Ella + Ethan | Topeka KS Engagement Session | Location, Location, Location
I first met Ethan and Ella about 2 1/2 years ago when they came into our studio to discuss working together to capture their wedding day. I instantly knew that this was a couple that I really wanted to work with. They were both so sweet, and such genuinely happy individuals, I was stoked at the chance to work with them for both their engagement session as well as their wedding.
We just shot their wedding this past Saturday (more on that soon), and while I was designing their engagement guestbook as part of the wedding photography package that they ordered I was reminded of how much I loved that shoot. It was a unique shoot for me in a couple of respects: One, we shot in locations I had never even seen (in Topeka, Kansas), and two, those locations were both so unique in and of themselves. We started at a historical park called Ward-Meade and ended at an ice cream shop that Ella used to go to with her mom when she was a kid. I’ve said this to many of you before, but one of the most important things when choosing the locations for your photoshoot is to make it personal! If at all possible, choose places that mean something to you. Many of our couples will choose to shoot at a location where they got engaged or had their first date. Some will choose to shoot in their home (we LOVE that one:). Some will choose certain places in the city (or the country) where they’ve spent a lot of time together… or a special restaurant… or bar… or bookstore… or ice cream shop! Remember, the locations you choose are the backdrop of your images and they can say as much about you and about this stage in your life as how you interact with each other in your photographs.
I had a wonderful time shooting with Ella and Ethan. The locations were super fun and these two photographed SO WELL!
… I can’t wait to get to their wedding photos!
Erin + Cole | River Market Engagement Session
We absolutely love shooting in new environments and new locations AND we love the intimacy that comes with shooting in a couple’s own home. We got to do both of those with Erin and Cole. They graciously invited us into their home (a loft in the River Market area in Kansas City Missouri) to start the shoot. There is so much to be said about the relaxed environment at your own home. The photos feel genuine, authentic, and often times more intimate. There’s nothing not to love :)
After that, we venture out onto the streets of the River Market and into one of their favorite restaurants and bars, the classy Brown & Loe. As usual with establishments in Kansas City, the staff was very kind and generous and were happy to accommodate us as we roamed around the place searching for angles, backgrounds, and foregrounds for our photos.. we even ventured behind the bar a couple of times.
We had a blast with Erin and Cole, and are so happy that we got the opportunity to photograph them and to document this time in their lives. We also got to extend the evening with a little date night at Brown & Loe :)
Chloe + Eric | Kansas City Engagement | Nagel Portraits
… scroll down for more images :)
There’s a lot to be said for a couple intnetionally putting some thought and planning into their engagement session. A lot of people rely completely on their photographer for capturing that epic style of engagement photography they see on Pinterest and all over Instagram. There’s nothing wrong with that, to be sure. We, your photographers, have a lot of experience and countless hours honing our ability to see our subjects and their backgrounds in a creative and asthetically pleasing way. We’ve learned to push the limits and are ALWAYS trying new things (a subject which may spin off into another post :). We are definitely able and happy to take the reigns and design the shoot 100% autonimously. BUT…. there are a few great things that happy when a couple is mentally and emotionally invested in the both the preparation for and the outcome of the shoot.
You’re better prepared, mentally :: Most of us don’t spend a lot of time in front of a camera, and when we jump right into something that we don’t have consistent experience with, we tend to be reserved and overly self-aware. That can tend to come off as awkwardness and it often shows in the final photographs. We have a lot of practice at making people feel less awkard when having a camera pointed at them while they’re supposed to be acting intimate with their partner and pretent that we’re not there… and I like to think that we are generally fun-loving people and quite easy to be around, thus making the whole experience more natural and enjoyable. But, the fact remains that putting some serious thought into the shoot, and even practicing beforehand can definitely make you feel more comfortable and at ease during the shoot. Yes, I said practicing… together, in front of a mirror. It will feel stupid, but you get to see how your bodies and faces and apendages look together, and I guarantee you that you won’t be nearly as worried about how you look when you’re in front of a camera. Practice poses from those afroementioned photos that you love from Pinterest and Instagram… It makes a HUGE difference!
