Christine Studios » Engagement

The Engagement of Jennifer and Tim

Gary — Fri, 18 May 2012 15:47:16 +0000

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Jennifer for many years, working on various projects for her company. When she recently asked if I would photograph her wedding, I was really excited as I’ve built up an incredible amount of respect and admiration for the work she does.

When Jen and Tim came to the studio to talk about their wedding, I was blown away by Tim’s proposal story. Sorry to all my other grooms but I doubt anyone will beat Tim’s planning and execution (but total lack of backup plan). Jen’s job enables them to have unprecedented access to among many things, the New Year’s Eve Celebration in Time Square. Having enjoyed being practically under the dropping ball the year before, Tim decided this year, he would propose at the stroke of midnight, right under the ball. Well, not to blow all of Tim’s secrets, there were some concerns up to the very last minute on not getting to their special access area in time. With just a few minutes to spare, they got in and at the stroke of midnight, as everyone including Jen was looking up at the ball, Tim got down on one knee, in the midst of a million people, anxiously took out the ring and waited for Jen to notice. My favorite part of the story was Jen looked side to side couldn’t find Tim for a midnight kiss and never thought to look down where he was waiting with ring in hand.

For the engagement session in New York City, we visited many great spots up and down Central Park, but this session could not be complete without an image recreating this amazing story together.

Don’t forgot to click on the link at the end of the slideshow or at the bottom of this post to view the FULL GALLERY

CLICK HERE to view the FULL ONLINE GALLERY

The Engagement of Liz and Josh

Gary — Tue, 01 May 2012 01:13:56 +0000

There are some times when I become absolutely addicted to taking photos. When they can’t pry my hands off the camera. Oh you can try all you want but not even the setting sun could get me to stop! That was the case this past Saturday when I joined Liz and Josh for their Engagement Session. I know it’s going to be an amazing session when a few factors come together. (1) two amazingly sweet and in love, photogenic people (2) they are so into their session, they come prepared with props and ideas from Pinterest (3) Full, unrestricted access to an exclusive and empty golf course (4) Beautiful weather.
I guess the only bad part was when Liz took our her Red Sox hat and wanted to include in in the session. I guess nothing can be perfect (wink, wink).
Driving around exploring all the awesome spots of the golf course, we drove past an old rusted out truck and with such a sense or urgency, I said “OMG we have to stop here!!”. I could have stayed at the spot all day but by midnight, Christine would have wondered why I wasn’t home yet. Seriously though, the ruggedness of the truck balanced out by the elegant beauty of Liz and confidence of Josh.
I really couldn’t wait to share these images and after having such a great time for the engagement session, I can’t wait to see what props and ideas from Pinterest that Liz brings to the wedding!

Don’t forgot to click on the link at the end of the slideshow or at the bottom of this post to view the FULL GALLERY

CLICK HERE to view the FULL ONLINE GALLERY

The Engagement of Melissa and Joe

Gary — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 14:28:03 +0000

They say that in real-estate, the three most important things are location, location, location. After Melissa and Joe’s engagement session, I just might swap photography for real-estate in that expression.
After never knowing that the Kensico Dam even exists, I find myself back at this incredible location for the second time in a month for an engagement session. But what made the location even more unique this time was the unprecedented access we had thanks to Joe’s connections as a police officer to the New York State D.E.P.
After exploring and taking so many wonderful images of this loving couple at all the public areas of the park around the damn, we got back in their car and drove up a very unassuming road. We got to the top of the hill and stopped in front of the huge steel door at the security checkpoint. Joe confidently walked up to the checkpoint and within a few seconds, the security barrier opens like the gates to Emerald City.
We parked the car and walked out to the very center of the dam, looking down over 300 feet above everyone below in the park. Aside from the fact we were up so high on the dam, we were also on a road that is closed to all traffic. Throwing away all the warnings my mother ever gave me about playing in traffic, I just had to lay down with my lens and my face directly on the double yellow line to capture one of my all time favorite images.

There is respect and then there is RESPECT! I can’t say enough about the respect I have for both Joe and Melissa. For Joe, not only the years of service as a police officer but Joe also proudly serves our nation as a US Marine. Melissa, not only an incredible and caring teacher but she is the glue on the home front of this proud military family.

I’m truly honored to have met Joe and Melissa and can’t wait to share theses images of two people who are so crazy for each other.

