This winter, Colleen and Emmet got in touch with Roberto about an engagement photography session in Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood. Officially based in Ireland, Colleen and Emmet were spending a short part of their engagement separated by the Atlantic as Colleen did a clinical rotation in a Boston hospital as part of her medical training. Emmet, still based in Ireland, flew over to see her as often as possible, and it was during one of these visits that we caught up with the couple for their engagement photos.
The couple looked lovely, wearing great colors that popped against the red brick buildings in the Back Bay. We wandered around with them through the brisk evening, snapping away as we passed through the historic neighborhood with its unique architecture. Roberto had a few places in mind, but we also stumbled upon some great scenes on the way, including a tarnished green bay window and a stretch of stone wall where their shadows fell perfectly.
As we got close to finishing up, Roberto had one more shot in mind, but we needed the sun to go down. We ducked into Lolita’s for a quick drink to warm up while we waited. It was great to have a chat with Colleen and Emmet and hear about how they met and their plans for their future. We also had fun swapping stories of the crazy distances we were willing to travel for love, as Roberto and I also had the Atlantic between us when we first started dating.
Soon after sunset, we headed back outside for one more set of photos. The Commonwealth Avenue Mall is the strip of green that serves as a median between the east and westbound stretches of Comm Ave. Part of Boston’s “Emerald Necklace“, the Mall links the Back Bay Fens and the Public Gardens. Dotted with historic statues and impressive elm trees, the sun-dappled promenade is a favorite for runners and dog walkers alike. In the evenings, twinkle lights sparkle in the trees, and this is where we headed with Colleen and Emmet. Roberto set up some longer exposures and I put my biceps to work with the video light, and we captured the wonderful wintry scene.
Colleen and Emmet, thanks for being such a fun couple to photograph. All the best for your wedding in Ireland, and hope to catch you for a pint next time we’re in Dublin!
We had arranged this engagement session to take place on a Saturday evening, but the weather that day did not want to play. It was pouring with rain in the morning, and the forecast was calling for more of the same. We made the call to change the shoot to Monday evening instead and were rewarded with one of the nicest evenings we could hope for down by the Charles River.
I have shot engagement sessions and lifestyle shoots on the Charles before, but this time we really wanted to explore all that this part of Boston had to offer. Starting with Fernando and Vanessa around an hour before sunset meant that we were going to get the best light of the day for their photographs. The hour before and after sunset or sunrise gives a beautiful light, and while I will rise at 4:00AM to shoot landscapes, expecting couples to get up at that time for an engagement session might be a bit much.
I’m capturing Vanessa and Fernando’s Boston wedding in August this year and this was a great chance to get them both in front if the camera and spend some time with them. The Esplanade is a really great place for engagement photos in Boston, with the landscaped parks and Charles River providing a great backdrop, and there are lots of really interesting places within a short walk.
I knew that I wanted to get them some shots over the bridges that cross the water and also incorporate some with the intricate masonry that lines the side of the still water pools that can be found along Boston’s esplanade. With the evening sunshine coming in and lighting them, we couldn’t have asked for better conditions.
After we shot there, we wanted to get some other images with the Longfellow Bridge in the background, as well as some of the sailboats that are a trademark of that part of town. The little docks that line the back of the Charles River gave us another great location for Fernando and Vanessa.
I had a great time shooting with them both in Boston on a perfect summer evening. I can wait to catch up with you both again very soon for the big day!
If you are interested in having your engagement session at the Esplanade and along the banks of the Charles River or getting your Boston engagement photos in another part of town then don’t hesitate to get in touch, I can’t wait to hear from you. Oh and of course don’t forget to “like” the Facebook page here as well!
Brigitte and Chris got in touch with me last year to inquire about shooting their wedding in Cape Cod this Fall, and to talk about the possibility of an engagement session in Beacon Hill and other parts of Boston. I normally get the chance to sit down and chat with the couples I work with before we get the cameras out and start shooting, but this was made a little tricky by the fact that Brigitte and Chris live and work in Switzerland. This meant that the first time I got to meet them both was for their engagement session when they were visiting Boston last September for a family wedding.