You make better, more well thoughtout decisions because you know what result you want :: This applies mostly to your wardrobe and location choices. When you take time to research and look (really look and study) the images that you love, your wardrobe choices become more refined and better wardrobe makes better photographs… all. the. time. This is one of the reasons that we pay wardrobe stylises thousands of dollars on commercial shoots (well, that and the fact that their actually doing the shopping and purchasing all of the wardrobe choices). It’s an entire profession, because it’s so important when it comes to how you want the photograph to speak and the emotions and the feelings that you want it to convey… well, that and you want to look killer in the photos that you’re going to share with your closest friends and family :). We’ve had couples even rent dresses and suits and jewelry online just for the engagement shoot and I will tell you that those shoots are some of the most stunning we’ve done and I think that it’s because so much thought and preparation was put into the planning by the couple. (btw I’m not saying that you have to spend any more money that you already have by renting clothes… just underlining the importance of thought and planning :)
You have more fun! :: This usually goes without saying, but the shoot doesn’t have to, and probably shouldn’t, be all serious and “artistic”. Some of our absolute favorite photos of our couples come from those spontaneous moments that we weren’t even planning for. Wether it’s taking photos in your college tee shirts or shotgunning Natty Lites in a city park (yes, that actually happened and it made me very happy), do things that are YOU! The big landscape-backed or architecturally inspired creatively framed photographs with pensive looks spatial separation are stunning and great to frame as large format wall art for your home, but make sure that you’re ready to loosen up and enjoy yourselves by just being you. This is our favorite part of the shoot because we can all be real with each other. We can hang out, joke, laugh, and all be together for a few hours in an atmosphere that has no pressure. Yes, you want to get those big, epic shots, but the most important thing when documenting this specific time in your lives is to be yourselves, laugh a lot, and have fun… it’s then when we, as your story tellers, get to be on your journey and to tell your real life story!
Okay… enough rambling on. I need to get home and have dinner with my family! Here are some more images from Chloe and Eric’s engagement session. They did all of the above, and it was truly a fantastic shoot. They practiced, they thought through locations, made great decisions on their wardrobe, brought their sweet pup (which we always recommend :), and they, and I, had a great time!!
Cheers..
Allison + Jaron | Kansas City Wedding | Nagel Portraits
Allison and Jaron decided on the The Legacy at Green Hills for their wedding venue. The Legacy at Green Hills sits on nearly 40 acres just outside Kansas City. With the woods and the pond and the pavilion, It's a location that seems destined for an all-day, outdoor party. One potential problem for this particular day was that it was forecast to rain pretty much all day long... and not just rain, but a torrential downpour with a tornado warning just waiting to be dropped.
Shortly after we got there we watched high winds and heavy, nearly sideways, rain pummel the entire area. Needless to say, the bride and groom were a little distraught as they watched their long awaited, well planned, day changing before their eyes. We knew that there would most likely be at least a couple breaks in the rain so we made sure that we were always ready and watching for a chance to get outside. And sure enough, those breaks came. Not only were we able to grab a few photos outside, but those photos came with epic skies, muted (in a good way) colors, and a uniqueness that otherwise would not have been found. A perceived setback turned into a perfect part of their story... and we had the opportunity to document it. For that we are grateful!
Amanda + Stephen | Kansas City Engagement
It always takes me by surprise when a couple's wedding day approaches. Sometimes it feels like we just shot an engagement session the previous week, and then BAM.. wedding day is here!
It's one of the best, most rewarding, parts of our jobs getting to connect with our couples on a personal level. After an engagement session, we're so often able to come away with newfound friends, and that's a pretty meaningful thing for us. Amanda and Stephen are no exception. Although their engagement shoot happened on one of the hottest days of the year last year during the dreaded peak of that Kansas City summer, these guys killed it! Not only did they look amazing, but their spirits were high, and the heat didn't seem to be able to touch them (aside from the sweat on their foreheads :). Maybe it was the glow of going through the process of cementing these moments as one of the first touchstones on their future life together. Maybe it was that they just love being with each other no matter what else is happening around them. Maybe it's because they had already got the afternoon off ... or maybe it was because the end of the day (shotgunning a couple Natty Lites in cognito at Loose Park) was in their minds throughout the shoot. Maybe it was a combination of all of that. Whatever it was, these two enjoyed their time taking engagement photos around KC, and I surely enjoyed my time with them!
