A Chinatown Engagement Session, Part Two

More from the Chinatown shoot

This is the follow-up to the first set of pictures from a couple’s engagement session in Manhattan’s Chinatown. The photographer shared it as a short extra “dose of cuteness” at the end of the week, a quick way to round out the gallery for readers who had enjoyed part one.

If you missed the opening chapter, it explains how the pair, who grew up not far from each other, only met years later outside a well-known building on Baxter Street, and why that spot ended up in their photos. You can find it in part one.

Why a meaningful location helps

Engagement sessions work best when the setting has a story behind it. In this case the photographer walked the streets with the couple and a few locals, and the images grew out of the neighbourhood’s daily rhythm instead of a studio backdrop. Choosing a location that matters to both partners tends to relax people in front of the camera, because they are reacting to a place they know, not performing for the lens.

Tips drawn from this kind of session

• Pick a place that connects to how you met or what you do together.
• Wear something comfortable that you can move in, since sessions often involve a lot of walking.
• Allow time for small detours. Several of the best frames come from stops that were not planned, such as sampling a local fruit.
• Bring a friend or two who know the area, and be open to unscripted moments.

Browse more entries on the blog or visit the August 2011 archive.