Ariel and Julie reached out to me looking for a photographer for their engagement session! The two of them both wanted fun, happy, and natural looking images and after looking at my work they knew I was the right NYC photographer for the job! As we walked throughout the lower section of Central Park, the sun started peeking out from behind the clouds and lit up the skyline perfectly. The light was perfect, and Julie and Ariel were so natural together. We laughed, joked around, and got some incredible shots.
A Little About The Beautiful Couple!
Julie and Ariel met at a club in Tel Aviv back in 2017. It turned into a long-term relationship with pure compassion from both sides until Ariel graduated from the University of Michigan and moved to Tel Aviv in 2018. They hit it off instantly and spent 7 months of lockdown together in their small Tel Aviv apartment (I think most of us can understand the challenge that must have been!). The long-term relationship turned into an engagement, and now they look forward to getting married in the fall of 2023 on the Mediterranean! They love spending time together outdoors, traveling, and going on adventures. It made perfect sense to have their engagement session in Central Park to commemorate their amazing adventure of living in NYC together while Julie is continuing her education towards becoming a psychologist. The park was in beautiful bloom and the 'wow' factor of the skyline shooting up from behind the trees is never a let down.
Why Sunrise?
Julie and Ariel were very easy-going, and the environment they made during the shoot was very calming. There was no rush, as we were shooting at sunrise, making things less challenging and more focused. Sunrise sessions are so amazing, especially in NYC! There are very few times you're able to feel like you have Central Park (or just about anywhere else in NYC for that matter) all to yourselves. Sunrise allows us to avoid the crowds and get the best, most flattering lighting. On this crisp spring morning, the light was especially perfect!
Our Walk Through Central Park
I always love meeting my couples close to Bethesda Fountain! This is such an easy meeting place, no matter which side of Central Park you're coming from! We began with the Mall-Literary Walk. Julie and Ariel started off by walking between the American Elm trees on a 40-feet long pathway. There was pure serenity during the sunrise! As we walked, we talked about their lives in Tel Aviv, why we all loved NYC so much, and continued to grab some sweet shots of the two of them! I also learned that the diamond in Julie's ring was a family heirloom from Ariel's grandmother, making it even more special!
From there we made our way to Cats Rock for some incredible skyline views! It's a large, rocky outcropping with unparalleled views of the cityscape and is a must see while you're visiting Central Park. From here you'll be able to see some of the tallest buildings in the city. This is also a great spot to have a picnic with friends or take some iconic NYC pictures!
We headed to The Gapstow Bridge, which is another one of the most iconic locations in Central Park. The Gapstow Bridge spans a section of the Pond and offers stunning views of the cityscape. Somehow, this location makes you feel like you're on the set of Bridgerton without letting you forget that you're in NYC- which if you ask me, is pretty impressive.
Our last stop in Central Park was at The Pond. The Pond is a serene body of water in Central Park that's surrounded by trees and beautiful skyline views. We were able to capture some great images of Julie and Ariel in the last of the soft morning sun, surrounded by nature. It was a perfect way to end our Central Park engagement session.
Ariel and Julie were so natural together, definitely made my job a whole lot easier!