Don’t forgot to click on the link at the bottom of this post to view the FULL GALLERY
 Kensico Dam – Valhalla, NY

CLICK HERE to view the FULL ONLINE GALLERY

The Engagement of Debbie and Vinnie

Gary — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 00:56:49 +0000

I met Debbie and Vinnie at Kensico Dam in Westchester for their engagment sessions. It was my first time being there, I never knew that such an impressive spot was basically in my backyard! I guess I should get my culture from other places then Family Guy reruns.We met Debbie and Vinnie at a Bridal Expo in January. We meet so many couples at the bridal expos, but there’s always a few couples that just stick out and one was definitely Debbie and Vinnie. At our first meeting together I just knew that anytime I was scheduled to meet with them I had to add extra time for all the jokes and laughter time! They are such a great couple, fun to be around and a very natural couple! Vinnie is the friend you just want to be around, but just not in public! Just kidding Vinnie! Constant jokes, movie quotes and makes us all click right away and have a great timeWe had an absolutely perfect day at Kensico Dam. The weather was just right to capture awesome clouds over the dam. The sun was so bright that I actually had to use Vinnie as my assistant to hold up a jacket to block the harsh sun in a beautiful portrait of Debbie. (See picture below) What an amazing smile Debbie has, and her eyes are simply amazing. She was able to master the look of not smiling, which is the hardest look for a woman to do and she did it with such emotion! It was amazing!The funniest moment was when I started to give Vinnie a complex because I kept saying, “Vinnie you’re perfect” and then moving Debbie into different positions. Note to self, do not give Vinnie a complex! There were so many great moments throughout the day, and anyone who is facebook friends with this couple can see instantly how in love they are, and how well they interact with each other and all of their family and friends.

I truly cannot wait for their wedding to take beautiful portraits of Debbie in her wedding gown and to see how ‘perfect’ Vinnie can be that day.

CLICK HERE to view the FULL ONLINE GALLERY

The Engagement of Kate and Tyler

Gary — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 03:08:36 +0000

When I walked up to the Poughkeepsie train station with camera gear in tow, I was meeting Kate and Tyler in person for the first time. After several phone calls and “meeting” each other via Skype, I was looking forward to finally meeting them and take their engagement photos.
Although there is probably feet of snow back in Maine where Kate and Tyler call home, we couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day.
After moving around the station, stopping at a few spots, getting all the nervousness out, we found a really awesome spot, tucked under the stairs at the very far end of the platform. It was at this spot, Kate and Tyler really opened up and let their love and personalities shine. It was here where Kate confessed that she hoped her posing was coming out the way I was instructing because she “felt like a broken toy that you just couldn’t move the way you wanted”. HAHAHA Seriously! Kate, not to worry, I think everyone will agree you looked amazing!
After moving around the train station, we took a quick drive down the road to the waterfront park. To my surprise, one tree remained with golden fall foliage and we took full advantage.
I had an awesome time with Kate and Tyler and can’t wait for your wedding this May.

Don’t forgot to click on the link at the bottom of this post to view the FULL GALLERY
Poughkeepsie Train Station – Poughkeepsie, NY

CLICK HERE to view the FULL ONLINE GALLERY

The Engagement of Laura and Alan

Gary — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:06:05 +0000

I absolutely LOVE when couples come to either an engagement session or even their wedding with ideas and even props. What a better prop to bring to a Saturday morning engagement session then wine from the Napa Valley. We started our session with some nice “warm up” locations all while watching the clock, counting down the minutes until the clock struck noon.. C’mon they had to at least wait until noon to drink (illegally at a state park, btw.. shhhhhh). But it became apparent that Laura and Alan didn’t need any time to warm up to the camera. By profession, Alan being a man from my side of camera, I expected some hesitation or nervousness but I learned a great lesson.. Aussie’s don’t need warm ups!! The two of them just seamed so natural and comfortable together. I always try to keep my direction to a minimum and just let people be themselves and that’s exactly what I captured..
Two people in love with each other (and their wine), enjoying an absolutely beautiful fall morning together.
And I need to publicly give some serious credit to Laura for some of the stunning poses she held. Anyone who thinks that sitting on a park bench, supporting your weight on your elbow all while turning your hips like a zillion degrees, should try it now and see if you can hold it as long as Laura and look as beautiful as she did. I know a woman held the pose perfectly in two ways.. First, you can see the elegance right away in the image.. The second is when she tells me via Facebook the next day how sore she is. lol (sorry Laura, I had to). I think everyone will agree that it was worth the workout and that Laura looked absolutely stunning.
Laura and Alan, keep the smiles, the laughs and the wine coming!! Can’t wait for your wedding next year!

