Monday, May 11, 2009

Brittany & Andrew's Engagement Session







































Sunday, Brittany and Andrew had their engagement session in Annapolis Maryland. Their wedding is November 21st at The Naval Academy in Annapolis and the reception at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club.

Andrew is finishing his final year at the academy and will graduate in a couple weeks. So we decided to do the session in historical Annapolis and on the Academy grounds. We started downtown by the docks. I was lucky to find a parking spot right next to the docks and Academy gate entrance. It was a beautiful day with temps in the 70's. We started about 4pm. The downtown area was very crowded, very sunny and a little breezy. So we decided to hit the side streets where we could find some shade and get away from the crowds and wind. Once we did that everything went great. We had a lot of fun and they were great together. They made it easy for me. As went went along they got more and more at ease and they gave me some wonderful moments to capture.

In the historical areas I used a lot of the same spots that I have used in the past, but I never approach them the same. I let the couple improvise themselves. It's more fun for them and that way I get real moments(not posed). So, even if it was an alley that I used before, I still can get something new.

When we went into the Academy it was pretty quiet. There was no one around. All the cadets had liberty, so we had the place to ourselves. The idea was to try to work areas where we could get some nice backgrounds. So we worked around the Chapel, Bancroft Hall and then walked to the seawall.

From a photography stand point, the main thing was to use the light wisely. On bright sunny days I try to either stay in the sun or stay in the shade. You can't be half in the sun and half in the shade unless it is for back lighting or for effect. In the shade I use the open sky as a main light and in and sun well, the sun is the main light. We walked a lot and I worked alone so it was no reflectors or second lights. I did have an on camera flash for fill if I needed it. But rarely used it. Even inside Bancroft Hall I only used natural light most of the time.

Equipment: Canon 5D Mark II w/ 24-70 2.8 lens and a Canon 1D Mark III w/ 70-200 2.8 lens.

Images copyright 2009 Larry Huffman Photography
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