Lets go to the bar.

But you don’t drink.

Patrick & Natalie

He never really told me

that he doesn’t drink,

so it was kind of funny to learn that after the fact from Natalie. The bar was the site of their first date so I thought it would be cool to capture the proposal inside. We could take advantage of the funky style and the warm light from the lanterns playing with the comparatively cool light shining in from the big window up front. Natalie said she figured it out when Patrick suggested they go get a drink. She’s an intuitive one.

The original plan when I met up with Patrick in Jersey City was to shoot this proposal outside of the bar. I wasn’t feeling it. There was too much traffic, both wheels and feet. So I’m glad he followed my direction and decided to do this in the bar.

It was dark in there for the camera, but I pushed the limits

because I didn’t want to overpower the ambient light with flash, diluting all the color. Luckily I shoot with some powerful cameras through some incredible glass so this wasn’t much of a problem. It was a moody scene and it was intimate because it was early. We contacted the bar to let them in 15 minutes early for this so it was just them.

After walking through the heat to the Puerto Rican Festival and down to the piers on the Hudson for some portraits I followed them back to his family’s place where both families were waiting for them with catered BBQ and all. It was very clear that family meant the world to the two of them and I can vibe with that.

Cheers to making a family of your own.