Amanda and Stephen... we're so excited to celebrate with you here in a couple of weeks and can't wait to see how everything unfolds on your big day!!
Until then... cheers!
Katlyn + John || Kansas City Wedding
Katlyn and John... what a pleasure to work with these folks! They were so easy going... so natural... and so fun! It was our first time shooting at 1890 Event Space... and we LOVED it there! There is a beautiful old home on the property (where the girls got ready), a nice red barn, and a clean, crisp event space where the reception was held. There is also a great patio where the guests can enjoy a cocktail hour.
Courtney + Jeff || Kansas City Wedding
Rarely in my life have I seen 2 people laugh so much in one day… genuine, joyful laughter and smiles… all day long! Courtney and Jeff are not only SO apparently in love with each other, but they exude this authentic love and care to everyone around them. It’s beautiful to witness, it’s lovely to experience, and it makes you want to love better. I need more people like this in my life on a regular basis! Thanks, Courtney and Jeff for letting us into your world… it was truly a pleasure.
On a side note, we began offering video services as an extension of what we’re able to offer to our clients. Courtney and Jeff allowed us to create our pilot episode at their wedding (scroll down to view). More to come soon!
Ariele + Trevor || Kansas City Wedding
More Spring weddings, please... Wow! What a beautiful day in Kansas City?! We had such a fantastic time shooting engagement photos for Ariele and Trevor (didn’t hurt that we did the session right around the corner from our house out in the country, south of the suburbs), and we couldn’t wait to join them on their wedding day! Despite being behind schedule at the beginning of the day due to delays in makeup prep, we caught up, got some amazing images, and had a blast doing it!
Ariele and Trevor got ready at the Westin Crown Center, photos at Liberty Memorial and Loose Park, Ceremony at Colonial Church in Prairie Village, and Reception at 28 Event Space
Jessica + Tim || Kansas City
It’s always fun, and often a little nerve-racking, to shoot for other photographers. But when Jessica asked me to shoot a couples’ session for her and Tim, I jumped at the chance. Not only is Jessica a friend of mine, whom I’ve have I had the joy of working with on multiple occasions in the past, but I also loved the idea of the shoot. They wanted something simple that just captured who they are in real life, and they wanted to shoot in their new loft in the Western Auto building in downtown Kansas City. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again and again: I absolutely love shooting in people’s homes. It’s a place that holds so much intimacy and vulnerability. It’s a place where it feels completely natural to be completely ourselves. An added bonus was rooftop access with a view of the city, of course!
Jamie + Aaron || Engagement :: Kansas City, MO
Jamie and Aaron live in the River Market area in downtown Kansas City. They love Kansas City and wanted to do the shoot on their stomping grounds. I mean, can you blame them? They live in one of the coolest parts of the city.
This was one of my favorite engagement photo sessions to date. I feel like I've been saying that a lot lately... I guess this fall has been good to us: great clients, fun shoots, and people buying me drinks... who could complain, right? I think one of the biggest reasons that this was such a successful shoot is that Jamie and Aaron were both very invested in it. By that I mean, they put a high value on the production of these images and made a huge effort to make them what they were... and it showed (both during the shoot and during post production). They picked out the perfect wardrobe (Jamie even procured a dress just for the shoot), and together we planned out exactly where to go in order to capture the imagery that would showcase their style and their life in the urban environment in which they live. Jamie even had her hair and makeup professionally styled at Posh KC!
By the way, I highly recommend doing this, and Posh KC did a fantastic job! Normally, hair & makeup artists are reserved for commercial shoots and wedding days. However, it makes a big difference on any shoot to have a professional stylist involved. They are "professional" for a reason, and there is a high value in their skill.
This good lookin' couple is getting married next September and we are stoked to have a part in telling their story:
