The NYC engagement photography session of Andrew and Aster who came all the way from Malaysia to the Big Apple was a fun filled one! We were super psyched up for this shoot; after all it’s not every day that we get to not only take photos in the city we call home, but also give a tour of it to folks traveling from abroad! It was fun planning the shoot. Aster wanted to cover as many iconic locations as possible within the 4-hour shoot we planned. However, we also wanted to minimize time traveling, so we planned long and hard and came up with an itinerary that worked well! Andrew got a suit, Aster got a gown, and we were all set!

We started the shoot at the Bethesda Terrace of Central Park. The challenge, as it is often the case, the iconic locations are crammed with tourists and locals alike. But then, we did want the photos to scream New York! Of course, judicious framing helps; or better yet, sometimes they crowd can complement in conveying the sense of the hustle and bustle epicenter that is New York! After spending some time at the Park, we took an Uber (no parking worries, yay!) to Dumbo, Brooklyn. We utilized the sunset and blue hour lighting, along with the lit up downtown background to convey a sense of the city landscape. Although it’s impossible to judge from the pictures, the shoot at this hour was physically challenging for the couple courtesy of the bellowing winds and dipping mercury.

After the fun (albeit challenging) shoot in Dumbo we headed straight to a nearby Starbuck to get hot chocolate and recover! Next stop: Times Square! We took the subway this time and squeezed in some shots in the subway station. As colorful and vivid Times Sq. looks at night, it’s a real challenge to shoot in courtesy of the massive dynamic range of the scene. That’s where clever use of external lighting makes a massive difference. So, out came the nifty strobes and light modifiers. And with this game of lights, we ended the shoot. Best wishes for Andrew and Aster for their wedding!