christine + mike e shoot

Love shooting the rings and this shoot was certainly no exception! We started our shoot in my 'hood in good old Hartford at the Highland Bowl- it's a duck pin bowling alley that is lots of fun. Christine is a serious bowler so this evened the playing field for Mike a bit! But only a bit, my girl still killed it!



There were so many colorful balls here, this shot was just a given, for me!

One of the things that I like to do to Mike (my shooter Mike, not our groom!) is to throw him under the bus a bit and force him from the back of the class where he likes to lurk and be all stealth-like and really stop and create a shot. Very contradictory to the whole photojournalistic approach, certainly, but WAY fun in forcing you to create shots that are a mix of editorial and fashion and just plain fun. It kind of gives me a peek into how he is thinking and then where I am going to take it. He started off with a shot off-lane with a ball and Christine and Mike behind it (check his blog for the exact shot) and I morphed it into this shot. I love the back and forth of - he starts it I finish it and vice versa thing we have going on- it's almost like a choose your own adventure photo shoot!

Now Mike HATES having his picture taken... but he was so calm and natural and sweet with Christine- at one point he was like' Yup, I really don't like having my picture taken but I will do anything for her' AWWWW! Right? So he just got used to us and was himself with her... We hear this a lot and can't stress the importance of doing engagement shoots for this reason!

We thought is was going to rain, and then it wasn't... so we bowled and waited for my favorite late afternoon light to kick in....

Which we got... but had to run for it becasue wouldn't you know that of COURSE it started to rain as we got to the Park- Elizabeth park that is, the world's best park! I love it, it is so beautiful there and so of course we see a wedding party and we're like, huh, I wonder if we know the photographer??

and lo and behold.... it's Miss Nikki Nicole! She started yelling at us to move out of her way (she is great friends with Mike and Christine and will actually be at the wedding!) and there were some people in front of us that started moving, so she was all apologetic to them but I was laughing my butt off!



There is the coolest little arch way that is kind of hidden in the heritage rose garden that I love... it created a very dramatic little nook

They are very passionately renovating their house and this is their basement- they have BIG plans for it, I can't wait to see the finished product! Not only that but they can actually work together... where Dave and I? Let's just say no on that! ;)

I loved the graphic-ness of this shot, it's the side of their house

And a side of some cuddling, please and thank you

Then just chilling in the back yard, spontaneously!


Thanks Christine and Mike for inviting us into your home and making such an incredible spread, you can COOK!!!

Make sure to check out My Mike's shots HERE! He has some great stuff!