As shameful as it is to say for someone who lived in New York for seven years, I had never really seen Central Park until yesterday. The one time I had actually been there was at night, by accident, because I was lost! At first, I definitely questioned Erica’s motives for wanting to have her engagement shoot there badly enough to pay mileage and outrageous parking for me to come out (I mean it’s a park in a city, how good could it be?), but after yesterday, I feel really, really silly to have ever questioned her motives! The park was absolutely beautiful and all I have to say about this collection of shots is … good luck choosing a save the date! 😉

Right off the bat, we walked in and there was a beautiful stone structure with a view of a lake. One thing I loved about Erica and Greg is that from very start they had no problem asking other people to move so they could stand where I wanted them to, hehe. Over the course of the day, I realized more and more just how awesome and easy going they were, and I definitely feel really lucky to have them on my chocked-full calendar of 2011 wedding clients.

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We took a little walk and came across a couple of things you can always count on finding in a park, a bench and a rock. Erica was so easy to make smile and laugh, she was definitely what made these pictures far more than the scenery.

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The fact that she and Greg were very willing fence hoppers also contributed a lot to the pictures we were able to get. On my last two shoots, it’s been especially fun being part of a group of three law-abiding adults all acting like kids and breaking the rules!

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After that, I’ll admit, the scenery was huge! I stopped dead in my tracks the minute I saw the potential for these next few shots. It’s a good thing that the people who were in these spots when we got there moved willingly or I might have had to get all scrappy on their butts because I was not walking away without these pictures!

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I loved how Erica and Greg were up for ANYTHING. They were great at taking direction, playful, open to my ideas and even threw in a few of their own! It’s this kind of couple that I could spend all day shooting with without ever having to be paid a dime. Okay, well, then I’d be broke, but you get the idea 😉

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After we exhausted the best of the park area, we headed for the side streets. The e-shoot ran way longer than expected, and I hadn’t planned on shooting any night shots, so I didn’t bring a tripod. It was difficult, but I made due without it and we got a few really nice ones with an urban feel for the couple.

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To Erica and Greg: I had an AMAZING time with you yesterday! After nine wonderful years together, you two high school sweethearts still act as happy and in love as most couples who just started dating, which truly says something incredible about you! Greg, toward the beginning of the shoot, you mentioned how much you really enjoyed my silhouette shots, so this last one’s for you!

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