Personal is always best. With Courtney and Max, that meant revisiting their first apartment, with their first dog, before embarking on a new journey together.
What initially caught my eye about Courtney's inquiry was a small detail: she mentioned she was from Hawaii. My own partner is from Hawaii, too, so when we met on the footbridge in the Public Garden, playing with the setting sun, we talked about growing up somewhere so beautiful, the food, the culture, and the things she misses most.
I love being from Boston, but Hawaii is Hawaii.
From there, we wandered underneath the bridge, one of my favorite spots in the Garden. With a little less foot traffic, we had room to play with the shadows, passing light, and some more fun compositions.
We eventually made our way over to Bay Village, where Courtney, Max, and Pecan first lived together. I always enjoy when couples bring me somewhere personal. It doesn't need to be a particularly impressive location or a famous Boston landmark. Sometimes an old apartment building, a familiar street corner, or a neighborhood you once called home can mean much more than any picture-perfect backdrop.
As a Boston engagement photographer, I love leaning into street-style imagery while still making room for something more traditional. I'm drawn to unexpected compositions, passing subjects, interesting light, and the little bits of everyday life that give a photograph its character.
But I also want to make those heirloom photographs, the ones that end up framed on a wall or tucked into an album for years to come. I don't think the two have to compete. In fact, I think they make each other better.
It's that personal touch in an everyday spot that brings the two together.
Where you had your first date.
Where you had your best date.
Or outside your old apartment.
After managing to wrangle Pecan for the perfect family photograph, we finished the evening in an old neighborhood, with new adventures on the horizon.
