Hannah & Craig
Whenever people think of sessions, you mostly think of that beautiful golden hour light around sunset. However a completely underrated type of golden hour is actually at sunrise. Now don’t get me wrong, if you’re not a morning person I don’t know if I would be the first to recommend a sunrise session but let me tell you it is SO worth it. The light as it peaks through for the first time in the day is unmatched and unlike any other. It truly is one of a kind and I was so excited when Hannah and Craig reached out for me to photograph their engagement session. To read all about their sunrise engagement session, keep scrolling.
Hannah and Craig are currently doing long distance, while Craig lives in Florida and Hannah lives in Michigan. While Craig was in Michigan visiting, they decided that it would be the perfect time for them to get their engagement photos taken. Hannah and Craig really wanted to do a more intimate style of engagement photos so we decided to do them at Hannah’s apartment in Ypsilanti, Michigan. They wanted a lot of natural light to come in which for this location happened to be at sunrise. So I woke myself up and drove over to start off our day.
SUNRISE ENGAGEMENT PHOTOS
Now one thing my couples can’t say is that I’m not dedicated. On this day I woke up at five in the morning to arrive at Hannah’s at six thirty. One thing my couples may call me is crazy though because we started off their session outside in 35 degree weather. Although it was chilly, let me say it was completely worth it. You may notice in some of the photos a bench, but this is not an ordinary bench. When Hannah first moved into this apartment with the help of Craig they both sat on that bench after finishing unloading all of her belongings. They sat on that bench and overlooked the water as they took that moment to themselves to reflect on their life together. A rather simple one, but one so impactful that they knew they had to incorporate it in their engagement photos.
I always recommend to my couples when thinking of places to take your engagement photos to think about your love story. Think about places that mean something to you and your partner and think about what you both value. These locations and little moments play a role in telling your love story through your images and can really impact how you view your photos later on in life as well. Just a food for thought here!
Since it was bloody cold outside, we then moved into their studio apartment for the second half of their engagement photos. Oh my gosh… when they told me that the best lighting comes in during the morning, they weren’t kidding! It was absolutely beaming and it came in so perfectly I quite literally had to pick my jaw up off the floor. For some of my sessions I will bring along this atmosphere smoke spray that helps enhance the “scene” a bit and so I used a bit of that during their photos by the window. If my couples allow me, I am able to get pretty creative with their session and really play around with different effects and lighting which is exactly what we did. We spent a majority of their session just soaking up all of the beautiful light and the gorgeous floor plan of their studio apartment. I even got to meet their insanely amazing and well trained pup too, which made me a bit jealous. Do they want to come train my dogs???
What was supposed to be a rather efficient engagement session, turned into a 4 hour hang out sesh. Which if I’m being honest, ends up happening during in-home sessions! We just end up talking and before we know it we lose track of time with shooting and having different conversations. In the midst of these conversations, I was explaining to them my future plans and before leaving their home they asked to do a prayer for me and wish we well wishes. It caught me completely off guard but was the sweetest gesture ever, and I nearly teared up. It was a true reflection of how beautiful both Hannah and Craig areas inside and out.
If you loved these Sunrise Engagement Photos then you’re going to love School Bus Engagement Photos.
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 Hannah & Craig'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!
