Louie [The Dog] Wouldn’t Wear His Cardinals Gear, But We Still Got Amazing Engagement Shots!

I met with lovebirds Lindsey and Tyler this Sunday at Lafayette Park to take their engagement photos. They brought along their adorable pup, Louie.

I’m pretty sure Louie thought my camera was a giant alligator that was going to eat him, because he looked a little worried.

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Although, there is one shot that is absolutely hilarious (below). Lindsey had her Pinterest board loaded on her phone, and the vision was to have this cute shot that was just their feet, along with Louie sitting in between them.

Louie didn’t much feel like sitting … or looking at the camera … or being there at all. At least he’s adorable!

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I think this is where I can use that #pinterestfail hashtag, right? Hahaha!

A few weeks before Christmas, Lindsey and Tyler were enjoying the Anheuser Busch Brewery Lights. That’s when Tyler decided to get down on one knee and ask Lindsey to be his wife! She was totally shocked!

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The happy couple met on Plenty of Fish. Lindsey and Tyler love the Cardinals, hanging out with Louie, and swimming / boating.

They were also very easy to get to laugh – which is something I appreciate!! If I made them stare into each other’s eyes for too long, they’d start giggling!

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We wandered over to this section of the park that had a nice fountain spouting up. As soon as I approached, a squirrel stopped in its tracks and stared at me. I legit thought it was going to charge us, but then it went on its way.

Then, as we neared the water, three giant swans poked their heads up. Now, being a Missourian, I know those dudes have tempers. We slowly approached, and when they decided we weren’t a threat, they honked at us and then sat back down. Phew!

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I had never taken shots at Lafayette Park before. It was just stunning! It’s a 30-acre park, and the oldest public park west of the Mississippi!

There were flowers in bloom, a gorgeous willow tree, and then a nice pond. Plus, it was all clustered together, so you didn’t have to walk forever to get to different parts of the park.

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There was also this building with ornate wooden windows and brick walls. I have no idea what it was for, but it sure was pretty! I think the plaque on the wall probably would have told me what it was used for … but I was distracted by photos!

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Since Lindsey and Tyler are big Cardinals fans, we also swung by Busch Stadium in downtown St. Louis.

The team had a late game the night before, so we didn’t think anything was going on … but there was actually an autograph session happening, so people were everywhere! We did manage to still snag some amazing shots!

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Even though I feel like I am betraying my home team of the Royals, I have to admit these photos are just too cute.

Decked out in red, and with matching red Converse – Lindsey and Tyler represented!

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For those of you who haven’t wandered around downtown St. Louis, there’s a huge section of it dedicated to the Cardinals. Other than the stadium, there’s an entire area surrounding it that has Cardinals themes. It’s called Ballpark Village!

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I am so glad I was able to connect with these two! I actually met them at a mutual friend’s house party months ago.

They weren’t engaged yet, but Tyler had let on that it was going to happen at some point. And I am so glad it did!

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Excited for your wedding, Lindsey & Tyler!!

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Should I Bring My Pet To A Photoshoot? Our Top 3 Tips!

Soooo, we’re gonna cut to the chase here. The answer is a resounding “YES!”

Your pet is a part of the family, so whether it’s engagement photos or family photos, including this furry part of your family is important!

However, we have a few tips to make sure it goes smoothly.

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1. Make sure to bring someone else along to help hold the leash for the shots your dog won’t be in! 

We know Fido won’t be in every shot, especially for those engagement photos! So, make sure to bring along a best friend or sibling to help watch and entertain your pet until it’s their time to shine! Make sure you have a leash, many locations have a leash policy.

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2. Bring treats, their favorite toys, and tucker ’em out!

I encourage the pet helper to walk your pet around during the photos (when they aren’t the star). It gets them nice and tuckered out for when it’s time for their closeup!

Also, make sure to hand us the treats and/or favorite toy! We can hold them in front of the camera, squeak them, etc. When all else fails — we usually end up barking. That usually gets their attention for a second or two.

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3. Pick a location that’s not too distracting!

Sure, maybe your dream is to have engagement photos at Loose Park. And while we can definitely make that dream a reality, we would recommend against taking your dog there.

There’s a lot going on at a busy location like that — and it’s easy for pups to get distracted. No matter how good the treat in front of them is, a new smell will win out their attention every time!

We would recommend picking a quieter location — like Unity Village or Bingham-Waggoner Estate. They are both featured in our Top 10 Photoshoot Locations in KC list!

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We hope you find these tips helpful!

Are you a photographer? We have a post on tips for photographing pets as well!

Make sure to follow us on Facebook!

 

How To Deal With The Weather During Photoshoots

It’s a bright, sunshiny Missouri morning. But there’s snow on the ground. Ignore the fact it was 75 degrees a few days ago. Such is the life of a photographer living in a state where the jet streams cross. You get completely unpredictable weather. So, what’re you gonna do? Learn to love it.

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We try not to re-schedule shoots due to the weather, unless necessary. Otherwise, I’d be re-scheduling all the time. All of nature’s elements are workable.

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Let me take you back to 2012. I woke up for a shoot and the sky was gray. And not the pretty kind of gray. It was like a grainy, gloomy, depressing color — with a weird tint of orange to top it off. It looked like it was going to pour any second. Nicole and her family were about to move to another state — and wanted some memories of their time in Kansas City. There wasn’t another day to re-schedule. So, I packed some umbrellas just in case, and we were off!

The key? Shoot without including the sky. Get up close, have a different background like greenery, train tracks, train cars, etc. Something where the sky doesn’t play a part.

We ended up going to a fire station. Nicole had complications with birth — and it was the firefighters who were her first responders. She teared up when I went inside and retrieved a firefighter. They even let the kids play in a firetruck. How awesome is that?

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Ok, so we’ve talked about gloomy skies. What about wind? Like blow your hair in your face wind? The best tip is to face the wind. Then, it makes the hair blow back behind them. I call it the “model effect.” No fans needed!

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In this shoot below, we were down by the water. It was so windy, but you can hardly tell!

 

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Now, snow. Oh, snow.

Firstly, if the conditions are so bad that the roads aren’t drivable, or even if they are, but they’re slick — re-schedule. A photoshoot is never above someone’s safety. But, if the roads are fine — go play in it!

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Use it to your advantage. Snow is so white and fun — nature’s perfect backdrop.

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Although, use your head. I did recently re-schedule a maternity shoot due to the snow. It wasn’t because of the roads, it was because I didn’t want mama and baby to have to brave the very, very cold weather. So, like I said, just use your head!

To recap: 

  • All weather is workable
  • Bring umbrellas. Rain shots can be really fun!
  • If the sky is gray, shoot up-close, or shots that don’t involve seeing the sky.
  • Use the wind to your advantage. Have the person face into the wind.
  • Snow is awesome, it’s nature’s natural backdrop.
  • Re-schedule if the roads are too slick or covered.
  • Re-schedule if it’s too cold for children or pregnant mothers.

More of our “How To” series: