Colleen + Max's Engagement Session in Downtown Syracuse
From start to finish, Colleen and Max’s engagement session was so much fun! We shot everywhere from the Syracuse Creekwalk to Franklin Square Park in downtown Syracuse, and the campus of SUNY Upstate, where they met. But my favorite part of all was their request for a few “nerdy” engagement photos along the way, incorporating their love of video games and Pokemon Go. Oh, and did I mention that Colleen found me on Instagram and wanted to work together because she enjoyed my sarcasm? (That’s a first!) I knew from that moment on we were going to be a great match!
Don’t worry - Colleen liked more than just my sarcastic personality. She was drawn to the bright and natural colors in my images, along with the overall positivity that I try to put out into the social media universe. When she reached out, she and Max were on a tight timeline and wanted photos done the very next weekend. Thankfully, I was able to squeeze them in!
Colleen and Max first met while attending SUNY Upstate Medical University, so they wanted their engagement session to revolve around Syracuse, a city close to their hearts. We met up for the first part of their session at Franklin Square Park. They used to venture along the Syracuse Creekwalk together, playing Pokemon Go, so we revisited some old locations while they reminisced. I absolutely adore it when couples bring a special prop with them, and this one was so cute! Colleen brought a stuffed Eevee (a species of Pokemon) so they could get a few shots pretending to “catch” it with their phones out in the wild. What a fun way to tell the story of them as a couple!
They changed outfits and we headed over to the SUNY Upstate campus building in downtown Syracuse. Wow, what outfits! I’m obsessed with the sleeves on Colleen’s dress and the way their outfits coordinated perfectly (without being too matchy). We shot some stunning images in front of the ivy-covered buildings and the new University sign, then they broke out their second prop - video game controllers - to complement the nerdy engagement photos from earlier. I had fun playing around with some back-to-back posing, trying to capture that perfect shot to show off their competitive sides.
There’s something that happens a lot at the end of these sessions. Things are wrapping up, everyone is getting a little tired, but we have a ton of amazing images. Then suddenly, I’m struck by something - a posing idea, or a little spot we haven’t checked out yet, and I drag them over for just “one more photo!” The best part is that these often end up being my absolute favorite photos from the entire engagement session, and this one was no different. I pulled them over to shoot a few final pictures in front of some hydrangeas. The space felt so intimate and they came across so casual and happy. I love how those turned out! Colleen and Max were an absolute pleasure to work with, and I wish them the very best for their future together!