Don’t forget to click on the link at the bottom of this post to view their full and complete online gallery.

Rockland Lake State Park- Valley Cottage, NY

CLICK HERE to view the FULL ONLINE GALLERY

The Engagement of Skyler and Kevin

Gary — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 20:06:49 +0000

On the windiest day since the summer hurricane, Skyler and Kevin ventured up from their home in Virginia for an engagement session along the Hudson River in their former home of Tarrytown, NY. Seriously, the wind was nuts!! The weather channel reported gusts around 45mph! Well, like I tell every bride, you’ll never beat the weather, so lets use it! Skyler and Kevin were amazing with dealing with both the wind and the cold. Women kill for the natural hair blown look and that’s exactly what we did. Venturing out on the dock where Kevin proposed, it’s easy to see how perfect they are for each other. There wasn’t any awkwardness.. They just lit up in front of the lens. Some scenes are perfect to show the closeness and love of a couple and sometimes, as I did with Kevin a few times, I ask the groom to step aside and let his beautiful bride shine. Skyler, showing a bit of adventurousness and confidence stole those images away!
It’s going to be an absolutely beautiful wedding and a wonderful life together.
Skyler and Kevin, wishing you all the best and warmest wishes as you count down the days to your wedding.

Please enjoy a preview of their engagement session. A link to the FULL GALLERY is at the bottom, under the video.

CLICK HERE to view the FULL ONLINE GALLERY

The Engagement of Jen and Brian

Gary — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:08:11 +0000

They say good things are worth waiting for. And proving that correct, Jen is a really great thing! More then11 years after they met on the basketball court at their families upstate campground, Jen and Brian returned to the very same spot for their engagement session and a game of one-on-one (in heals for Jen. Brian wore sneakers.. The heels didn’t fit him).

With years upon years of memories and milestones in their relationship taking place at the campground, we had many locations to cover.

My favorite location was actually our first. It was the bed of the once powerful river (now damned up) that actually feeds NYC its water. Carefully trying not to fall and bust my face or my camera, I climbed over rocks until I was standing on a big boulder center river to take some photos of Jen and Brian along the short line. Brian even took out his cell and grabbed a photo of me. And once we were done here and started walking back over the rocks, Jen stopped at one particular place and I just had to stop her mid tracks to do some individual portraits of her. Such power and beauty in the way she naturally was standing on the rocks, I had to kindly ask Brian to move out of the shot because he was ruining it. lol. Just kidding Brian

We then moved on to a camp site overlooking the river at the edge of a cliff.. Now, I’m not good with heights.. It’s why I’m not a tall man. But on the edge of the cliff, Jen and Brian held on to each other and looked out as if they’ve done this a thousand times before.

We visited about a half a dozen other spots including the “Flamingo Lounge”, a really awesome makeshift bar at a friends camp site.

And then on to the basketball court, the very spot where Brian and his friends reluctantly allowed some girl to shoot some hoops with them because they didn’t have even teams. (From the stories I heard, Jen kicked his butt that day). Knowing the significance and importance of this location, I wanted to create a image for them that shows off the spot and the moment their lives together began. I wanted it to be a dramatic spotlight that says, “it all comes down to here”.

Jen and Brian, I really appreciate you not laughing at me when I screamed like a little girl when i saw the snake! I told you, I’m not an outdoorsman. My idea of “roughing it”, is when I don’t get good 3G reception on my iPhone. I had a really great time with you guys and I’m actually really sad the wedding is so far away.

Enjoy your Engagement Session images!

Nickerson Park Campground in Gilboa, NY

CLICK HERE to view the FULL ONLINE GALLERY

The Engagement of Jessica and John

Gary — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 14:14:42 +0000

I have been looking forward to Jessica and John’s engagement session from… well.. I think it was since our first meeting, before they even booked me. John said, “we want to go on our dirt bikes, 4-wheeling, and shoot off the 12-gauge shotgun.” My mind started racing right away with all the photo opportunities and possibilities with such an unconventional idea for an engagement session. Originally scheduled back in June, a weekend of full rain forced us to postpone but it was all for the best as we eventually had one of the best days this summer had to offer.

