Cold and in love in Boston: Mae and Irsan
“We knew we wanted to take photos in Boston since it’s the city where we were starting our family, and he captured our joy and excitement so beautifully. The entire shoot felt easy and comfortable, never awkward, honestly more like spending the day with a friend. We had great conversations and laughed a lot along the way.”
It was one of those sharply cold days in Boston where moving feels necessary and every warm moment feels more meaningful.
I met Mae and Irsan in the Boston Public Garden, where the pale winter light tried its best to reach the ground. As a photographer born and raised in Boston, returning to this space to document new beginnings always feels personal. I used to come here after school, then before work, and now to help pin memories in someone else’s story.
Mae is from Mongolia, Irsan from Indonesia, and they met in Bali—three different corners of the world now meeting in Boston as they prepare to welcome their first child. The cold followed us through the garden, so I brought hand warmers, a small gesture that made it easier to slow down, talk, and settle into the moment together.
One of the most important parts of any session is helping people feel at ease. Conversation flowed naturally as we walked, talking about working in Boston’s restaurant industry, learning new languages, and their excitement for this new chapter. When a session feels more like a normal walk than a formal photo shoot, expressions stay natural and the images feel more genuine.
From the Public Garden, we continued into Beacon Hill, one of my favorite neighborhoods in the city. They hadn’t yet shared news of the pregnancy with friends, so these photographs would become their announcement—something I never take lightly.
Sessions like this are a reminder that photography is about more than location or season. Being invited into a moment that is still small and private is something that gives all of this a deeper meaning. Documenting that kind of closeness is both a responsibility and a privilege, and it continues to shape the way I see, frame, and put meaningful moments into focus.
