Fun Engagement Session in Crystal Lake with Lisa and Nick
In my 20 years as a photographer, I’ve been extremely lucky to get to work with all kinds of amazing people. As you’d expect, every couple is different from the next. Some are all about the candid shots, some are all about keeping it sweet and romantic, and some people… well, some people are just downright hysterical!
Meet Nick and Lisa, two of the funniest people I’ve worked with in a really long time. The session took place at Veteran Acres Park in Crystal Lake, which was a great backdrop for our almost 2 hours together.
We were so happy to be able to do this session because it was suppose to take place in June but the weather did not cooperate for weeks. Nick and Lisa are laid back people and they love tacos, beer and fishing. So, we tried to incorporate all of it in this Crystal Lake engagement session.
The entire time these two were cracking jokes on each other, and I was there to catch it all on camera. I thought it was particularly funny when we tried to incorporate the fishing part and Nick caught a fish! Ha! Says Nick about his favorite part of the day, “what a joke of a fish.”
Here are few facts about the couple:
How did you meet?
Lisa – “We met our freshman year at Western Illinois University in the fall of 2010. One of my friend’s lived on Nicks floor in the dorm so I spent a lot of time around him. We became friends and even though I was interested in him immediately – he was not ready to commit to a relationship. So we both used then next year to date around and have fun, until we both felt ready to try a relationship out & it’s seemed to work out (:”
Nicks answer:Lisa claims to not remember meeting, but i do! We kept awkwardly looking at each other as we hung out with our friends.
How did the proposal go?
Lisa -We had gone to Arizona for my family reunion and decided we were going to road trip from Phoenix up to Las Vegas. Along the way We had stopped at the south rim of the Grand Canyon. We were hiking down Angel Bright trail, we would stop and use our Go Pro to video so then we can grab screen shot pictures from. Once we got to the point where we agreed we should turn around- we stopped to take a picture. We got in frame, and then Nick just started talking to me, kept saying how much he loves me and I kept trying to get him to stop because I thought we were taking a picture. Then he got down on one knee and pulled out the engagement ring and asked me to marry him. My eyes started to tear up and I stepped back (where he grabbed me because he was afraid I would step off the ledge), and I just kept asking ‘are you serious?’ and eventually nodded, and mumbled Yes. He put the ring on and pulled me in for a hug and kisses.
Nicks answer: The proposal went very well! I purchased the engagement ring the evening before leaving for Arizona. A few days later while hiking Bright Angel Trail head down into the Grand Canyon, i setup my GoPro and surprised Lisa! Got an amazing photo of the moment.
Why did you decide on this location for your engagement session?
Lisa -Veterans Acres Park in Crystal Lake felt like the perfect place for our engagement shoot. We wanted something outdoors that had water, because water is such an important part of our relationship- because we love to fish, swim, and spend time out on lakes. We also love to go outside for hikes and just to spend time in the sun. So the park just felt like a natural place for us to be.
Nicks answer: I wanted to do the photos near the water, I love fishing, boating, jet-skiing.
Not only we were so lucky with the beautiful sunset but at the end of the session the north side of the sky was covered with stormy clouds so we did try to incorporate a bit of the faraway storm!
What kind of look were you going for?
When we were trying to figure out how we wanted to look for the engagement photos we definitely wanted it to look like us. So we styled ourselves like normal with just a little more pizzazz. We didn’t want to dress too fancy because that definitely would not have gone with the location we were going to or what we wanted to represent.
Do you have any tips or advice for other couples about to have engagement photos taken?
Lisa-Don’t be afraid to bring in props! We were a little nervous that props would make it feel unnatural or staged- and it definitely didn’t. Having props allows you more space to show different aspects of your relationship which can be really fun.
Nicks answer: Find a place that will make you feel comfortable so you can be yourself. Doru will handle the rest!
What was your favorite part of the e-session?
Lisa -Working with Doru was amazing! Nick and I are definitely not people who are used to being the center of attention. So I loved that even though the session was focused on us, it felt like we were working with a friend doing it for fun. Even though there was instruction and structure throughout the session- I never once felt staged. It was an experience to get us out of our comfort zone, before we’re going to have to do it in front of 150 people!
Nicks answer: Catching the Tiny Fish!
These two are officially tying the knot on June 2020 at Pinstripes in South Barrington, so wish them lots of luck! But really, with a relationship as lighthearted and fun as this one, I don’t think they’ll need any luck at all!
Click here to see a winter engagement session in Crystal Lake!
