One of the most common concerns I hear from couples is, ‘We’re not photogenic.’ Here is a recent session that shows how we approach that.
It was a cold weekday—around 30 degrees—and people on the street were bundled up, moving quickly through the chill. I met Atheena and Kirk in Princeton for their engagement session.
They told me they weren’t used to being in front of the camera. As we walked along the street, I briefly explained my approach: “I don’t need you to stand still or freeze for me. I’ll guide you and create small situations for you to interact with each other. After five or ten minutes, you’ll understand—and then you can just be yourselves.”
Atheena and Kirk have been together for nine years, starting as neighborhood friends. Because of that, they are deeply comfortable with each other’s presence. But as busy professionals, they arrived at the session already a bit tired from their day. I could sense that their expressions felt subdued, even when they were together.
So I asked them to talk, to move, and to do simple couple gestures—just slightly exaggerated. It didn’t take long for me to notice that Kirk tends to take the initiative in their dynamic. I encouraged him to be a little playful, even a bit mischievous, to bring out Atheena’s energy.
Very quickly, they began to relax. They understood what to do, and I started to see their genuine smiles come through.
In every setup and scene, they talked and laughed, allowing me to capture many natural, candid moments. Then, whenever I asked them to look at me, in a split second, they revealed their true smiles—and I was able to capture their most genuine expressions.
Every couple starts exactly where Atheena and Kirk did, and within minutes, everything begins to feel easy. If you’re looking for that kind of experience, we would love to connect.