Morgan and Si Engagement

I had been in Phoenix for a week and a half, but I decided to extend my stay for a few more days so I could do an engagement session with Morgan and Si.

I had met Si when he was writing for kontaktmag and spent a little time with Si and Morgan when they moved to my neighborhood shortly before I moved to NYC. A little familiarity was a good starting point. It had been a while since we had talked (even via Twitter) so some catching up was in order. We decided to go to the Downtown Phoenix Civic Park to start with. I told Morgan and Si we would get off to a slow start and then gain some momentum as everyone got comfortable. It was very prophetic.

This is my favorite shot. I love the framing, the contrast of the cool and the warm but most of all, I think the interaction is very sexy.

We tried a few spots at the park and I just wasn't feeling it so we headed over to Heritage Square. Then we found our groove. I repeatedly told Morgan she was a natural which made them both smile (that was the point). The truth is they both got very comfortable very quickly.

I went wide on this one. The stairs and the way Morgan was sitting made it a no-brainer for me.

It was supposed to be an overcast day so we planned the shoot mid-day. Well... my trusty iPhone lied so we had to deal with the harsh Phoenix sun directly overhead with nary a cloud in the sky. We didn't really feel limited since there were plenty of places out of the direct sun to shoot. Sometimes constraints are just what I need to keep me focused.

Guys need to understand, if it involves the wedding, the focus will be on her.

After Heritage Square we headed for some murals we found on the walls of some buildings in the Roosevelt district which made for some very colorful backdrops.

All-in-all, it was a fun afternoon. Morgan and Si are a great couple and I felt honored to be a part of this engagement shoot.

For more pictures from the shoot, check out the gallery.

Katie and Tyler Engagement Session

I’ve known Tyler for quite a while, I’m just getting to know Katie.

I am in Phoenix for a photo/video job and figured since Katie and Tyler were letting me sleep on their couch (formerly my couch, but the couch is not the point) the least I could do was an engagement session for the newly engaged couple.

I hadn’t really gotten a handle on the dynamic between Katie and Tyler in the time I’d spent with them so far, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. All I know is Tyler love annoying people and Katie handles it stoically and that made them a good match in that area.

I used my new Lensbaby Composer for this one. I learned that like any effect, it's best if used sparingly.
We started shooting in Downtown Gilbert (yeah, they call it that). As soon as we got to the grassy knoll Tyler and Katie started boxing while I was getting my gear set up. They were still trading punches (not real punches) when I was ready to roll so the session started with so boxing photos.

Katie and Tyler were very good at ignoring me and just being themselves.

I really didn’t have to direct them much. They were both animated and playful. All it took was a few suggestions from me on where to stand and where to face and they ran with it. I posted one of the 'outtakes' here. It was one of Tyler and Katie's favorites.

This one is one of my favorites from a pure photography perspective.

Once everybody got comfortable with the process they got a little more affectionate and I started to see the dynamic between them. This is the part I really enjoy about doing this type of photography. It gives me warm fuzzies when the chemistry is revealed in the photos.

See the rest of the pictures in the photo gallery.