Time for some snuggling to keep warm...

Our last photo of the engagement shoot is this winding walk image of the couple holding hands.  I just like the way the scenery sort of frames them.

Be sure to subscribe to this Journal and follow me on Facebook this winter for updates on Mike and Heather's wedding this February.  Stay warm...

Stacey and Steve: Romantic Engagement at Centennial Park

We were graced by a romantic sunset during Stacey and Steve's engagement session at Centennial Park in Munster.  The above photo was one of the last of the session as we fought with exiting cars in our background.  

We actually started off in some bright sun as we walked around the picturesque Munster area attraction.  Fall colors were definitely in full bloom....

We jumped in style to this cute couple's photo with only a leaf in color....

.... to the more artistic shot of these two young lovers embracing and kissing between the pillars at the Centennial Park gardens.

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The lake that sits at the center of the park makes for a great backdrop and gives off a totally different, yet romantic mood...

One of my favorites is this one of Stacey and Steve seemingly contemplating love and marriage as I spied upon them from afar with my ultra zoom lens...

When the soon to be bride and groom kissed, I got this one with the waterfall about to rush over them.

One of the more playful and fun photos of the day is the happy couple spinning around at the pier of the lake.

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In addition to the romantic sunset shot at the beginning of our article is this silhouetted version....

Stacey and Steve wanted to show off their Purdue allegiance so we took a few more after the official sunset pictures.  In both of these, the couple's wedding date is featured on the image.

Centennial Park in Munster is quickly becoming a go-to place for wedding and engagement pictures of late.  In addition to great scenery, they also have a nice clubhouse for receptions as well as an area for outdoor wedding ceremonies.  Schedule an engagement session there and definitely take a look around and consider this as a spot for outdoor wedding formals.

Engagement at Indiana Dunes: Anthony & Morgan Stroll the Beach

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Anthony and Morgan are from LaPorte, Indiana and are having their wedding in Indianapolis next year as a convenient middle ground for both of their families.  My assistant and I met them at Washington Park beach at the Indiana Dunes for their engagement photo session.

We started off with a "family" shot with their dog Grady and the couple in rival sports uniforms.  After these shots, Anthony's Dad picked up Grady and we strolled the beach for some cute, romantic shots.

Very often I will add the wedding date to a few photos like this one of their walk down the sand dune with a cloudless blue sky for our backdrop...

Okay guys, time to rest and do some snuggling.  How about a sun drenched, beach kiss?  Never mind the lighting girl and my zoom lens!!  :)  These two were actually quite comfortable in front of the camera and definitely up for the session.

One of my favorite photos from the engagement session is this romantic beach walk with the seagull keeping an eye on our two lovebirds...

I didn't get these guys into the water, but I definitely had a "From Here To Eternity", romantic vintage vibe that I wanted for some of the photos.  I think we captured it the best on this one thanks to Morgan's kick of the leg...

I noticed right away that this was a fun couple so I didn't hesitate to ask some beach goers if we could borrow their football for a few minutes.

I guess Morgan is proclaiming a touchdown on this one!!

I like my engagement sessions to last about 90 minutes so we can chat and get to know each other.  This always makes for better photographs.  In the case of Anthony and Morgan, this also gave them time to change outfits.

With the sun beginning to set, it was time to have these guys chill and enjoy the romantic setting with the picturesque Michigan City lighthouse in their view...

As the sky was about to go dark for nightfall, Anthony and Morgan climbed up on the top edge of the pier with nothing but Lake Michigan and blue sky behind them.  A perfect ending to a fun, romantic engagement session!!

Windy City Engagement Photos: Tara and Ken

It was quite the windy day when Tara and Ken did their Chicago Session engagement photos.  You can see her hair blowing as they kissed at the South Shore station in East Chicago.  This shot of the train arriving is a tradition for this engagement session.

Having the crowd be part of the shots is a tradition that harkens back to old 1960's and 1970's romantic photos done on film.  I shoot them all in color and then give it the classic, cinematic look in the digital darkroom.

Although black and white is what we are going for during these engagement photo sessions, some images are begging for color.  This gritty alley way kissing shot is a perfect example of that.

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The same idea applies to this sun flared walking photo.  This is why The chicago Sessions are always available in black and white and color.

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Since Millennium Park is close to the South Shore train station, I usually take photos there just before we are about to board the train back to Northwest Indiana.

A fun, weird one with Cloud Gate (aka - The Bean) and Tara's fiance Ken reflected within her sunglasses.

Very often I will shoot wide to capture the breathtaking view of the buildings in downtown Chicago....

Other times, we capture some romantic close ups....

Another tradition that has become popular for this engagement session is the theater marquee photo.  This one worked out nice as two actual love birds came to visit Tara and Ken, our human love birds!!

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Our last image here is the one these guys picked as the cover of their engagement photo book.  It's a romantic mini park amongst the hustle and bustle of downtown Chicago - The Windy City.