Jack proposed to Elana and she said YES!!!

To be completely transparent, I was extremely anxious about this session. I’ve photographed many proposals and hundreds of engagement shoots over the years…but never at Waneka Lake during golden hour, when the sun is intense and the lake turns into a giant mirror. I was nervous that Elana and Jack wouldn’t be positioned just right, or worse, that I’d blow the surprise altogether—you know, all the fears that come with capturing such an important moment.

But anxiety aside, it ended up being one of my favorite shoots in the twenty-five years I’ve been doing this. The emotion, the joy, the surprise—nothing beats a surprise proposal shoot in that regard. Elana and Jack were a dream to work with, and I left that evening with a big ole’ smile on my face, feeling like there’s still so much love and joy out there—even in a time that often feels heavy with doom, gloom, social media performance perfection.

It was a reminder that real connection still exists—unfiltered, unscripted, and full of heart. 

Wishing Elana and Jack a lifetime filled with laughter, deep connection, and the kind of love that only grows stronger with time.