emma + nick // tifft nature preserve

There’s so much to love about Tifft Nature Preserve. It’s less than 1o minutes from downtown (and is located in the city of Buffalo), it has rolling hills, beautiful wooded trails, wildlife, and views of some pretty amazing buildings that are part of the rich industrial heritage of our wonderful city. I’m sure I’ve done at least 30 sessions here over the years, but I keep on suggesting it because I will never get tired of these hills. This is one of those magical places that just draws you in with it’s natural beauty. Emma and Nick’s engagement session will always be one of my all time favorites at Tifft. Scrolling through these photos makes me happy; partly because I know them (they’re incredible people), and partly because they’re just so super adorable. :)

Hoping for a mix of nature and city views for your engagement shoot? Click here!

3 best tips for choosing a photo location // krista + adam – red jacket river front park

Planning a wedding involves a ridiculous amount of decision making, and it can quickly become overwhelming. Should you have engagement photos taken? (I absolutely think you should, but that’s a different post!!) If you do have them taken, where should you go? Over the years, I’ve learned that most people have no idea where to have their photos taken, so if you’re in the same boat, don’t sweat it; I promise you are not a defective bride. ;)

I have a lot of advice to offer on the topic of photo locations (so much, in fact, that I put it all together into a beautiful PDF guide for our couples); but, for the purpose of this post, I’ll share my top three tips for how to take all of the stress out of choosing where to have your session.

Think of a place of comfort; a place that puts you at ease or brings back old memories and sentiments. Being photographed for the first time as a couple can feel awkward (at least for the first 10 minutes or so!), but if you’re in a place that you have a connection with, you’ll be much more relaxed than if you were in unfamiliar surroundings. It’s all about connection.

Choose a place that both inspires you and represents you. Are you into architecture, minimalism, lots of white space, bright
busy murals, water, hiking, biking, boating, cooking? All of those things have locations to match, so think about what you like and what would best represent you. If you need help matching the things you like to a location, just ask!

Use the location of the shoot to work in some things that make you unique. We’re not huge fans of using “props” during shoots because we want to focus on moments of connection, but if you’re both super coffee lovers, then stopping off at your favorite cafe for a few photos is a fantastic idea. Art lovers? A stroll through a museum could make for some very cool shots. The options are endless.  I wouldn’t recommend doing a full shoot at a busy location such as these, but making a quick stop along the way is totally cool.

And if these three tips don’t spark any location ideas for you, don’t be afraid to ask for suggestions. Sometimes photographers have extra special locations up their sleeve, just waiting for the perfect couple who has no idea where to go for photos. :)

I shot at this little known Buffalo park at least six times last summer, and it never got old. It’s one of Buffalo’s best kept secrets. It’s not really near anything, so it stays very quiet. I never see more than a few people there, which makes exploring much easier, and I find something new and amazing every time I go. I’m drawn to locations like this; the rich industrial history tends to spark my imagination, which keeps the creative juices flowing. Krista and Adam were one of the couples who took me up on my suggestion to shoot here, and this whole session made me so happy!

Not sure if you should bother with an engagement shoot?? Here are all of the reasons why we think you DEFINITELY should, and some of them might surprise you!