Need an example of thinking outside the box of an engagement session? How about a quantum leap through time, a.k.a. time travel?
Meet the finalists of Zorz Studios’ previous EngagEd: Free Engagement Session contest, Alyona and Elman! A lot was said about the contest itself so I will skip this part (details in the link). To point out just one thing, they won not only the engagement session but also the wedding day coverage but alas, I was booked by another couple for their day and as the contest rules outlined, could not give them that part of the sweet prize…
I have to say that I haven’t shot anything like this so the execution had somewhat of an experimental nature, for the sake of creativity and challenge. Unlike a movie production, resources were limited so be gentle on criticizing the details. I am sure one can pick a few goofs here and there despite my attempts to cover them up but it was fun nonetheless! And—back to the point—unique and different from a walk in the park.
The base concept was to split the same location setting into two eras. One side of the image is modern, where Elman, a businessman, is sitting at his desk. The other side takes us back several decades to peek at a pin-up girl Alyona putting her make-up. By a miraculous power of love and attraction, they connect through a quantum leap of sort and Elman steals her from the past into his loving arms. Aaaaahhh.
Despite intentionally looking basic and minimalistic, the session took whole six hours between setting up, changing props, measuring, marking, hanging, covering window, and of course, moving my lights around. So here are the results of this unusual engagement session.
I obviously could not do this without Photoshop but not in a way some may think. There are no image collages in the split arrangements. All dual-era scenes were shot at the same time. Here’s one example of before and after for your enjoyment. Can you see me in the reflection now? 🙂
Finally, a modest behind-the-scene shot published on Instagram that night:.
