Best Time of Year
This couple contacted me in the middle of Wisconsin's freezing winter to schedule their first session with a professional photographer. As the dreary winter continued, they decided it would be best to wait until spring arrives for their photoshoot. Little did they know, they chose the best day in the spring for their session. It was peak blooming season, and they also chose to do their session at the UW Arboretum, meaning it was STUNNING.
It literally smelled like someone had sprayed perfume in the air as we were roaming around the lilacs. We started our session with a few sitting shots, and then I got this couple walking. I love capturing candid moments, and this couple did a great job of pretending like I wasn't there as they walked hand in hand.
That day there were a lot of photographers at the Arboretum, but fortunately there is so much to see there that we were able to find plenty of private places to do our photos. We sort of wandered around together and found what inspired both the couple and myself. I knew I wanted to get a variety of different blooms, so we stopped by this cherry blossom to get a stunning backdrop.
I like to see how couples pose themselves first, as those always tend to feel the most natural and authentic to the couple. Then I'll lead into coaching with some different ideas of my own, such as touching foreheads or "fixing" the other person's hair. Any sort of hair movement photos tend to be my favorite!
The couple felt very inspired by this tree with its gnarly branches. I thought it was the perfect spot to have them sit and snuggle up right on the ground. Since the Arboretum is all about trees, it's always cool to see unique ones like this one as you walk around.
Another spot that I really wanted to utilize was this little archway made between two different types of blooming trees. We have the lilacs on the left and cherry blossoms on the right, creating the perfect natural arch for our couple to walk through. I like to have my couples go back and forth several times, doing different types of walks. Sometimes this can feel corny or unnatural to the couple at the time, but you always come out with shots that look authentic and real.
I've also become a big fan of mixing in some black and white portraits with my gallery. I didn't used to do this, but sometimes it can be fun to add something different in the mix. Here, I decided to crop the photo in real close to focus just on their faces. The close crop and grayscale make you really focus on just their eyes and the way they look at each other.
I knew I wanted to get some more photos of them cuddling on the ground, and this bush was the perfect spot for that since it was low to the ground, yet provided us with some more stunning floral background. I also grabbed a quick individual headshot, and oh my gosh I'm obsessed with the monochromatic color palette of this photograph and feel like it could be in a magazine.
It seems like it's often the case that my favorite photos from a session are the last ones taken. The couple is feeling comfortable and relaxed, the light is looking dreamy, and we're all feeling inspired. We ended the session by taking some photos by this amazing archway. I played with creating a silhouette of the couple, and love how the light is shining through the arch above them. We also wanted to get in front of another lilac bush so that we could get some more purple in the photos. I am just in awe of how stunning this couple looked and how amazing the backdrop was! I couldn't have asked for a better photoshoot, and was so excited that spring is finally here in Wisconsin.
