Surprise Christmas Tree Farm Proposal
Cooper asked me to photograph his surprise proposal to his girlfriend Mallory that took place on a Christmas tree farm in rural South Dakota. I dressed in my hu...
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Cooper asked me to photograph his surprise proposal to his girlfriend Mallory that took place on a Christmas tree farm in rural South Dakota. I dressed in my husband's warmest hunting clothes and stayed hidden through their arrival and the proposal. Hiding, as to not disrupt their moment and shooting through evergreens proved to be tricky at times, but I think it adds to the overall magic of the image. Mallory is lucky to have a man like Cooper, she will have this image forever to remind her of that special day on the Christmas tree farm.
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Aug, 2016Views
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Awards
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Contest Finalist in Image Of The Month Photo Contest Vol 13
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Behind The Lens
Location
This surprise proposal took place on a Christmas tree farm in rural South Dakota.Time
I dressed in my husband's warmest hunting clothes and stayed hidden through their arrival and the proposal that December afternoon. There was little cell service so I had to rely on listening for their voices and footsteps in the snow.Lighting
It was overcast, so there was even lighting all around. Hiding, as to not disrupt their moment and shooting through evergreens did prove to be tricky at times, but I think it adds to the overall magic of the image.Equipment
I used my Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II on my Canon 5D mark ii. The only other equipment used was warm weather clothing/gear and a water resistant tarp to sit/crouch down on and to set my camera bag on. It kept me dry from the snow covered ground.Inspiration
Cooper asked me to photograph his surprise proposal to his girlfriend Mallory that took place on a Christmas tree farm in rural South Dakota. I arrived an hour early to scope out the location and get set up/hidden. I parked a ways away so that my car wouldn't be visible, I took a round about path to the location so I wouldn't leave footprints/ tracks in the snow. Mallory is lucky to have a man like Cooper, she will have this image forever to remind her of that special day on the Christmas tree farm.Editing
This image was post-processed in Photoshop. my typical workflow involves adjusting the white balance, deepening and adding contrast, and checking skin tones. I added a matte finish to this particular image.In my camera bag
I always carry extra batteries and memory cards as back up. Depending on the type of session, I typically have either my 70-200 2.8, 24-70 2.8, or my 50 1.2.Feedback
I would recommend arriving early to find different vantage points to shoot from while staying hidden. You don't want to interrupt their moment and you definitely do not want to miss that shot! I also recommend bringing warm clothes and a waterproof material to lay on/set equipment on while working in snowy conditions! Finally, plan ahead with the client to set up a schedule and clearly understand his/her expected timeline and where he plans on being positioned when he goes down on one knee. Shooting through evergreens on a tree farm is hard when you have limited angles to work with.
