Backyard Surprise

A backyard surprise proposal is surely not what you anticipate on a general Saturday. The couple, going about their normal routine, would have to make a few pit stops before the big event. I was reached out to by Andrew, the brother of the soon to be fiancé and proposer. He wanted someone who could be inconspicuous, patient and precise. Because of how I capture images, my style of shooting was preferential. I took the time to have a walk through of the backyard and interior of the home. As the couple enters through the backyard gate to the banner, balloons, and flower petals, it is at that time the proposal takes place.

Setup

The main focus was to ensure that I could not be detected. Despite the backyard being rather open, I found a nice little spot that was out of their field of view. As they enter the backyard, I begin taking images of the couple from behind their outdoor dining table and next to the air vent. Using my camera on silent mode, with my 70-200mm lens, I am able to zoom in close without interfering. As this all happens, I plant my action camera, which is highly inconspicuous, on the table to capture footage. I am actually next to the AC unit while all of this happens, which keeps things quiet on my end, allowing me to stay unnoticed until he gets on bended knee. When the bend happens, I exit the hidden area and openly get some shots to capture the moment in action.

Finishing

After the highly anticipated, “Yes!”, we walk inside so we can get a couple of shots, but unbeknownst to her, the entire family was waiting downstairs to congratulate them. Heading through the kitchen and into the den below, their family members meet them with a huge “Surprise!”. I made sure to gather some candid hugs and interactions while also a group shot of the entire family to commemorate.

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