I am double-stoked to share this dreamlike engagement shoot at Raymondskill Falls: not only does it feature one of the EngagEd contest winners but also introduces first clients in my new habitat.
I am still holding off the formal reveal of Zorz Studios’ expanded presence after my moving outside of NYC. Devoted followers and blog readers picked hints from my wife’s maternity shoot and the newborn session. A few even pieced it all together to narrow down the new area accurately. Surely there would be no point in hiding the beauty of my new surroundings and the Raymondskill Falls is another step. Once the last arrangement is out of the way by the summer (hopefully), I’ll make it all official!
There is so much to explore and offer here! Waterfalls, swamps, abandoned houses, mysterious forests, fallen trees—yet I’ve been taking small steps. Besides those family sessions outside the house, I only did a winter shoot for my younger daughter about 10 minutes away. That area is fable-like and features a waterfall but it is closed to the public now. Not to take any chances and knowing that there are even grander sights to take advantage of, I studied the map and eyed the Raymondskill Falls as the first point of interest to offer my clients.
Surely enough, a fabulous candidate soon appeared! Our free wedding contest this year happened to bring two winning cinematic themes: Vikings for the first place and Game of Thrones for the second. (I am also flying to Ohio this month to shoot the runner-ups’ basketball concept!) While the former concept has been on the couple’s hold, Asha and Shobin jumped on with their vision of wilderness and waterfalls.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”Asha Abraham” link=”” color=”#8C76AF” class=”” size=”16″]He has always said “I will follow you till the end of time.” I wanted to use that concept and do a photoshoot of us against the elements/nature. He has always been a big Game of Thrones fan so I was thinking of doing a glamorous shoot in Iceland style scenery somewhere in the US (big mountains, huge waterfalls, etc). We have stood the test of time and distance and we would like our photos to reflect that.[/perfectpullquote]
I do not boast big mountains near me but waterfalls are waiting, albeit not as huge as Niagara or Oneonta Gorge. Time came for the Raymondskill Falls to shine through my lens. I once worked on the Game of Thrones theme for a family. Their advantage was having a Husky to play direwolf and a more versatile wardrobe. However, they did not have a waterfall and northern scenery! Shobin flew in from Chicago and we met by the entrance about a week ago. Surprisingly for the end of March, it snowed heavily in the morning but all melted when we started late in the afternoon. The daylight is fading quickly in the canyon yet I managed to grab a few rays of the setting sun on their faces. At some point I took the liberty of adopting a sweet Indian tradition I saw at a wedding in India when the newlyweds come outside to point into the sky. I learned that in one interpretation, the priest directs their eyes to the pole star, which remains steadfast in the sky though the stars around it move across the sky. So shall their new marriage be steadfast, though others may change around them. In another explanation, they see Arundhati, a star good for the couple’s future family and for having the “good children”.
A few curious facts. Shobin brought a sword which he ordered online. Its size turned out to be smaller than expected… I had to throw a blue pill on it in Photoshop. Having a carte blanche given me by the contest terms, I also experimented with a new technique of creating a cinemagraph (not to be confused with “cinematograph”). Cinemagraphs are still photographs in which a minor and repeated movement occurs, forming a video clip. This dreamlike engagement shoot also inspired me to finally try the double exposure technique using Photoshop layers in Screen blending mode. Imagine, I had wrapped up my master set and would close Photoshop when I glimpsed at one simple portrait of the couple. It didn’t even make to the final master set but lo-and-behold—it turned into the cover image with the magic of creative editing!
Ah, so much fun working on this project! From running the contest, to exploring the beauty of Raymondskill Falls to help create a dreamlike engagement shoot, and to experimenting with the new tools. I can’t wait to discover the next mythical location. Contact me if you want to join me on the adventure!
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