Westchester | Engagement Session Tips - Kristina Staal Photography

Get ready for the sweetest kiddo in this sweet engagement session! Tai’ana and I met a few years ago when I photographed a styled editorial shoot that we had published in Boho Weddings. She has such a laid back and fun personality, and I really enjoyed working with her on that shoot! So, when she reached out to me to ask about doing an engagement session with her, her fiancé (Tom) and son (Chandler), I was super excited! And, even better, we decided to do it in one of my favourite locations in the Hudson Valley – Peekskill, New York.

We wanted the session to have a romantic yet fun feel to it, and to incorporate Chandler. Chandler was such a little ham, and totally posing and lighting up in front of the camera. I think he may take after his mama because he has some serious modelling potential!

We started our session down by the waterfront. As we shot, we walked and chatted and we made our way to the restaurants. Eventually, we took some photos in front of Bajarito (how fun is that restaurant?!). From there, we headed up the mountain and took some photos at The Abbey Inn & Spa and another historic building overlooking the Hudson River. It made for the perfect backdrop for the romantic photos we were going for (and a great place for Chandler to run around and get some energy out!).

Advice for Planning Your Engagement Session

A few tips for planning your engagement session!

Plan your outfits keeping your backdrop in mind.
Have a few different backdrops in mind.
If you’re involving kids or animals, make sure to plan accordingly! Bringing someone to help take care of your pups or kiddos, can really help. In this case, Tai’ana’s mom really helped occupy Chandler so we could get shots of just Tai’ana & Tom.
Pick a location that’s memorable and has significance if you’re able to.
Make sure your engagement ring is clean and ready to sparkle for your session!

Congratulations Tai’ana & Tom!

If you’re looking for tips to plan your wedding, check out these posts!

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