Brittany and David's engagement session in Asbury Park, New Jersey

When planning for their engagement shoot Brittany and Dave were conscientious in making sure our shore trip wouldn’t be too crowded. Though we are still in the lingering moments of the pandemic not even public health emergencies deter the Jersey shore crowd. <Fist pumps> Ironically, Wednesday the 19th of May, was the day New Jersey formally lifted all of its Covid restrictions. Naturally this meant everyone would flock to one of the state’s most popular beaches, Asbury Park. I can’t say we didn’t try! Though this isn’t a story about Covid. I really can’t wait to have a blog post NOT mention the pandemic. I can feel it coming soon. This is a story about two lovely people at one of the more hip and artistic sections of our state. I have many childhood memories in Asbury so I was floored when they articulated that is were they wanted their shoot to be.

We started our engagement session at the “ruins” of the old casino near the beach and here’s a little pro tip. There isn’t the nicest graffiti next to actually really love graffiti so if you’re a photographer please use that clone stamp liberally! Onward we ventured to the old carousel house. It’s one of the most iconic buildings in this beach front town. I am old enough to actually remember riding the carousel that is sadly no longer there. From there we took our journey in usual Mike fashion and just walked. The boardwalk isn’t too long to deter from exploring most of it. A lot has changed but there are still some lovely facades as you will see. Even pink shipping containers make an appearance. It was pretty crowded for a Wednesday but hopefully you don’t get that feeling from these images. I try my best to make sure the couple feels as if they are the only people on earth during their shoot.

We photographed at The Stone Pony, Wonder Bar, The Asbury Convention Hall and of course, the beach. Those are probably my favorite shots as it was just hitting golden hour as we made photos around the surf. You can’t get more lovely than running around with your partner with beachy sand and waves crashing.

I will be photographing Brittany and Dave’s wedding in mid 2022. Seems so far away but I’m sure it will come faster than I think. Please enjoy these images. I made them specifically for these two. If YOU are interested in such gorgeous moments go on over to my booking tab and see what I can do for you!

Stay safe everyone!

The doughnut connoisseur and the incredible flying man.

Aside from doing my own photography business, I do some contracting photography work for George Street Photo and Video. I'm sure you may have been bombarded by their ads if you are currently engaged. It is what it is, but I can't speak ill of a company that employs me on some level. Well, I can but that's not what this blog post is about.  I'd like to also think they have good taste in hiring photographers. (sarcastic grin). I am basically sent clients who book me through them. I show up, do some dancing, taking pictures, and then leave. It's the same scope with portraits, boudoir, and weddings. It can be slightly impersonal. Developing a relationship with people is one of the driving reasons I am a photographer. There is just less time to do this when you're contracted to shoot things. Like I said, it is what it is, and George Street has never let me down in the quality of my clients. They continued their winning streak this week with my portrait engagement session of Zach Morris and Kelly Kapowski. Alright, their last names aren't really Morris and Kapowski but Zach and Kelly! Come on! "I'm so excited, I'm so excited! I'm so, so scared!" Alright, that quote was actually attributed to Jessie Spanow but it's still from NBC's hit teen comedy series, "Saved By the Bell." Very young millennials are very confused at everything I am saying right now. Go watch it on Youtube or something!

I met Zach and Kelly at Raleigh's Umstead Park. It's probably the largest green space of forest in the area, boasting trails, lakes and probably scary snakes. It's interesting because the last time I had been to that location of Umstead, I was in a very different mindset/place. I had just moved to Raleigh weeks earlier and it was definitely a scary time. This weekend couldn't have felt more opposite. Alright, I'll leave the psych babble for the therapist. It was cold, chilly by Raleigh standards, but the sun was shining and I was ready to make some sweet images. I was really happy that their version of "casual" was actually really cute and complimentary on the color spectrum. Trust me, when couples say they are "casual" it can sometimes mean, khakis and a TJ Maxx polo shirt.  I hope you know my feelings about khakis.

Pastels on him worked amazing and her plum jeans worked well to compliment. I could already tell they were wicked adorable. Their connection was electric and the biggest smiles erupted when they were just hanging out with each other...and also if Zach saw a dog. Guys usually tend to be slightly more awkward than their female counter parts but that's okay. I think staring at the camera seems to be the most difficult thing so I try and banish that. I want couples to be with each other. There is hardly ever a reason for them to look in my direction. The minute Zach did this, he came alive with her. 

I generally ask 100 questions during a shoot but since I just got to know them that day I may have asked 1,000. I just like to talk to people and I think it helps break down that wall that the camera creates when I lift it up. Speaking of camera, most of these shots are taken with the Canon 85mm f1.2 L, a love/hate lens. Some macro shots were taken with the Canon 24-70mm f4 L lens. But yes, I learned that Zach loves all things outdoors and is in the Air Force. He also has jumped out of a plane (willingly) over 100 times. My heart was racing just thinking about that. After 67 jumps does it become routine? Can you play a game of chess on your way down? So many questions. Kelly is in school to be a Physician's Assistant. She's also a hater of IPAs, yay! They are the worst beers. Fight me on it. Also, somewhat of a doughnut lover. Plus, guys, I hope if you are reading this you took my advice and stopped by "Baker's Dozen" in Cary for some deep fried apple fritter goodness. They are getting married in Colorado which is probably a good reason why I was not selected as their George Street Wedding Photographer. Oh well, may the doughnuts be with them. Zach recently had hip surgery so I wasn't going to go hiking madly with them. This still did not stop him from picking Kelly up and walking about from location to location.

I've been trying lately to put people in poses that sometimes might be considered, "only for a specific gender." I don't think it's fair that a guy has to always be "aggressive." A lady can pull her man in just as well. Or vice versa. It doesn't matter. Love is love.

There was a gorgeous tree that was already shedding its petals, so I asked Zach to shake it. It's direct midday sunlight here so thankfully Kelly was back lit and I exposed for her skin. For non photography folks, mid day sun is generally the worst. It decreases contrast, makes people squint, and overall can be pretty unflattering. Thankfully, most of our images were in open shade with the beautiful pines providing some diffusion. 

Probably my favorite mini set from the shoot right here.

I wanted some crisp depth of field so I composited about 10 shots to make this. It's probably my favorite shot.

I had to go change my lens and I caught them dancing. Shame on me for putting my lens far away from me and shame on them for being cute while I wasn't taking pictures.

"You proposed, sitting down? Who are you!?" Just kidding, he did not. You'll get to see the proposal journal and book in a second.

There's our GQ stud!

"Awwh, he looks so happy! He must be looking at Kelly!" Nope, puppy. 

Huge points for Pablo Neruda. HUUUUUUUUUUGE.

Note: They had already been engaged for a little while. This was more of a pictorial capture of the materials he used. These two were so lovely. You could just tell they were good people. That's important. I don't like photographing the baddies. I mean I will, but I won't talk doughnuts and beer with you. I wish them nothing but the best. Their wedding sounds like the stuff the galaxy is made out of, friends, food and love. If you are interested in talking pastries and getting some pretty pictures taken of yourselves, don't hesitate to reach out and say hello. I love new friends and I love to make photographs for you that last. 

"You're going to wear those khakis Mark, and you're gonna like it!"

CONGRATULATIONS! You're engaged! Oh, my, gosh! That ring (or any other non-conformist engagement thang) is beautiful! What's next? Well, about a billion things. Luckily this blog post will be short, informative, and focus on one thing, engagement photography!!! An engagement shoot, or "e-session" as the cool kids say (they don't say that), is a great way to express to the world you're getting married. It also is the best way to get to know you as a couple before your wedding. Generally, if I'm shooting your wedding, my first experience with you as a photographer will be your engagement shoot. We can iron out all the wrinkles and get comfortable with me dancing around with a camera. I've witnessed many engagement sessions go beautifully and some...not so much. So here are some much needed tips in having an amazing first photo shoot with a photographer.

1. Pick a photographer that feels like they match your style.

Sounds like a given but you would be surprised. Are you a quirky couple? Do you like studio or natural light? Dark and dramatic or light and airy? A photographer's portfolio will give you a general idea of what your shoot will be like.

       2: Wardrobe, wardrobe, wardrobe!

Dress for the job you want, not the job you have. Okay wait, maybe this isn't an interview but it's definitely a chance to be impressive. I am not saying you should go out and purchase new clothing. I'm actually against that. New clothing generally makes people feel a little more uncomfortable. It's a total sensory thing. Think about what looks good on you, what makes you feel good. This goes for both bride and groom to be. Select details that sparkle or make you feel that much more special. Khakis and a polo shirt won't do it. As photographers we are here to help make things look aesthetically pleasing, so pick some options if you are in doubt and ask us!

