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Photography Blog

  • Engagement Photos at Smyth Park

    Saturday, May 27, 2023

    We did Michael and Alfreda’s engagement photos at Smyth Park, but it is pretty close to where they live and I know it is one of Toronto’s best kept secrets (maybe not so secret now)!

    When I first talked to Alfreda on Zoom, I also met her identical twin sister! Michael has been able to easily tell them apart from the moment they met. Alfreda is not a movie person, but bonded over their love of The Pursuit of Happiness, went to a drive-in theatre, and have talked every day since.

    These two arrived in such stylish outfits I felt like paparazzi!

    We started the session a bit late, which worked out because we got some night photos under the streetlights for an extra romantic summer look.

    Stunning couple dressed to the nines drinking out of champagne flutes.

     

    Stunning couple dressed to the nines drinking out of champagne flutes while sitting on a giant log.

     

    Stunning couple dressed to the nines drinking out of champagne flutes.

     

    Stunning and very fashionable couple holding hands on a romantic walk through the woods.

     

    Stunning and super fashionable couple from waist up holding hands, smiling and walking in the woods.

     

    Classic side by side vertical photos of a very fashionable couple in front of a forest.

     

    Fashionable couple about to kiss in front of a forest.

     

    Side by side vertical photos of a beautiful Black woman in a tight white dress with a long slit in front of a Portuguese man in a navy blue suit who is kissing her from behind.

     

    Side by side vertical photos of a beautiful Black woman in a tight white dress with a long slit in front of a Portuguese man in a navy blue suit who is kissing her from behind.

     

    Stunning and very fashionable couple at night under the street light with a hanging willow behind them. In the photo on the left they are looking at the camera, in the one on the right, she has just kissed him and he has red lipstick on his cheeks.

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  • Couple Photos at Guild Park and Gardens

    Friday, May 12, 2023

    Alysia and Alex decided to do couple photos at The Guild Park and Gardens. The first wedding blog post I ever did was due to the fact that I was so happy with a wedding I photographed at The Guild Park in 2007.  The Guild Park is a great place for weddings and portraits because it features lots of nature, an Arts and Crafts style manor house, and a sculpture garden. In spite of living and working in different cities, Alysia and Alex met at work in 2020-she worked in the Toronto office and he worked in the Montreal one.

    Black and white photo of couple on motorcycle with woman facing backwards. Their foreheads are touching.

     

    Black and white photo of a motorcyle riding couple, with the woman in the front.

     

    Colour photo of couple on motorcyle in front of a forest. Man in front, romantically looking behind at woman who is in front.

     

    Black and white image of a happy couple reflected in a motorcyle mirror

     

    Very happy couple hugging and looking at the camera with big smiles in front of the Greek stage at The Guild Inn. The Greek stage is in the background and out of focus. The couple is in focus.

     

    Super romantic photos a the Guild Inn, in front of the Greek stage. Many is behind woman, kissing her on cheek and she is grinning.

     

    Couple photos at the Guild Inn and Park in front of the Greek Stage. Woman is holding man around waist, man is gently holding woman's head and they are looking at each other romantically.

     

    Romantic photo of a couple who are forehead to forehead looking at each other and hugging with out of focus trees behind them.

     

    Romantic photos of a couple in front of blue and pink skies and Lake Ontario.

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  • Engagement photos at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum!

    Thursday, May 4, 2023

    I was so excited when Victoria and Andrew suggested we do their engagement photos at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, because I have been to several swing dances there and it is a super fun place to dress up, take photos, and pretend it’s the 1940s! Andrew is in the infantry of the Canadian Forces, so it was only fitting that we did some photos in front of a Canadian Forces airplane.  Look closely and you will see that his blue shirt features tiny airplanes!  I love that they did 3 outfit changes to match their surroundings, and they brought Portuguese/Canada and Ukraine/Canada flags to pay homage to their heritage.

    Black and white photo of a couple touching heads and smiling at each other in an airplane cockpit.

     

    Side by side vertical photos of a couple in a historic airplane cockpit. In the one on the left, they are about to kiss. In the photo on the right, they are looking at the camera.

     

    Black and white photo of a couple inside an airplane. The woman is looking at the man and the man is grinning a bit at her, and a bit at the camera.

     

    Man and woman dressed in blue and black in front of yellow RCAF airplane.

     

    Close-up photo of couple dressed in blue and black in front of RCAF airplane.

     

    Couple holding up Portuguese and Canadian as well as Ukrainian and Canadian flags in front of yellow Royal Canadian Airforces airplane, indoors.

     

    Couple wearing blue and white in front of white airplane with blue stripes

     

    Couple hugging and looking at camera in front of a 045 airplane against a blue sky.

