Over the weekend, while millions along the Northeast were tucked away from Winter Storm Jonas, a photographer and an engaged couple despite the elements, created one attention-grabbing engagement session. The photo shoot has since gone viral and goes to show that taking advantage of unique situations can create beautiful imagery.
On Friday, the couple, Felicia Sam and David Nartey, drove to Fort Meade, Maryland, despite the forecast of 20 to 25 inches of snow:
We had wanted to do a snow photo shoot for a long time. So, any opportunity that presented itself, we were just going to take it. I heard on the news that there was going to be a blizzard; so, I said, 'surely, there'll be snow.' I called the photographer, Dotun Ayodeji, and said, 'are you up for it?' And he said, 'Oh my God, you're reading my mind.'
What followed was a chilly photo shoot that would end up with heartwarming results. It was simply meant to be, since Nartey proposed to Sam right before a hurricane.
Photographer Dotun Ayodeji took advantage of his environment and surroundings. This is a classic example of how thinking outside of the box and braving the elements where others may not can result in stunning imagery that clients will fall in love with.
All images used with permission of Dotun Ayodeji.
[via ABC News]
No ones 'braving' anything here.
brave article, braved the bravery out of those brave moments.
As someone born and raised in the Sunshine State, it's brave in my eyes ; )
One person's bravery is another persons fun
As a Canadian photographer, I do this a dozen times each winter. When can I expect my winter engagement shoots to go viral and get featured on Fstoppers??
It would be better when he decide to chose darker backgrounds with less open aperture to get the snow a little bit more space to shine.
brave ? blizzard ? you can see easily 400-500' behind them. it's barely even snowing. if it was really snowing the background would be total white and even the distance from him to the couple would be white. this was probably the first flakes of the storm. they are not even in 1" deep snow, it's not even over the soles of their boots. nice try though. i guess living in new england we have a diff definition of blizzard conditions.
As a Canadian I find it hilarious that this makes news at all.
We shot in the blizzard. This couple was awesome. http://bit.ly/moormanwedding
I'm glad everyone is responding the same way - my personal engagement shoot from 2014 looks very similar, but I thought it was just a nice snowy day - not a blizzard...
These are great! I really would have loved going out shooting with someone, I had the whole look in my head, but I don't know anyone around and couldn't create those images. I still went shooting at night in some of the worst conditions I've ever shot in and had fun doing it.
Engagement session I did from last winter here in NH at ski resort during a snow storm :)
nice article. and motivational (get off your ass and shoot!!). thanks for sharing.
p.s., the comments are hilarious. I live in the DC area, and it was definitely brave to have done the shoot during that time. so kudos to both the photographer and the couple. because your *wonderful* snow shots didn't get international attention doesn't make you less of a photographer. hating on another photographer definitely does!! look at his work, and you know he's a very good photographer.
Brave is a stretch, but credit to all who ventured out to document the storm and take advantage of its amazing backdrop. Shooting for newspapers was quite a challenge this weekend, many times the only other people I saw out were other journalist. Nice work.
[Below] Essential employees make their way to work as they cross Pennsylvania Ave. early Saturday morning in Washington, D.C., January 23, 2015. Snow began falling in the nation's capital Friday and may accumulate as much as 24 inches by Sunday Morning. Photo by Bryan Woolston / for The Daily Mail.