        3: Where should we do this? Make it personal.

There are tons of places that are adequate for photos. I'm sure there is a nice park or area that would work just fine but go deeper. Is there a place in the memory of the both of you that makes you smile? Maybe a coffee shop or restaurant? Us photographers do not mind asking to shoot at these places at all. Trust us, we get more "yes's" than "no's" when we inquire nicely. Pick a location that's special to you and if you don't have one, let's come up with one together.

       4: "Now hug and kiss."Look like you're in love and other things that you should never be told to do.

There is nothing more unromantic than being posed. Sometimes, it may have to happen but those times should be infrequent. We don't want to tell you how to hold your partner's hand. We just want you to love doing it. Sometimes we use a telephoto (long) lens so that we aren't in your faces. We want couples to have the space they deserve to feel comfortable. If you feel awkward in front of a camera that's okay. We've got many tricks up our sleeves, like awful dad jokes, crazy stories about mexico in 1998 or even better, getting the couple to talk about themselves. The ice will slowly break.

       5: Golden hour is a great hour.

If you're not familiar with the term, golden hour, it is the time before dusk. About an hour or two before sunset. These are great times to take pictures, why? The sun is low creating softer light. That light is more of a golden, reddish hue. Ah, see "golden" hour.It's a magical time for a magical couple. If we are indoors, mid day works fine but generally photos in that part of the day have less contrast and tend to look more washed out.

      6: Look for inspiration

Not quite sure at the look you want? That's okay. You don't have to know all the answers. In the fashion world photographers create mood boards before shoots. You can too! Just use Pinterest. It's a great way to see ideas that you may not have readily in your head. Make it a dialogue between you and the photographer so we know what we are working toward. Remember, it's your shoot. Show us your love.

There, don't you feel better? I thought you would. It isn't scary. Engagement photos are something that should be the icing on the cake. You've done the hard part, proposing and bringing someone else into your life, this is just a pictorial celebration. Here are some of my favorite moments. Any questions, or to book your very own awesome shoot, click the booking tab on my site!

Moving into the newly built subdivision.

Hi! Hello? Wow. This is extremely strange. I'm writing this blog on February 22nd 2018 in a new and exciting place, squarespace. That's right, after 13 years with smugmug providing the tools/proofing/printing for my, now business, I have decided to come to the dark side. Not really, dark side, I already have a squarespace site for my artistic conceptual work here. It's a big change and if you don't know me, I hate change, but it's for the best. Smugmug has been such a resource for me over the past decade. Literally, everything I needed was under 1 roof. That's not the case so much now, which I'll discuss later. It was the one stop shop for everything but it had some glaring issues. First, no blog support, none. You paint yourself as a photographer's platform but don't include blogging? That's silly. Making a smugmug "blog" was intensely annoying and caused me to lose about 2 hours in my day.  Secondly, poor analytics. Smugmug is behind the curve with allowing people to follow leads correctly. They are incompatible with some facebook marketing features(the pixel) and have no intention of supporting it in the future. It was really clunky. I don't fancy myself understanding html or coding and though smugmug had template tools, everything was just so odd and difficult navigate. Even the most well made smugmug sites looked a little worse for wear.  Lastly topping out at 45 dollars a month, it was a high price to pay for something I wasn't fully utilizing.  It was just time for a change. It's 2018 right? Time to move beyond the clunk and be a little more streamline.

Now I have that streamlined site. I've worked very diligently over the past month to bring you something that works for you, the client. I've simplified my services and also added more options for many budgets. I want my personality to shine through every page you visit here. I really think it does. I want to be clean and concise. I think I have improved, hahaha. My services are readily available the minute you step onto the website's landing page. I am a people photographer that focuses on 4 specific services, wedding, engagement, boudoir and portraits. I've built a snazzy FAQ section that will help clients understand what it means to invest in a professional photographer. I've made sure all my galleries are up to date with the most vivid, sharp and gorgeous images I have shot in the the last couple of years. I am proud of my little spot on the web. I don't want to draw this hello out but I wanted to make sure you knew you were in good hands. If you need photographic services, please don't hesitate to contact me. I will love working with you. To 2018 and beyond, welcome to the new home of Michael Jacobs Photo LLC!