The Engagement of Derek and Crystal
This was a special engagement session! I have worked with Derek and Crystal a few times in the past. They are the sweetest couple ever! My favorite collaboration with them was a portfolio collaboration titled “Where the Wild Things Are” which was conceived by Crystal and features Derek, Em (another photographer/model friend) and Crystal herself. Good times!
“We Want YOU!”
So it was a very nice surprise when Crystal contacted me and said, “Ray, we want YOU!” (to shoot our engagement photos). After hearing their idea, it became very clear why they made their choice. They wanted something inspired by the rain scene in The Notebook. I admitted that I had never seen the movie and would need to do some research. At the same time, I was concerned how we were going to shoot a rainy engagement scene in the middle of a Canadian winter. As mild as this winter has been, it is still cold and dead looking. I mentioned this to Crystal who suggested shooting in studio. She knows I am very experienced in photo-manipulations, so I said, “Why not?!”
The Daylight Look with Studio Strobes
I set my studio up with lighting that I knew would work. Something that would help me produce the Photoshop composites that I had sketched in my head. The couple arrived and we proceeded to capture a bunch of options of Derek’s proposal to Crystal. It was a magical experience from beginning to end; from conception to retouch. There was a lot of laughing and we even managed to capture a fun little set of outtakes with spritzer bottles.
The Gallery
Here are the images the couple chose from our little Notebook inspired engagement session. Congratulations Derek and Crystal!!
