Bellevue Engagement Photographer – Winter Session at Bellevue Downtown Park
There’s something about Bellevue Downtown Park that always feels just right for engagement sessions. And so, when Amy and Mike told me they used to live nearby, and that the park was an important place for them during the foundational months and years of their relationship, I knew it would be a perfect fit for a late winter engagement session.
As a Bellevue engagement photographer, Downtown Park is one of my favorite places for my style of engagement photography session. I love to wander. I don’t bring a ton of pre-conceived ideas to my engagement sessions. I don’t make a mood board or heavily scout. So much of what I want to create during an engagement photography session is dependent on the couple, their personality, and the light.
Being in the colder, darker, pre-Daylight Savings Time months, we worked with an overcast session this night. It worked to our advantage in one regard, as the park was mostly empty, just a few dog walkers out on a Sunday evening. As we met up, I loved the the wardrobe they had chosen. More formal, but still with a casual enough feel that they felt comfortable in their own skin.
Mike told me later he was nervous about the shoot because he thought they would have to be creative or bring lots of ideas to the table. Not at all! While I love when couples have ideas, he was relieved when I was able to lead them around the park finding spots that looked good and simple setups.
While I’m squarely a Documentary Style Wedding Photographer, engagement sessions tend to have more “posing”. My posing philosophy is pretty simple, I like to start with giving very simple posing ideas like “hold hands over there” and then let my couples figure it out. I feel that if I’m overly formalistic in posing, they won’t feel comfortable (and if they don’t feel comfortable, they’ll look uncomfortable). So letting my couples figure out what feels good within these simple poses leads to a more relaxed environment rather than an overly directed one.
We wandered along the upper path near the fountains, out into the large grassy field, and towards the statues that gave us a chance to put the Bellevue skyline behind us.
One of my favorite things about this shoot was the laughter. I loved that Amy and Mike laughed. Laughed at each other, laughed at me, laughed at how generally silly a photoshoot can sometimes feel. They were having a lot of fun that came across in the photos.
This was also my first engagement shoot using my new Rolleiflex 2.8. A 120 film camera from the 50’s that is still capable of beautiful images. With the overcast light I chose Ilford HP5 pushed 1 stop to 800, developed by the always great Panda Labs.
We ended the session near the edge of the park where you get just a hint of the Bellevue skyline. It felt like the perfect closing note: city meets nature, just like Amy and Mike wanted.
Getting to document couples like these two is why I’m so grateful to do what I do. Their session was easy, full of laughter, and totally unforced. Downtown Bellevue Park gave us a beautiful backdrop, but honestly, it was Amy and Mike’s connection that made the shoot come alive.
If you’re planning your engagement session and looking for a Bellevue engagement photographer, Downtown Park should definitely be on your radar. Whether you’re hoping for something laid-back and real or a little more styled and intentional, there’s a corner of this park that will fit you perfectly.
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Bellevue Engagement Photographer – Select Photos
