The afternoon of their snowy engagement session, I met up with Chris and Chloe on a rural side road, halfway between Cornwall and Ottawa. One of the first things I said to them when we set off on our little adventure was that we couldn’t have planned the sort of perfection this particular day was offering up, even if we’d tried. It was New Year’s Eve and fresh snow had fallen overnight. That morning, the air had been perfectly still and overcast skies meant the sun hadn’t melted any of the snow. Throughout the property, the trees were still frosted, giving us the most picturesque wonderland for our session.
As we got rolling, I started to get some insight into Chris and Chloe’s personalities. Chloe is this dynamic ball of energy who offers up genuine interest and excitement to anyone she talks to. Chris is laidback, gentle, and has a mischievous grin that creeps across his face when he finds things amusing – “things” often meaning “Chloe.” :) These two showed up ready to explore and I was enamoured of their enthusiasm.
Chloe had suggested the location because she knew the property owners and was familiar with the forest on their land. Not knowing the property before arriving can sometimes be a bit of a gamble, but it certainly paid off this time. We set off into the trees and spent a whirlwind 45 mins traipsing through fresh snow in the forest and the small orchard.
This was one of three sessions I shot in the immediate aftermath of getting a concussion in December. As a photographer, a concussion wreaks havoc on my ability to work because it affects how my eyes move, but I was fortunate that my concussion symptoms took a bit of time to settle in and weren’t as severe as they could’ve been. This session was exactly what I needed to get my mind focused on work: a gorgeous setting, free reign to go where we pleased, and a couple who find a lot of joy in being together.
It’s pretty easy to see that Chris is Chloe’s safe place. She settles into his arms so comfortably and when I asked him to do something that would make her laugh, it took about a second and a half before they were both doubled over. Chris is quietly playful, which complements Chloe’s sense of whimsy and generally makes the two of them so easy to photograph – even if they’re feeling unsure of what they’re doing. I was having such a great time with them and was shocked to discover that we had a full set of images after only 45 minutes.
In a year where wedding plans are in flux and many are changing, their October plans are going to be a very big highlight after a woefully bland start to the year. I’m so excited to capture the emotion and celebrations (and the HUGS – oh my goodness, the hugs) that surround them later this year as their family gather – in whatever sized group is permitted – and celebrate two genuinely kind souls.
Here’s a little look into the session that brought 2019 to a close in my books.
I’m Ang – a Cornwall, Ontario-based photographer with a passion for capturing light and photographing the natural chemistry between couples. I love working in a natural environment and challenging myself to capture the scene in creative ways. Engagement sessions are a chance to go adventuring and they often include a starting point or idea and then we see where the evening takes us. Whether you’re looking for a snowy Ottawa engagement session like these two or something a little more summery, you can start here to see more examples of my work.
