McKailey & Joe
It was a cold December day here in Downtown Detroit, Michigan. It may not look like it but it was FREEZING this day. McKailey and Joe were absolute troopers when it came to being out and about during their session. They may not look like it but I can assure everyone (including me) was jittering. What you don't see is me in head to toe winter gear behind the camera but tbh... who wants to see that? You're here for some pretty photos! Both McKailey and Joe are police officers who work opposite shifts, so getting together for this session was SUPER important. They wanted to document their Downtown Riverwalk Engagement and bring along their two pups.
detroit riverwalk engagement
We started off McKailey and Joe's session at the Detroit Riverwalk. Of course, being by the water you are automatically asking for things to be colder. The things we do for some pretty pictures, am I right? Despite the freezing temperatures, the view was absolutely insane. You may notice that you can even see a part of Canada across the water, which I thought was a nice perk considering it was teeth chattering temps. This was definitely one of the coldest temperatures I've ever shot in, but it was so worth it. The weather was a bit cloudy & dreary but it made for the perfect light hitting McKailey & Joe's faces. While all of us were trying to keep warm, M+J's two labs LOVED the cold temperatures. They were running around and truly having the time of their lives which I mean someone had to be loving this cold weather, right?
P.s If you're wanting to bring your pups to your session, make sure you bring someone along to watch them while we take some solo portraits of you!
We stayed by the water a bit, just experimenting with different locations and angles. A lot of the times my couples are super open to me trying new things and being a bit creative with their session, which I love. Trust me though... it's not all glamorous. The types of positions that I have to get myself in, in order to get some of these angles are definitely... interesting - lol.
rooftop garage in downtown detroit
After losing the feeling in our fingers, we decided it was time to step away from the water and head somewhere a bit "warmer". Now you all know I love my Z Parking Garage moments, but this time we went somewhere different! I know... shocker! Since I do know my way around Detroit, especially the downtown area I typically know some of the best spots to look out for. However, since I don't shoot by the riverwalk too often, I wanted to do some prior research before heading to the session. I looked at different views, angles and locations that we could go to and found this parking garage to be the best. As soon as we got to the roof of the garage you could tell just how large all of the buildings were and we really felt "in it", do you know what I mean? These definitely have to be some of my favorite moments from McKailey & Joe's session but don't worry... it get's better.
snowy walks around downtown
Even though we were enduring some of the coldest temperatures, McKailey and Joe were down to keep moving on with their session. We decided that we were done with the Detroit Riverwalk, so we headed into the heart of Downtown Detroit to walk around. Luckily for us, it started snowing... and by luckily I totally mean it couldn't have come at a worse time. The wind was blowing, the temperatures were dropping, the sun was setting AND there was snow. To say we were cold would be an understatement, but to be honest I think that's the theme of this session - cold. Hey at least the snow was beautiful!
I had such an amazing time with McKailey & Joe and despite the freezing temps, they were such troopers and made it through. If you loved this Detroit Riverwalk Engagement, then you're going to love this Engagement Session at the Michigan State Fair!
Photos By Gayle does more than just take photos of people. Rather, it is capturing moments of LOVE and HAPPINESS. Singing to the skies, dancing in a field, smiles that hurt because they’re so big. There is nothing else I would rather be doing than photographing these unique details that make you and your significant other a couple. If McKailey & Joe's session puts a spark in you, you know where to click <——— right there!
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I am a Destination Elopement Photographer who specializes in weddings, engagements, elopements, and boudoir. I love to travel to new places so if you are looking for a photographer for any of these events, please contact me here and I will be more than happy to get you started on some beautiful photos of your own!