I had spoken with them both over the phone and via Skype, so we had the chance to discuss their wedding day and engagement session beforehand, and I was really looking forward to meeting them both in person in Boston on their trip.
We started shooting near Beacon Hill, which is a location I really enjoy using as a setting for engagement sessions. The streets aren’t too busy and they form the perfect backdrop, with little alleys and the details in the houses and street furniture adding subtle points of interest to the engagement photos. There is a great mix of colors as well and using these where possible gives the photos a nice pop.
We headed to Acorn Street to capture some more engagement photos there too. A Beacon Hill engagement session isn’t really complete without adding in the landmark Acorn Street with its cobbled surface. Again, the old houses and backdrop really add a nice romantic feel to the whole shoot. Brigitte and Chris would have looked great wherever we had shot though, and it was easy to see from the start what a great connection they had.
We continued moving through Beacon Hill, stopping at a few more locations to get some extra images before we headed into the center of town for some additional shots. It was hard to stop photographing these two as we walked through Beacon Hill, as everywhere I looked I saw the chance of getting another set of photos. Brigitte and Chris looked stunning, and I couldn’t have asked for more!
We headed into town and to the State Room in Boston to get some more shots. Brigitte and Chris are getting married at the Wychmere Beach Club on Cape Cod which is run by Longwood Events. Longwood Events also run the State Room, so Brigitte and Chris got the OK to shoot some images there as well. What a wonderful venue, and what a view of the city you get from up there! It was my first time shooting in the State Room, and the unique setting gave us the chance to get another completely different set of images for Brigitte and Chris’ Boston engagement shoot.
Combining the wonderful interior with the great views and the famous clock tower was the icing on the cake. On the way back to the car park we even managed to get one final reflection shot in the building lobby too! It was great fun shooting with you both, and I really cannot wait to catch up with you in September.
If you are interested in arranging a Beacon Hill engagement session or one in another part of Boston or New England then please don’t hesitate to get in touch, I’m looking forward to hearing from you, and don’t forget to “like” the Facebook page here for up to date information.
I had been looking forward to shooting Sara and Brian’s North End engagement photos ever since she got in touch mid-way through the summer. I had photographed one engagement session in the North End before, but was looking forward to finding some new spots with these guys, and was happy to say we succeeded.
Their North End engagement shoot had been postponed from mid October to mid November due to a bad weather weekend, but we ended up with such a nice weekend in November it all turned out OK in the end! Starting just down the road from Starbucks (always nice to kick start with some caffeine), we didn’t waste any time getting going, shooting in Christopher Columbus Park.
Moving through different parts of the North End in Boston, we were able to capture a variety of different scenes throughout the engagement shoot. I think we got a great overall feel for the North End from the session.
The North End provides countless engagement photo opportunities, as every turn down another road offers something new to incorporate and different light to work with. You also get the chance to use the city of Boston as a backdrop for a few shots. The cobbled section of the North End was definitely worth a stop off for some photos there.
One of my favorite parts of the North End to shoot in is the Paul Revere Mall in between St Stephen’s Church and the Old North Church. The quality of light there on this day was fantastic and Sara and Brian were so fun to work with, I couldn’t have asked for more.
Moving from here we had a change of outfits, which was easily done as they live right in the North End. We then made the most of the great little streets that you find throughout the North End. These streets are packed with character and wonderful architecture and are the ideal backdrops for a North End engagement session.
Nothing says the North End more than a great big Italian flag! Incorporating that into the shots gave us a nice splash of background color and using just the white of the flag gave us some nice high key images as well.
We finished up back on the waterfront to get some photos there and on the way back to their place found another great little spot where we still had some color left in the trees. Thank you Sara and Brian for letting me capture your North End engagement pictures. I hope that you have fun looking back through them and all the best with your West Coast wedding next year.
If you’re interested in having your engagement photos taken in the North End or other parts of Boston or New England then don’t hesitate to get in touch by using the contact form you can find by clicking here. Don’t forget to “Like” us over on Facebook as well.
This may be one of the most varied engagement sessions I have shot, and man was it fun! If you like, old cars, balloons, countryside, old barns, chickens or airplanes then you may like what is coming next! Brittany and Chris’s New England engagement session was photographed in New Hampshire at the beginning of this month, just after hurricane Sandy postponed us a few days.
We started off photographing Brittany and Chris’ New England engagement session at Brittany’s sisters house. Brittany’s brother in law, Dana, is a mechanic and restores old classic cars as well, and so we were able to use some of these in the shoot. The classic old yellow Chevy still ran perfectly and after shooting with it around the house, Dana kindly drove it up to another location so that we could carry on shooting and add a little more variety into the shots. The old car fit perfectly into their New England engagement photos and it was really good fun working it into the session.
After moving the car up into the hills, I wanted to show the New England scenery and place Brittany, Chris and the old Chevy all into it so it would fit nicely together. I also wanted to give them a good mix of black and white and color photos from their engagement session. The old car really lent itself to black and white, but I think with its yellow color, it would have been a shame not to have shown this off as well.
It was an overcast day with the odd burst of sun and more common threat of rain, but it held off for most of the day. The light was actually really nice to work with and it turned out to be a classic New England day of weather, constantly changing every five minutes or so. This was the first time I had ventured up to New Hampshire for an engagement session and after having shot a lot of engagement photos in and around Boston, this was a nice mix to be able to add to the blog. I hope to shoot lots more New England engagement sessions in different parts of the region next year and this shoot definitely got me itching for more.
Having finished up shooting with the yellow Chevy in the hills, we headed back to the house for a change of clothes and a different feel to the shoot. We still wanted to capture that classic New England feel and I think working the red barns into the shoot definitely did that.
Brittany had picked up some balloons from her mum’s shop earlier that day and this gave us the chance to have an injection of color into their engagement session as well. We had had a little drop of rain and that helped punch the colors in the surrounding New England countryside, but the balloons gave it that little something extra and were a fun addition to the engagement pictures.
If you thought we were done, think again. Don’t forget we still have planes to come! Brittany’s family live close to each other in this part of New England. She has an aunt and uncle just down the road, and that was our next port of call. They live in a wonderfully picturesque part of New Hampshire with stone walls surrounding their property, a pond and old barns and with a little bit of color left in the trees, this was all I needed for the next part of their engagement shoot.
We weren’t quite finished with the cars yet either. Dana had another old Chevy sitting in the drive and I wanted to incorporate that into their engagement shots as well. It was parked in a spot where the light was really nice and it created a great foreground for a series of shots for Brittany and Chris. Just at the back of the house was a wood pile that caught our attention as well. The pile of chopped wood made for a really interesting backdrop for a couple of shots and we couldn’t go without at least grabbing a couple.
On our way back to Brittany and Chris’ house, we stopped by the nursery that Brittany’s family own and took the chance to add a few more shots in a place that had been in the family for a few generations. This was a great little spot to add some extra photos to their New England engagement shoot.
I promised you planes, and planes you shall have! Chris works for the Federal Aviation Administration in Nashua, NH and is a qualified pilot, so we were allowed access to the runway for a few photos. This was the plane that Chris has actually flown before so it was great to be able to incorporate it into some of the shots as well. It was a super fun way to finish off the shoot and it was a first for me again. It was really good fun being able to add these plane shots into their engagement session and I think you’ll agree that they both looked the part!
Rebecca and Justin celebrated their New England wedding day at Lyman Estate in Waltham earlier this year on a wonderful summer’s day. Lyman Estate in MA provides a beautiful backdrop to any wedding day, with wonderful grounds surrounding the historic house that dates back to 1793. These are some of their Lyman Estate wedding photos and their story.
I was shooting alongside Nicole Chan, owner and lead photographer of Nicole Chan photography who had hired me to second shoot for her for the day. I started off with Justin and the groomsmen, as is often the case for the second photographer on the day. I photographed all the guys together while they were getting ready, and this time is always nice to build a rapport with them all. Justin and the groomsmen got ready at the Westin Hotel in Waltham, as were Rebecca and her bridesmaids. They were to have their “first look” at the Westin before heading over to the Lyman Estate for wedding photos there, before the ceremony.
The “first look” took place in the foyer of the Westin hotel and it was a great moment for the bride and groom, as well as the bridal party, who were able to watch from a distance and share this special moment with them.
Heading to Lyman Estate for wedding pictures before the ceremony meant that there was more time for Rebecca and Justin to spend time with friends and family for the day. The ceremony was at the First Parish Church in Waltham and this choice of location complemented the wonderful grandeur of Lyman Estate. It was my first time photographing a wedding at this church as well, and that is always fun to photograph a MA wedding at a new venue.
The ceremony was very moving and their friends and family packed the church out to share this very special time with them. The First Parish Church is your quintessential New England wedding location and the photos here came out great.
Heading to Lyman Estate again after the ceremony, it was a pleasure to shoot alongside Nicole and her team of videographers. The day was very relaxed and while we shot with the bride and groom again, we had already photographed a lot of the formal groups and were able to explore the grounds around the house and capture more wedding day photos with Lyman Estate in the background.
The wedding day meal was held outside under the tent with views out onto the grounds. With complete run of the property, they were able to move in and out of the house and enjoy everything that Lyman Estate has to offer. Wedding photo opportunities at Lyman Estate both inside and out of the house are to be had at every turn and I’m looking forward to hopefully shooting here again.
Thank you for stopping by and checking out my blog. If you are interested in Boston or New England wedding photography please don’t hesitate to get in touch through my contact page and don’t forget to “Like” Roberto Farren Photography over on Facebook by clicking here. Thanks again to Nicole for providing the chance to photograph at Lyman Estate MA.
I’m shooting Mike and Denise’s wedding in April next year in Boston, but I had the great pleasure of capturing their engagement photos this year at the Boston Public Library. It is a very unique space in the heart of Boston and offers a myriad of shooting opportunities, from the wonderful courtyard to the fascinating interior. The location couldn’t have been any more fitting as Denise is a Librarian herself, and both her and Mike have always enjoyed the Boston Public Library as a place to visit and spend time together.
We started off shooting outside the main entrance that leads out onto Copley Square. The front of the Boston Public Library has a sense of grandeur that is hard to beat and made for the perfect starting point for their engagement session. We actually finished off here as well at the end of the night, to make use of the lights that came on after dark. Taking the time to grab some shots here was also a relaxing way to start the session and get Mike and Denise comfortable in front of the camera, which took all of two seconds. These guys were super fun to shoot and I’m really looking forward to their big day next April.
After capturing some shots outside we moved into the main courtyard, a spot I had been looking forward to shooting in ever since I had first seen it earlier this year. The white walls surrounding the courtyard produce a wonderful quality of light and the architecture feels like a European city rather than being in the center of Boston. The pillars, archways and fountain as well as the manicured gardens make for a great Boston engagement session location or wedding venue.
We wanted to make use of the space in a number of different ways and also after dark, when the fountain was lit by the lights within. After initially shooting here while the daylight lingered in the sky, we moved inside to capture more of the interior before coming back out for a nighttime session.
The Boston Public Library is as fun to shoot inside as it is outside and the number of spots to work with is fantastic, you just have to make sure you’re quiet :) Shooting in the main section of the library with it’s trademark green lamps and the high intricate ceilings framed Mike and Denise to give us some great shots inside, to compliment the ones we had captured outside. It’s always nice to come away from an engagement shoot and have a nice solid variety in the photos and the Boston Public Library sure does give you that opportunity.
Heading back out to finish the Boston Public Library engagement session we made use of the staircase again as we had on the way in. I like to be fluid when I shoot and capturing photos as we move through spaces, often using them again in a different way if we pass through them again. The light had faded into the night as we moved back outside to the main courtyard again and the fountain was lit beautifully, illuminating the water and the statue. Using a video light and some off camera flashes I was able to illuminate the background as well, to show off the wonderful pillared archways in the background and Mike and Denise have taken tango lessons and so we had to get at least one of their moves into the shoot as well.. The last shot we captured was back outside, where we had started, as I had wanted to get them a shot in front of the library after dark as well. It was great fun shooting with you both and as I said really looking forward to next April.
Thanks for stopping by and if you haven’t already, be sure to “like” the Roberto Farren Photography Facebook page by clicking here. To get in touch about booking engagement photos at the Boston Public Library, or any other part of town get in touch by visiting the contact page here and dropping me and e-mail or calling through by phone.
This was not actually planned out as an engagement shoot, nor was it the ideal conditions for one either, with the rain starting to come down pretty heavy. When I met with Sarah and Nick to talk about their wedding photography at the Wayside Inn in Sudbury MA, they said at the end of the brief meeting we had, that they had not really had their photos taken together before. I couldn’t help it, I had to get them at least a couple of shots.
I don’t normally bring my equipment with me when I go to meet couples for the first time. I’m also a Boston event photographer and on this day I happened to be shooting later that afternoon at an event at Gore Place in Waltham and so I had some of it with me. As I said the conditions weren’t great, but popping up the umbrella and shooting for literally a couple of minutes in the rain we got them some photos with each other. These are just a few Sarah and Nick’s favorites.
Despite the weather these guys had a great smiles on the go and The Wayside in and that surrounding area are really great fun to shoot it.
Don’t hesitate to get in touch to talk about your wedding or engagement photography in MA and don’t forget to “like” the Facebook page here for all the up to date info.
Looking forward to catching up with these guys later in the Fall.
A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to help out and shoot with a fellow wedding photographer here in Boston. Sam Liang of Ze Liang Photography was shooting Rebecca and Mark’s engagement session at MIT and then down by the Charles River at the MIT boathouse just on Memorial Drive. I came along to help out with reflectors, lighting and to get an extra couple of shots as well.
Boston as a city, I have found to have a fantastic local, and even not so local, community of photographers, willing to share and help each other out at almost a moments notice. The great thing about this is knowing that you are surrounded by a very good network of professionals who are able to help out when needed.
Rebecca and Mark were having their wedding day, the following weekend (again photographed by Sam) and they looked just great together in the grounds of the MIT campus. The wonderful buildings and the early evening light provide a classic setting for a Boston engagement shoot. The large pillars of the main MIT building gave a perfect backdrop and fantastic control over the lighting conditions. MIT is a really great location for engagement photos.
We finished off the MIT engagement shoot down by the water, with the familiar Boston skyline in the background and surrounded by the sailboats at the MIT boathouse. The jetty here gave a low vantage point onto the water and with the light now dipping below the tree line behind us and casting a warm glow over our couple. The evening provides some of the best lighting and these locations really capture it very well.
Sam did a great job capturing their MIT engagement photos and you can check these out and some more of his work at Ze Liang Photography.
If you are interested in discussing coverage options for either your New England wedding day photography or a Boston engagement session, then pop over to the contact page and drop me an e-mail or a call and we can discuss your options. Don’t forget to “like” Roberto Farren Photography over on Facebook.
Ashley and John are getting married in Rockport at Halibut Point State Park in September this year. We met up at the end of last month, to visit a few of the locations and do a Rockport engagement session as well, while they were both up from Long Island to sort out some more of the details for the day.
The town of Rockport is a wonderful place in itself and Halibut Point States Park is a truly beautiful location to have their ceremony. Only a short drive from Rockport town center, this State park is site to an old quarry right next to the ocean and beach. They are going to have a ceremony over looking both, in late fall and I can’t wait to work with them both again for that.
We started of at the entrance to the park, at an old out building. This provided a great backdrop to get going and definitely gave it that New England feel. After shooting here we quickly moved on into the park, as the number of locations on offer were fantastic.
I have shot e-sessions in Rockport before and every time I come back here I like the place more and more. Being a Massachusetts wedding photographer I offer coverage throughout New England, although find that most of the time, I shoot in and around Boston. I always relish the chance to get out of the city and to the coast and this day was a really great one to be by the sea.
We made a looped trip around the quarry and took the chance of popping down to the beach as well; giving us a great variety to the look and feel of their New England engagement photography.
I don’t think that you can come to Rockport for an engagement or your wedding photography and not try to get the famous red lobster house in at least some of the shots. Once we were in town we grabbed a cup of coffee, because although the sun was shining it was a little colder than it looked, and then headed straight there. Ashley and John were a real pleasure to work with and I’m looking forward to getting back to Rockport in the Fall for their wedding day.
If you are interested in discussing options for your Rockport engagement session or wedding day then please don’t hesitate to get in touch by going to the contact page here. Don’t forget to “like” the Facebook page as well for all the updates on this wedding and others.