This session is proof that engagement is just one reason to hire a professional photographer. Lillie and Caleb received this session with me as a gift from Lillie’s mother as a commemoration of their recent move to New York City. She wanted them to have portraits to remember this time in their lives, and I was touched to be the one chosen to mark the occasion.

Lasserina and Daniel had their first date at Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University, where they were both on the mock trial team. Five years later, in front of that same museum, Daniel asked Lasserina to be his wife. And so it was only fitting that it should be the backdrop for their engagement portraits.

This anniversary session was particularly close to my heart. Kate Weinstein is a fellow wedding photographer who took me under her wing early in my solo career; I’ve second shot dozens of weddings for her, and, delightfully and blessedly, she’s become a close friend. She and her husband, David, recently celebrated ten years of marriage, and it was such a treat to do this anniversary session with them in Milwaukee, the same city where they said their vows a decade ago.

Kirstie and Jared are both graduates of Butler University, so it’s only fitting that we included their French bulldogs (the Butler mascot) in their engagement session on Butler’s campus.We thought rain might force us to reschedule, but miraculously the skies cleared just in time and we got beautiful evening light. After Butler, we headed downtown to Monument Circle for some urban energy.

Navy Pier is a Chicago classic, and for Jackie & Jeff, it’s a classic for their relationship as well. It’s the site of their first date, and the spot where they got engaged, so it was only natural that it should also be the site of their engagement photos. We had a lovely spring morning to catch all sorts of angles at this iconic Chicago experience, and I’m so happy with the images we got.

Engagement sessions are such a great opportunity for everybody involved, and that’s why I include them in many of my wedding photography collections. There’s the most obvious benefit: really great photos of the two of you. For many couples, their engagement session is the first time they’ve been photographed professionally together.

Clare is a person for whom creative expression is a non-negotiable part of daily life. It’s not what she does. It’s who she is. So it only makes sense that her engagement party, celebrating her commitment to Chris, would be as expressive as every other part of her life. And what theme could possibly be better than Valentine’s Day? Clare and Chris gathered their New York City community near at Black Rabbit Bar in Greenpoint, where pink and red were de rigueur and love and laughs were plenty.

I’m all about getting super glam for an engagement session. It’s a huge deal to get engaged, and there’s no better time to embrace the most formal aspects of your wardrobe for a session. Lucky for me, Sara & Vivek were totally game for formal wear for their Chicago engagement photos. Sara is from India, and Vivek grew up in an Indian family in Dubai. They met in the U.S. as adults, and got engaged in Chicago, a city that they called home for several years. It was such fun to do this engagement session with them in this city that is so significant to them as a couple.

I once read that a great default question to ask couples you may meet in social situations is how they met. Clare and Chris are a couple who will always have a wonderful story to share. Once upon a time, Clare was a somewhat recent college grad, back in her hometown to see her family and catch up on some appointments. She went to her childhood dentist for checkup and found that she’d been assigned a new practitioner, who she found distractingly handsome and agreeable. She went home, found him on Facebook, messaged him, and… well, it worked out really well. 😉

If I weren’t intentional about what I wear, it would be all black, all the time. And it was that, for a very long time. I know I’m not alone in this. Black is (almost) universally flattering, it’s hard to mess up, and it can be adapted for almost any occasion. But when I’m off the clock, and for my photographic subjects, I adore light-colored clothing…