How to capture great proposal photos : Surprise Niagara-on-the-lake proposal
Proposals are so fun and special to shoot. Being involved in proposal planning and getting to capture the moment is an honour. They are the true engagement shoot, documenting the moment of your actual engagement.
Here are a few things to consider when either organizing or shooting a proposal
1. Choose your photographer : You want to find someone that you can trust, has maybe shot a few proposals before, has some insight into the process, and has a photography style that you like. It’s common to have your proposal photographer be your wedding photographer so check out portfolios to make sure you like them and their personality.
2. Location walk through and timing : If you have already booked your location, great! We will work with whatever you want . If you have not chosen a location, discuss options with your photographer so the can help you choose locations that have a good set up that is meaningful and also provides some cover for the photographer and privacy for the couple. Ideally you can go in advance, meet your photographer, and figure it out in person, but if this is not possible, I personally go to the location in advance myself and then send photos back with examples of exactly where to stand and the best photo spots etc.
3. Lighting : The time of day and lighting is crucial for getting great photos. At Konzelmann, for example, they have an arranged set up and plan as many similar venues do. As you can see in these photos, the proposal took place in a gazebo. This is great because even if it’s a sunny day, the couple is in the shade and not directly in the sun. It’s important to be positioned in the shade if it’s too bright or in the middle of the day, or with the sun either behind you ( when the couple are facing each other) or in front for flat lighting. If the sun is only on one persons face, the lighting will be uneven so you will want to plan out exactly the angle which the kneeling will take place so that the photographer is positioned in the right location not to be seen. Lighting is always better the earlier or later in the day it is. This is why photographers usually prefer to shoot at sunset.
4. Two Photographers : While two photographers may not be completely necessary, it goes a REALLY LONG way. It will get you two angles and make sure you get the reactions of both people involved. Ideally you want a shot of both people during the proposal, as well as the key closeups of the reaction of the one who is surprised! It also just gets you that extra bit of security that the moment will be captured at a good angle.
5. Equipment + Telephoto lens : This goes without saying but your photographer needs to have a solid telephoto lens so they can be as unobtrusive during the moment as possible. I use a Canon 100-400mm and I also have a 70-200 but I have often found that the 70-200 is not far enough. I also shoot with two memory cards in my camera for immediate backup. Making sure your battery is full and that you have plenty of space on your memory cards are also super important! Preparation is key. Check in with your photographer that they have a good telephoto lens.
5. During the moment : BE IN IT. Forget about us photographers! Take your time, talk to each other, kiss, hug, take it all in before you point us out. I always give the couple a few minutes or tell people to wait a few before you point us out or before we pop out and show ourselves. As a photographer you have to really read the moment, which can be tricky if you can’t fully hear their conversation but judging by body language is a good indicator.
For photographers the main thing is to be unobtrusive and position yourself so you won’t be seen. Some locations are very open or public and it’s a bit harder to not be noticed with cameras. In these situations you can play it off as creatively as you want. Sometimes I’ve chatted with my second photographer just casually as if we are working or playing around taking photos of each other or are just travelling. Luckily Niagara is a tourist destination so that’s a common scenario. Other times we have split up and just blended into the crowd. At this particular shoot we actually JOINED THEM on the winery tour under the guise of working for the winery and taking social media photos, so we joined them on their personal wine tour and took cute candid photos of them before the actual proposal. This bride had no idea that anything was up and the Konzelmann staff played along with us perfectly. She was even still so surprised when she realized we had even still been there during the proposal, hiding in the vineyard!
Hopefully these tips give you some ideas or things to think about if you are planning your own proposal, or if you’re a photographer and have one coming up. Either way, congrats and happy planning! Feel free to send this to your partner ;)
