Sara & Clay

There’s something extra special about getting to photograph people you already know, and Sara and Clay’s engagement session was definitely one of those shoots for me.

Clay is a friend of mine, so when he and Sara asked me to photograph their engagement photos, I was so excited. Clay is an MMA fighter, which might make you expect something a little more intense, but the two of them together are genuinely so sweet and easygoing. And Sara is seriously one of the kindest people you’ll ever meet.

For their engagement session, they wanted something simple, natural, and low key. Nothing overly posed or elaborate, just photos that actually felt like them.

A Relaxed Engagement Session at the Niagara Falls Botanical Gardens

We chose the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens in Niagara Falls, Ontario for their engagement photos, and it ended up being the perfect setting for the kind of session they wanted.

The gardens have so much variety without needing to travel between a bunch of different locations. Between the open green spaces, trees, pathways, gardens, and little tucked-away areas, we were able to create a full gallery while keeping everything relaxed.

Instead of focusing on traditional poses, I wanted Sara and Clay to interact as naturally as possible. A lot of the session was simply walking around the gardens together, talking, laughing, and letting the moments happen.

Those in-between moments almost always end up being some of my favourites.

Natural Engagement Photos That Actually Feel Like You

One of the biggest things I want couples to know before an engagement session is that you do not need to know how to pose.

Most people aren't used to having a camera pointed at them, and that's completely normal. My job is to give you enough direction that you never feel like you're wondering what to do, while still leaving room for your actual personalities and relationship to come through.

Their session felt more like the three of us wandering around the Botanical Gardens and hanging out than a formal photoshoot. There was no pressure to make every moment picture-perfect, which is exactly what allowed us to create photos that felt genuine.

The result is probably one of my favourite engagement galleries I've photographed.

Why I Love the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens for Engagement Photos

As a photographer based in Niagara Falls, I'm pretty spoiled when it comes to beautiful locations for engagement photography.

But the Botanical Gardens will always be a favourite.

It's romantic without feeling overly formal, there's tons of greenery and natural texture, and there are enough different areas that your entire gallery doesn't look like it was taken in one spot.

It's especially perfect for couples who want their engagement photos to feel soft, candid, timeless, and natural.

And Sara and Clay's session was such a good example of exactly that.

Getting to photograph these two was so much fun, but getting to photograph a friend during such an exciting part of his life made this session even more meaningful.

Sara and Clay, thank you for trusting me to capture this chapter for you. I couldn't be happier with how these photos turned out, and I'm so excited for everything that's ahead for you both.

If you're recently engaged and looking for a Niagara Falls engagement photographer, I'd love to help you plan a session that actually feels like you. Whether that's wandering through the Niagara Botanical Gardens, exploring Niagara-on-the-Lake, or choosing somewhere that's meaningful to the two of you, your engagement photos don't have to feel stiff or overly posed.

They can just feel like you.