After a week of rain, Karina & Ryan were ready get out into the park and have some fun taking photos. Our first stop was at the Conservatory Water in Central Park. It’s often called the Central Park Boat Pond since it’s full of radio controlled sailboats.

The pond holds a special place in our hearts because it’s also where we got engaged. If you’re in the area, we highly recommend getting something to eat at Knish Nosh right by the pond. Little outdoor cafe with the best stuffed cabbage we’ve ever had! Nothing like a little stuffed cabbage and beer while enjoying such a great view. If you go though, go early since the cafe gets very busy when the weather is nice and they usually sell out of the stuffed cabbage by early afternoon.

This first photo of Karina & Ryan has an old-fashioned look & feel but a few high tech tricks were used to get the final product. We actually took 5 pictures and combined them into one image. First, a high speed flash sync was used to balance the sunlight while still getting a pleasing out-of- focus background. Notice that their heads are in focus while the rest of the photo is out of focus. Then, several other photos were taken quickly after the first picture. All the images were then merged together to capture the dark areas in the trees while still showing the details in the bright sky. The final product is called a High Dynamic Range (HDR) photograph.

We also ventured off the beaten path to capture a section of Central Park that was exploding in green colors after a week of rain.  What a wonderful spot with long grass and wonderful sunlight coming though the trees! Do you feel like you are spying on their moment in their secret little oasis?

To Karina & Ryan – we had a great time taking photos of you and showing you a few hidden treasures in Central Park.  Looking forward to being a part of your wedding at the Waterside Restaurant in New Jersey next year!

Andrew knew shooting in February would be a little cold, but he didn’t want to wait until Spring.  Regardless of the weather, their hearts were warm, the sky was blue and the view from DUMBO was stunning as usual.

To Andrew, Jen & everyone else reading this blog – hope you’re all having a great Valentine’s Day!  To see more photos from the shoot in DUMBO click on the image below.

Photographing a couple in the middle of a lake in a park full of tourists requires careful planning. Especially when Todd’s travel plans did not allow for us to meet beforehand to see what the other person looked like.  Not only did we exchange photos of ourselves, we sent photos of the clothing we would be wearing.  I wanted to be sure that I was taking photos of the right couple.  Todd also wanted to know that his paparazzo was ready to capture the big moment before popping the question.

During the week, we finalized logistics and I recommended a spot on the lake that would give me a few good vantage points for photo taking at that time of day. When I arrived at the park on the morning of “Operation Proposal”, I realized that the South side of the lake where I told Todd I would be standing was closed for renovations!

This is our absolute favorite photo.  The graffiti-covered wall captures the New York City feel so well.  And, Jennifer & Carlos’ cool stance matches the graffiti perfectly! 

They actually picked this photo to display at their wedding reception.  It’s a great depiction of their love.

Don’t they look so happy and natural in this photo, like they’re just hanging out on a lazy Sunday afternoon?  You wouldn’t have guessed that James told them to look at each other and intertwine their legs while he’s busily snapping away.

 We love Jennifer & Carlos’ reflection in the puddle in this photo.  Gives the photo a different take and an artistic flair that we try to achieve with all of our photos!

We like the Promenade a lot as well.  For a small area, it has a lot of different and unique spots to take photos.  First, we got photos showing the Manhattan Skyline.

Then, a few steps away, I (i.e., James) got photos of them with the sunlight coming through the trees.  Yes, trees grow in Brooklyn.

And of course, I wanted to take a close-up showing how happy they are together.   

It doesn’t look like it in the photos, but it was a very cold day.   This is how Denyse kept warm between shots.

We ended the shoot with the beautiful Brooklyn Brownstones as our backdrop. 

Denyse & Vladimir were such troopers to brave the cold for their engagement photos.  They obviously enjoy each other’s company and it was nice to see them happy and laughing despite the icy weather.  All is good when you’re in love !

This is our favorite photo.   Love the different angle and the branches and blue sky showing through from above.

Love how the fish-eye lens captures the entire boat pond in this photo.  Coincidentally, this is also where James proposed to me (i.e., Alice) a few years ago !

Think this is a beautiful photo of the couple.  They look very happy and content.

It didn’t snow much in New York City this winter, but luckily, Amanda & Vincent chose to do the shoot during the one weekend where there was snow in the park.  Love the sun peeping through the trees and Amanda & Vincent’s shadows on the white snow.  The serene background was the perfect setting for a romantic picture of this lovely couple.

We’ve enjoyed our time with Amanda & Vincent.  They’re funny and fun-loving and we look forward to being part of their wedding in October.  This will be our first wedding with a Man of Honor (vs. a Maid of Honor) and we are excited to see the wedding gown that Amanda’s Man of Honor helped her pick out !