Shatesha + Balfour’s Proposal Pictures at Ithaca Falls

What do you do when you’re about to embark on a cross-country trip that ends with an epic marriage proposal in front of a waterfall, and your proposal photographer cancels last minute? That’s what Balfour was dealing with when he emailed me. His girlfriend, Shatesha, was unaware of any drama as they prepared for their trip from California to New York. Thankfully, I was available, and promised not to flake on them. He was thrilled to find me with such little notice, and I was excited to document this special moment!

Shatesha and Balfour love to travel, hike, and explore new places together. This trip involved a stop in New York City before heading up to the Finger Lakes, which they had never visited before. Balfour knew this would be the perfect opportunity to pop the question! They had a stopover in Ithaca, so he planned for them to check out Ithaca Falls, which is an easy-to-access waterfall on the outskirts of the Cornell University campus.

I always plan to arrive early when taking proposal pictures since communication with the client can be tricky in the hours leading up to the big moment. So there I sat, waiting for them to arrive, when the nearly-empty falls suddenly became packed with people. It’s hard enough looking for a couple you’ve never actually met, so I was worried all the extra people who make it even more difficult. I spotted someone setting up a tripod near the waterfall and quickly realized it was Balfour. He was going to record a video, so I snuck into position and started taking pictures. This is the moment when having a crowd around becomes helpful - Shatesha had no idea that I was there to photograph them and not the waterfall.

Balfour got right to it, and Shatesha was so excited to say yes! I introduced myself to the happy couple, and we wandered around Ithaca Falls for a bit to take some engagement photos. They were in such a good mood and Shatesha’s smiile was so genuine. I loved documenting these two as they made this memory together. After a while, I left them to soak in the moment and enjoy the falls alone.

It’s always such an honor to take proposal pictures. Reach out if you’re planning a proposal, or send this to your significant other if they need a little hint!