FEATURED CLIENT
KANSAS CITY
COUPLE & ENGAGEMENT PHOTOGRAPHY
Serena & Perrin
the inspiration
SERENA & PERRIN WANTED:
ENGAGEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT PHOTOS THAT REPRESENT WHO THEY ARE AS A COUPLE
URBAN AND RURAL LOCATIONS THAT SCREAM KANSAS CITY, BUT MAKE IT EDITORIAL
A DREAMY, NATURAL AESTHETIC WITH FILM-INSPIRED COLORS & A SUPER 8 SHORT FILM TO MATCH
the plan
Just like me, Serena & Perrin were both born and raised in Kansas City. They knew they wanted their hometown as a backdrop for their engagement photos, so we chose three locations for their 2-hour session that we knew would accomplish that while helping us create the natural, dreamy vibe they wanted: the Nelson-Atkins Museum, the Power & Light District in Downtown Kansas City, specifically near Hotel Kansas City, and the Atkins-Johnson Farm in Gladstone.
Serena & Perrin each brought two outfits, starting with slightly more formal looks at the Nelson and the downtown area and a more boho vibe for the farm. Serena and I also collaborated on ways to change up her looks for each location by making small changes like letting her hair down, changing earrings, and adding a hat.
the shoot
Since we had two hours, we started at the Nelson about an hour before golden hour. The sun was still relatively high in the sky, but this actually helped us achieve a more editorial look. We made sure to include the Nelson’s famous shuttlecock sculptures, stone steps, and giant pillars, all of which provided a simple backdrop that was still undeniably KC. We then made our way to the Power & Light area, taking advantage of Hotel Kansas City’s beautiful art deco architecture and the practically empty street in front of the Music Hall.
Our last stop was the Atkins-Johnson Farm, where we utilized the entire property—lots of big, green trees, tall grass, a creek, a little wooden bridge, an old, rustic barn, benches, and the small field of sunflowers at the entrance which just happens to boast a perfect view of the sunset.
Throughout our session, I switched between shooting digital photos, Polaroids, and Super 8 movie film. The end result was a diverse yet cohesive collection of photos and a digitized 2.5-minute short film.
more results
the short film
Shot on my vintage Super 8 camera with actual 8mm movie film, this short film from Serena & Perrin’s engagement session remains one of my favorite things I’ve ever made. Shooting on movie film is definitely a labor of love and takes some trial and error, but the end result is always so worth it.
One roll of Super 8 film can hold up to 3.5 minutes of video. We recorded short segments throughout our 2-hour session, but saved most of our roll of film for our last location, the Atkins-Johnson Farm. We knew that by the time we got to the farm, it would be peak golden hour, so with the lighting at its dreamiest, the colors of the farm—lots of green, browns, other earth tones, and, of course, the yellow sunflowers—would look stunning on film.
After our session, I sent the roll off for development and digitization at a pro lab (this takes up to 2 weeks), then edited and added music before sending it off to S & P.
the testimonial
“Annie cares very much about bringing your vision to life. She’s amazing to work with, and my photos turned out awesome! I would highly recommend her if you are looking for a great local photographer.”