After arriving “upstate” at Jessica’s family’s house, the session started off nice and romantic with some fresh blueberry picking in the fields. There is always a bit of “what do you want us to do?” at the beginning of any photo session but I think John settled in to feel more comfortable as Jessica began to feed him blueberries like the roman Caesar he THINKS he is. Just kidding John. (see the last photo in the preview below for more details)

Next, we were off to my favorite spot on her family’s 45 acre land. It was just a wide open field with tall grass that you can just get lost in if you wanted. This spot really made me feel like, if you wanted to get a way together to just walk, talk and be alone, this is where you’d go. So I wanted the images here to reflect that sense of privacy and seclusion. After some individual portraits in the shade with the incredibly beautiful Jessica, we were off to shoot a bear. Don’t worry, it was a styrofoam target bear. Having never really seen a bow and arrow up close (not counting Kevin Costner in Robin Hood), I was really impressed by the power and control you must have to use it. We spent about 10 minutes trying to get one photo of the arrow just leaving John’s bow in flight. And in the end, I was actually able to capture it!I think that was a much better idea then the first suggestion which was a photo of John shooting an apple off my head. Probably not the best idea on several levels.

Next stop on the adventure was to say hi to the sheep who were tucked away in their shed, hiding from the sun. I took that opportunity to ask if they were usually this “baaaaaaaaaaaaashful” (Yep, the reaction you have now reading that is about the same I got) But in all seriousness, the sheep rocked! They really were cute and clearly recognized Jessica and came right over. They were acting more like dogs then sheep. After a photo of one sheep kissing Jessica and then turning to John for a big wet one, I learned that there’s some joke about constructions workers and sheep?? I’m still not quite sure what it meant but perhaps when I’m older, someone can explain it to me.

And what’s a visit with sheep without stopping to say hi to the chickens? Aside from John at the beginning of the session, the chickens were the most shy in front of the camera. It took a lot of coaxing to get some clicks from those mother cluckers, but I didn’t want to push them too far and be accused of any foul play. (Did I get enough puns in there?)

With the sheep and chickens off having lunch, it was time for the big guns. LITERALLY!! Jessica and John each toting their own shotgun, stepped up to the firing line to shoot some skeet. Having never fired any type of weapon before, I was so impressed with their skills and handling of the gun. If I met Jessica walking the streets of Stamford, I would never place her as someone who can handle a big ole’ 12-gauge but holy crap can she!

Now, I’m not going to write much about how they turned to me and offered to let me try shooting some skeet, having NEVER picked up any gun in my life. I’m not going to write much about how I totally kicked butt and hit 17 of 20 on my very first time and how Jessica’s dad didn’t believe that I’ve never done that.. I’m not going to write much about that at all.

With the heavy iron safely put away, out comes the dirt bike. I’ve been perfecting a lighting technique for a while but really haven’t had a chance to use it in the right environment. As I sat on the ground drinking some water, Jon pulls the bike right next to me and as I look up and it, DING, I have an idea to use this stupor. We arrange and that the photo and after some post production back in the studio, it becomes one of my all time favorite photos I’ve ever taken! No Joke!

After all the bows and sheep and chickens and guns and dirt bikes, i wanted to make sure to capture the other side of Jessica and John. The side that just loves being with each other, loves laughing and goofing around. The side that just wants to be in each others arms.

I really had such a great time with Jessica and John. I love when people open up their lives to me and allow me to photograph such a meaning part of who they are. I really cant wait for this wedding!! You guys were awesome!!

CLICK HERE to view the FULL ONLINE GALLERY

The Engagement of Kelly and Derek

Gary — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:07:32 +0000

Several months ago when we planned Kelly and Derek’s engagement session, I thought that at 11am, the temperature might not be too bad for July 2. Well, an hour into the session, with Kelly and Derek’s feet dangling into the Lake to cool off, my meteorology skills were proven wrong!

There’s just something about a summer engagement session at a lake that I love and from the looks on their faces, so did Kelly and Derek.
Spending time with two people who are in love and can’t wait to be husband and wife was a great way to kick off the holiday weekend!

Here’s to a great summer together and really looking forward to the wedding in September!

Location: Congers Lake Memorial Park – Congers, NY

Click HERE to view the full online gallery