I had the opportunity to photograph a proposal of marriage at Navy Pier! In the 18 years I've been photographing weddings, I've never had a "groom-to-be" contact me to do this. I've photographed engagement sessions for couples, but that's usually done after they have booked me to photograph their upcoming wedding. But never have I had someone contact me to photograph the actual proposal!
Suresh and Michelle are a wonderful couple. You can easily tell that they are very much in love and to have the opportunity to photograph the proposal for them really made me very happy. I hope that they will consider me to help photograph their wedding next year as it would allow me the chance to say I've worked with them from the very beginning and followed through with their actual wedding ceremony.
Here is the story behind this wonderful event...
Suresh gave me a call after being referred to me by another photographer who could not help him due to his commitment with another photography assignment. After talking out the details on the phone, we decided that we would try to photograph his proposal to Michelle in the Crystal Garden area of Navy Pier. Afterwards, he had planned to take Michelle to Cite Restaurant which is located directly across from Navy Pier on the 70th floor at the top of Lake Point Tower. He told Michelle that they were to meet his boss for dinner there and that perhaps they could go to Navy Pier beforehand.
Little did Michelle know that she was going to be proposed to at Navy Pier and of course, she did not know that Suresh had planned for it to be photographed and that a dinner for about 30 family and friends followed afterwards.
When they arrived at Navy Pier, Suresh excused himself to go the the washroom so that he could call me to let me know they had arrived. He planned to go on the ferris wheel before heading over to the Crystal Garden to propose. Just as they arrived at the ferris wheel, it started to rain! Luckily, it wasn't heavy rain, but I was getting wet from the raindrops! I stayed as far away from them as I could and used a Nikon 70-200mm f2.8 VR lens on my Nikon D3 to capture them in line. A couple of times, Michelle saw me and actually smiled for my camera as she could tell I was taking her picture. But later, after asking her whether she realized I was there to photograph her, she just said that she thought I was either a tourist or perhaps worked for Navy Pier.
I was a little conspicuous though... I had this large camera and lens and a big backpack on my back. Plus, I had a monopod hanging from my belt too! Where I normally wear a camera belt system which houses all of my lenses and things I need to be mobile, I felt that would be too conspicuous... so the backpack was the only other choice to stow my gear and still look a little like a tourist.
Afterwards we headed to the Crystal Garden area (an inside garden) but we found that it had been closed off for a wedding! Only a small pathway was left so that visitors to Navy Pier could cross over. But when we entered, Suresh and Michelle ran into some friends from their church! So they had to stop and talk to them for a while before moving on. I kept thinking, "Poor guy! He is probably agonizing over what to say to Michelle and now he has to stop and talk to someone. It's got to be throwing off his concentration!"
After they said their goodbyes to their friends, they walked over to a small open area with a table and some chairs. Suresh knew I was around, but Michelle didn't pay much attention to me. She was too into what he was telling her. He told her how much he loved her and as he was preparing to pull out the box with the ring inside, he went down on one knee and then knocked over the chair he was sitting in! Then, as he was fumbling to pull out the box with the ring, he dropped the ring!
They did not know this, but I had stopped the traffic from crossing in front of my view of photographing them by waving at people to stop. Finally, somebody said, "Oh my God! He's proposing to her!" Everyone was amazed at what they were seeing!
I had told Suresh earlier on the phone that I could guarantee that Michelle would not know I was photographing her because she would be too focused on what he was saying. Sure enough, after asking her later, she told me that she had no idea that a crowd had gathered around them to watch Suresh ask her to marry him and that I was taking a bunch of pictures of them!
After she accepted his proposal of marriage and they hugged and kissed, Suresh pointed me out and Michelle was really surprised. You can see it in her face in the photos above.
We went on to do some more photos, but I purposely tried my best to leave them alone. I did not want to spoil their big day by posing them and taking over by telling them what to do. Sure, we did some posed shots, but basically, I thought it was best to leave them alone to enjoy their time together.
After the photos at Navy Pier were taken, Suresh confessed that they were not going to his boss' dinner party but rather, he had reserved dinner for them at Cite Restaurant. So he "asked" me if I wouldn't mind following them to the restaurant to take a few photos since the view was so nice there. I said, "Uh... ok." Of course, Michelle had no idea that I was "in" on this secret party plan and that 30 of her family and friends were already there waiting for them to arrive! As we walked over, it had begun to rain on us. Luckily, it was very light rain though.
At the party at Cite, everyone was so excited and happy to see them! Michelle got to show off her new ring and we all had a great time taking some special photos. When it came time to leave, I packed all my gear in my backpack and headed out. I knew it was going to be a tough walk back to the Pier because it had begun raining hard. But I weathered the storm and walked in the hard pouring rain back to the Pier to get to my car. Yeah, I was drenched... but my gear was nice and dry in the backpack. Kudos to Lowepro camera bags!
Thanks to everyone involved in this event. I am lucky to have great photography friends to refer me to this wonderful couple and also to be given the opportunity to witness the proposal and to be the first to congratulate the couple on being engaged! Congratulations to Suresh and Michelle!
