Alex had contacted me several weeks ago to inquire about having me photograph his planned marriage proposal. He his plan was brilliant… they live near Baton Rouge, and he suggested they take a trip into New Orleans on this morning to attend mass at the Cathedral. Parking in the lot across Decatur Street behind Washington Artillery Park, he told Erin that he wanted to go take a look at the huge Christmas tree that is set up on this elevated platform. My favorite part of his plan was his suggestion that I simply approach them directly as they walked by, pretending to be a random street photographer asking if I could take their portrait.
Usually during New Orleans marriage proposal photography, I go with this kind of “hiding in plain sight” approach, pretending to be at that location for some other plausible reason (rather than crouching in the bushes), but this was definitely the most extreme example of this method! My amateur acting skills were put to the test, as were Alex’s, who did a great job in not appearing that he expected this (to the extent of me worrying for a moment if I had the right couple, despite having previously received pictures), and also with how he didn’t panic when Erin resisted my offer, gently convincing her in a sort of “let’s just let this guy take our picture so he’ll leave us alone” way. One of the biggest benefits to this is that I was able to position them exactly in the right spot for the best composition and light, and also to ensure that the shot would be clear of random bystanders. So, on this beautiful Autumn morning, with St. Louis Cathedral in the background, Alex’s marriage proposal and Erin’s priceless reaction were captured perfectly in a series of photographs that this couple will treasure forever!
