Winter engagement session at Knox Farm.

Our endless winter

Spring is just a few short days away at least that is what the calendar says. Here in Western New York we are stuck in yet another seemingly endless winter.  The only thing to do is to embrace it for what it is, a cold but also pretty season when it snows. A great time to bundle up and shoot an engagement session with Sarah and Lou. We always encourage our couples to schedule their engagement session during a different season than their wedding. Sarah and Lou are having a Fall wedding in October so Winter seemed like fun.

Shooting at Knox Farm State Park

Seymour Knox I was a very successful merchant in Buffalo New York during the late 1800’s. He eventually merged his over 100 five and dime stores with his those of his cousin Frank Woolworth to form the F.W. Woolworth Co. He purchased the Knox Farm estate in the 1890’s. He used it as a family summer home and as a training facility for his race horses. 

             Today the 633 acre park located in East Aurora NY is an oasis for outdoor enthusiasts. As a photographer I love shooting here. It offers a variety of terrain including grasslands, woodlands, and wetlands. All four seasons has something unique to offer in this picturesque setting. For today’s shoot  we hiked through the grasslands and into the woods. We don’t venture into the woods on shoots too often because of the distance. However, today Lou and Sarah were all in. 

              The first few images are taken in one of the many meadows on the property. Lou and Sarah do a great job of projecting spontaneity throughout the shoot.

           From the meadow we continued our trek into the woodlands. The first thing you notice when entering the woods in the library in the woods. It offers a good variety of novels and non-fiction literature. The adjacent picnic tables make this the perfect quiet place to read in the summer. 

      To keep the shoot fresh I don’t like to get bogged down with too much posing.  We have Sarah and Lou take a walk in the woods amidst the falling snow. The love these two share for each other is palpable.

        Walking in the woods does come with it’s hazards. The next photo is a real LOL moment for Lou as Sarah walks in to a tree!

             Before leaving the woods I want to try something a little different. I am going for an enchanted forest vibe with moody lighting.  The problem is that it is the middle of the afternoon. I stop down by two and switch to tungsten white balance for that blue twilight cast of light. I add a little back lighting so the falling snow appears to glow like fireflies. 

On top of the world

The next two images are shot on top of a one of the rolling hills outside of the woods. I never waste an opportunity to capture a dramatic sky!

The final two shots include Snjezana’s creative ring shot taken at the stretch of split-rail fence along the road. 

Shooting at Knox Farm is always enjoyable because of the variety of locations.