Suresh and Michelle are a wonderful couple. You can easily tell that they are very much in love and to have the opportunity to photograph the proposal for them really made me very happy. I hope that they will consider me to help photograph their wedding next year as it would allow me the chance to say I've worked with them from the very beginning and followed through with their actual wedding ceremony.
Here is the story behind this wonderful event...
Suresh gave me a call after being referred to me by another photographer who could not help him due to his commitment with another photography assignment. After talking out the details on the phone, we decided that we would try to photograph his proposal to Michelle in the Crystal Garden area of Navy Pier. Afterwards, he had planned to take Michelle to Cite Restaurant which is located directly across from Navy Pier on the 70th floor at the top of Lake Point Tower. He told Michelle that they were to meet his boss for dinner there and that perhaps they could go to Navy Pier beforehand.
Little did Michelle know that she was going to be proposed to at Navy Pier and of course, she did not know that Suresh had planned for it to be photographed and that a dinner for about 30 family and friends followed afterwards.
When they arrived at Navy Pier, Suresh excused himself to go the the washroom so that he could call me to let me know they had arrived. He planned to go on the ferris wheel before heading over to the Crystal Garden to propose. Just as they arrived at the ferris wheel, it started to rain! Luckily, it wasn't heavy rain, but I was getting wet from the raindrops! I stayed as far away from them as I could and used a Nikon 70-200mm f2.8 VR lens on my Nikon D3 to capture them in line. A couple of times, Michelle saw me and actually smiled for my camera as she could tell I was taking her picture. But later, after asking her whether she realized I was there to photograph her, she just said that she thought I was either a tourist or perhaps worked for Navy Pier.
I was a little conspicuous though... I had this large camera and lens and a big backpack on my back. Plus, I had a monopod hanging from my belt too! Where I normally wear a camera belt system which houses all of my lenses and things I need to be mobile, I felt that would be too conspicuous... so the backpack was the only other choice to stow my gear and still look a little like a tourist.
Afterwards we headed to the Crystal Garden area (an inside garden) but we found that it had been closed off for a wedding! Only a small pathway was left so that visitors to Navy Pier could cross over. But when we entered, Suresh and Michelle ran into some friends from their church! So they had to stop and talk to them for a while before moving on. I kept thinking, "Poor guy! He is probably agonizing over what to say to Michelle and now he has to stop and talk to someone. It's got to be throwing off his concentration!"
After they said their goodbyes to their friends, they walked over to a small open area with a table and some chairs. Suresh knew I was around, but Michelle didn't pay much attention to me. She was too into what he was telling her. He told her how much he loved her and as he was preparing to pull out the box with the ring inside, he went down on one knee and then knocked over the chair he was sitting in! Then, as he was fumbling to pull out the box with the ring, he dropped the ring!
They did not know this, but I had stopped the traffic from crossing in front of my view of photographing them by waving at people to stop. Finally, somebody said, "Oh my God! He's proposing to her!" Everyone was amazed at what they were seeing!
I had told Suresh earlier on the phone that I could guarantee that Michelle would not know I was photographing her because she would be too focused on what he was saying. Sure enough, after asking her later, she told me that she had no idea that a crowd had gathered around them to watch Suresh ask her to marry him and that I was taking a bunch of pictures of them!
After she accepted his proposal of marriage and they hugged and kissed, Suresh pointed me out and Michelle was really surprised. You can see it in her face in the photos above.
We went on to do some more photos, but I purposely tried my best to leave them alone. I did not want to spoil their big day by posing them and taking over by telling them what to do. Sure, we did some posed shots, but basically, I thought it was best to leave them alone to enjoy their time together.
After the photos at Navy Pier were taken, Suresh confessed that they were not going to his boss' dinner party but rather, he had reserved dinner for them at Cite Restaurant. So he "asked" me if I wouldn't mind following them to the restaurant to take a few photos since the view was so nice there. I said, "Uh... ok." Of course, Michelle had no idea that I was "in" on this secret party plan and that 30 of her family and friends were already there waiting for them to arrive! As we walked over, it had begun to rain on us. Luckily, it was very light rain though.
At the party at Cite, everyone was so excited and happy to see them! Michelle got to show off her new ring and we all had a great time taking some special photos. When it came time to leave, I packed all my gear in my backpack and headed out. I knew it was going to be a tough walk back to the Pier because it had begun raining hard. But I weathered the storm and walked in the hard pouring rain back to the Pier to get to my car. Yeah, I was drenched... but my gear was nice and dry in the backpack. Kudos to Lowepro camera bags!
Thanks to everyone involved in this event. I am lucky to have great photography friends to refer me to this wonderful couple and also to be given the opportunity to witness the proposal and to be the first to congratulate the couple on being engaged! Congratulations to Suresh and Michelle!
5 comments:
so happy for you and suresh--May the Lord be your guide!! awesome pics!
Congratulations!
These photos are really great!
Incredible job Russ! You are a fantastic photographer!
Congrats to the happy couple! You should hire Russ for your wedding because he's one of the most experienced guys around and definitely the nicest! He's the hardest working photographer I know.
Kimberly
Thanks Kimberly! :)
I am happy for Mishy and Suresh! This is random that I came upon this site with Mishy's proposal pics... but great job photographer! You are very skilled. If I ever find a man and get married... I know who to contact!=)
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