We were all set for Dana and Matt’s Allaire State Park engagement photos. My gear was packed, Dana’s hair and makeup was done and the weather was holding up nicely. There was only one hiccup. As we arrived at the park, a state trooper informed us that the historic village would be closing early due to a shortened off-season schedule. Without skipping a beat, Dana told the trooper that the park meant the world to her and we would only need a few minutes for a quick engagement session. The trooper clearly felt bad for us and told us that he’d drive us to the best locations as long as we wrapped up before his shift was over.
For a half hour we ran to every cool rustic location at Allaire and Dana and Matt kept up with grins from ear to ear. I usually tell my couples that the first half hour of every engagement shoot is awkward, because we are all still getting to know each other and most couples don’t spend a lot of time in front of a camera. Not Matt and Dana. These two were ready to rock from the get go and we got a ton of great images to show for it. Mental note: I really need to go back to Allaire State Park when I’m not under an insane time crunch.
After our quick romp in the park, we backtracked to the Asbury Park boardwalk for a change of scenery and to get some cool photos in front of the old casino. Just as we crossed into the Asbury area, a crazy fog rolled into town, engulfing everything. It was like Stephen King’s “The Mist,” but a little less evil. We spent another hour shooting through pea soup and trying to capture some fun photos before the rain came in. This was a perfect example of how a little bad timing and weather should never get you down. With a little creative thinking and a willingness to have fun when the odds are against you, you can still have a great time (and shoot some great photos).
Check out Dana and Matt’s Allaire State Park engagement photos:
