One of the skills any photographer needs to have under their belt is the ability to anticipate and be prepared to “get the shot”. Whether you’re a wedding, landscape, or street photographer, having the ability to know when that perfect moment is going to happen and being in the right spot to click that shutter button is key to capturing something special. But what do you do when you’re hired to capture a special moment where you’ve never met your client, have only a slight idea of when it’s going to happen, and you’re not supposed to be seen?
Meet Rishi & Shelly.
Rishi was referred to me by a good friend. He told me he was preparing to propose in a couple days and would like to have some photos of the engagement. Needless to say I was honored to be a part of it! After speaking with him about the location, his plan, and other various details I quickly realized my biggest challenge was going to be how to get the best shot of the proposal without being seen by his future fiancee. Proposals are normally a surprise, right?
On the day of the big event, I asked Rishi to send me a photo of the two of them so I could recognize them when they arrived and I headed to Kraft Azalea Park in Winter Park, FL. If you haven’t been you should definitely check it out. It’s a beautiful location and truly a hidden gem of Central Florida.
I arrived 30 minutes before they were scheduled to get there to find a very small wedding ceremony happening…right in the spot where I recommended would be a great place to propose! Hmmm….I better text Rishi and give him a heads up. I pulled out my phone to see a text from him that said, “We’ll be 15 minutes early, is that cool?” With less time than expected to prepare and my favorite location taken, it was time to put my abilities to the test.
Luckily, Rishi chose a great spot to put down a blanket for a small picnic. I found myself hiding behind trees, acting like I was taking photographs of the landscape, and trying not to look weird or creepy as I took these photos waiting for the big moment to happen. My biggest fear was his soon-to-be fiancee discovering my telephoto lens pointed right at her and my cover would be blown (and even worse ruin all the planning he put into this).
I knew he had prepared a book as a gift so when I saw him give that to her, I knew it was almost time. I quickly moved to get a better angle, still trying to remain inconspicuous and then….
Before I knew it, he was down on one knee.
Right then I knew it didn’t matter if I was obvious, I was going to get as many shots as I could.
The couple that was getting married even noticed the proposal and came over to congratulate them!
After finally being able to approach them both and reveal that I wasn’t just trying to be a creepy guy with a camera, we ventured off to take some formal photos of the happy couple. Rishi and Shelly were amazing to work with and I wish them all the joy and happiness in the world. I am so honored that I was able to photograph these special moments for them and also grateful for the opportunity to challenge my abilities as a photographer.
Check out some of my favorite photos from the rest of the evening!
Do you have a special moment you’d like me to photograph for you? Contact me to book a session!
Jason Cordoba Photography 