Take a whirl on Capitol Hill with Daniela & Frank as they explore the Smithsonian Gardens, Washington Mall and even a sweet carousel…
Daniela shared, “We chose you as our photographer because the minute we saw your work, we knew! While flipping through your wedding album sample book, Frank and I saw how you captured a wedding day as if you were telling a story from start to finish. All images were creative, unique, and really showed the couple’s personalities.”
Frank added, “Your strength as a photographer could really be seen in how comfortable you made us feel. I really liked how you took the time to get to know us, even before we booked you to ensure it was a right fit. That meant a lot to me.”
These two were defiantly a perfect fit for me and my photography style and approach, and for each other! You can see a photo that really captures the location above and here is one that definitely brings in the scenery, but really focuses on these two lovebirds…
Daniela shared, “Frank and I love to travel. We try to go away on vacation as much as we can, and one place we always end up visiting is D.C. We absolutely love it there. When it came time to picking a place for our engagement pictures, we knew we wanted something different.”
Frank added, “In our area, people typically take photos in Central Park or the beach. But for us, we wanted to choose a place that personally meant something to us, and for us that place is Washington, DC. Down the road, when we visit D.C., we will be able to look back on our engagement session and how much fun we had!”
Yay! Glad you had fun! When visiting Washington, the Mall is a definite must, as is the iconic Washington Monument…
The Smithsonian Gardens are so beautiful and a place that my husband and I visited a few times before, once on our anniversary. When Daniela mentioned wanting to have their engagement session in Washington DC, it was a place that came to mind as a place that was beautiful and had the more classic, historic look they were going for.
This place is larger than life!
Daniela and Frank shared their story.
Daniela began, “What made me first fall for Frank was how he was unlike anyone I’ve ever met. From the time we met, when we were in middle school and high school, I was always intrigued by this guy who was quiet and serious. I am not shy by any means, and Frank has always been on the shy side. That quality really made me have a huge crush on him when we were younger. I really wanted to get to know him. It took a few years after high school to finally get inside that head of his, but I also was able to get inside his heart, too!”
I love to give my couples a good variety of photographs from photos at a distance like the one above that really show the awe-inspiring location, to photos that are much more personal and capture the love and intimacy of the couple, and their relationship up close:
Frank shared, “It was funny, we had been talking through text messages, but I really wanted to *actually* hang out with her. So when she was home from college one weekend, I finally got the courage to ask her out.”
Daniela laughed, “I remember him asking to see me, and I immediately was so nervous! I definitely wanted to see him, but at the same time was so uncertain as to how it was going to go. I remember texting a friend asking her what to do, and she gave me the advice of “Just go!”
I love playing with different photographic techniques, and used a slow shutter speed here to capture Daniela and Frank’s movement together– they are so in sync and Daniela has such a bouncy way about her– I don’t know if it’s obvious here, but Frank was grinning ear to ear as well.
Frank shared, “We decided that we would get something to eat. The car ride was better than I thought it would be. The conversation was good, there were no awkward pauses which I was relieved about since I am pretty shy and not the best at starting conversations, but I felt comfortable with her. We spent the car ride reminiscing about high school and how we were always at the same places, but our paths never really crossed.”
Daniela added, “At the restaurant, I was trying to relax and have a good time, but I was not hungry…at all. We ordered some food and it literally went untouched. We were both so nervous that we did not eat anything. I remember trying to keep the conversation going, and I kept offering him bites of my food. He kept politely declining, and that’s when I realized he wasn’t eating either. That actually made me feel better– it showed me that he wanted this date to go well just as badly as I did, since he was just as nervous.”
I enjoy playing with vibrant colors and unique perspectives…
I knew I wanted to capture a cool shot of Daniela’s engagement ring and as we walked around the Smithsonian Gardens, I kept an eye out.
When we were in the rose garden, I was drawn to this one rose bush in particular. Its petals were soft and light and a similar color and sheen to her dress.
Another visual element I was drawn to was the “Smithsonian Castle.” There were water features in the garden that were pretty incredible– here is the castle reflection in the moat. I love how the light bounces off of Daniela’s cheekbones, just stunning…
Daniela and Frank continued their “first date” story. Frank said, “Besides the lack of eating, the night went really well. I knew immediately there was a connection between us. I knew I wanted to keep pursuing her, and I guess it worked.”
Daniela said, “As we were leaving, we kissed for the first time, and I went home smiling to myself, which is pretty cheesy, but the truth. I knew after that night, that Frank was someone I definitely wanted to see again.”
I used a slow shutter technique again, this time capturing the motion of the carousel while Daniela and Frank appear to be frozen in time.
Daniela and Frank continued walking around the gardens together, arm in arm. I noticed these vibrant, yellow flowers and thought that it could add an interesting visual element to the photograph.
Time was almost up and I noticed this incredibly tropical looking space in front of the Smithsonian Institution Building. To me it looked like something out of a dream– an ornate Gothic-style Castle built of red sandstone with a brick walkway flanked with palm trees! It was so romantic!
Daniela shared, “Frank understands me like no one else. He is such a serious person to everyone else, but with me he is sensitive and goofy and I love that I only get to see that. Frank is my best friend. He is someone who changed my life in the best way possible.”
Frank shared, “Daniela is the most loving, caring person I’ve ever known. I am so incredibly happy and comfortable when I’m with her which made me fall for her instantly. What makes us work well together is that we are always on the same page – we communicate really well.”
He added, “The thing I love most about Daniela is no matter what kind of day I am having, whenever we are together, everything is better.”
Daniela and Frank, thank you so much for sharing your story with me and allowing me to capture such a significant moment in your lives. I hope that these photos capture not only what you look like, but who you are and how deeply you love each other as well as your love for travel and exploring new places together!