     

    Man hugging woman from behind in front of gray Canadian Forces airplane

     

    Man hugging woman from behind in front of a Canadian Forces airplane.

     

    Couple in front of Starfigher airplane at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. Two side by side vertical photos. In the first, you can see the whole plane standing upright and the second is a close-up of the couple.

     

    Two side by side vertical photos of a couple in front of a sunset. In the first, they are dancing, in the second they are making a big heart with their arms.

     

    Woman in red dress and man in suit in front of sunset. He is holding her head, she is holding his arms and they are forehead to forehead.

     

    Silhouette at sunset of a couple from the waist up.

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  • Engagement photos at Cherry Beach!

    Friday, April 21, 2023

    Mike and Erin decided to do their engagement photos at Cherry Beach because they frequently walk their dog there. They met through mutual friends, who hosted a dinner party so they could meet without telling them that was the purpose of the dinner party!  A month later, they separately volunteered to help that friend build a tiny home. They bonded on the 7-hour round-trip carpool ride and have been together ever since!

    Couple looking at camera with forest behind them. Man is Asian, woman is white. He is wearing a dark shirt and she is wearing a bluish gray long sleeve shirt. They are smiling at the camera and are backlit by the sun.

    Couple looking at camera with forest behind them. Man is Asian, woman is white. He is wearing a dark shirt and she is wearing a bluish gray long sleeve shirt. They are smiling at the camera and are backlit by the sun. Man is behind woman, hugging her at the waist. Her hands are clasped around her waist on top of his.

    Side by side vertical photos of couple looking at camera with forest behind them. Man is Asian, woman is white. He is wearing a dark shirt and she is wearing a bluish gray long sleeve shirt. They are smiling at the camera and are backlit by the sun. In the photo on the left, her hand is on his arm. In the photo on the right, he is slightly behind her and he is hugging her around the waist.

    Side by side vertical photos of couple looking at camera with forest behind them. Man is Asian, woman is white. He is wearing a dark shirt and she is wearing a bluish gray long sleeve shirt. They are smiling at the camera and are backlit by the sun. In the photo on the left, they are touching noses. and hugging. In the photo on the right, they are hugging and looking at the camera.

    Couple kissing on red Toronto lifeguard stand with Lake Ontario and a blue sky in the background. Two side by side vertical photos. In the one on the left, you can see their full bodies. The photo on the right is a close-up.

     

     

    Couple in front of Toronto cityscape and Lake Ontario

    Engagement photos at Cherry Beach. Side by side vertical photos of a couple standing in front of Lake Ontario on a sunny evening with a blue sky in the background. In the photo on the left, they are hugging and looking at each other with their heads apart. In the photo on the right, they look like they are about to kiss. Both photos are from tjhe waist up. Man is Asian, woman is white with brown hair. They are both wearing black pants. He is wearing a long-sleeve black shirt and she is wearing a long-sleeve grayish blue shirt.

     

    Sunset silhouette of couple looking at each other. The background is totally white and the sunset is inside their silhouettes. Their heads are blue and their bodies are pinkish.

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  • Engagement photos in Kensington Market and Beguiling Comics!

    Wednesday, April 19, 2023

    Dawn and David were excited to do their engagement photos in Kensington Market.  The last time I did engagement photos in Kensington Market, it was 2009!

    Dawn and David still joke about how after their first date, he left to go and buy comics. Fortunately, she totally understood and they have happily been together for 5 years!

    Kensington Market was ridiculously crowded but we walked a little farther down the street and there was a gap in the hordes of people. I asked them if any place around there was special to them and she said, “Yes. We have been on a few dates at the Pow Wow Cafe. They have the best Indian Tacos! My family is Metis and I have tried to make them myself, but his are better.”
    I haven’t tried hers, but I’ve also really enjoyed the ones from the Pow Wow Cafe at both the Mariposa Folk Festival and The Stan Rogers Folk Festival!

    Since Kensington Market was so crowded, we decided to go around the corner and take some photos at the local comic book store. I already knew David liked comics because of their first date story, but Dawn does too! She was even wearing a Sailor Moon pin on her jean jacket. Note: Masks are required in-store, but they made an exception and allowed us to quickly take some photos.

    Two vertical photos of a couple in front of Pow Wow Cafe in Kensington Market. Woman is wearing a jean jacket, short skirt and black boots with white socks. Her legs are bare. Man is wearing a jean jacket, T-shirt and jeans. Man is black and woman Metis but has a light complexion with red hair.

    Couple in front of Beguiling Books storefront. They are holding hands toward the left third of the photo. Woman is wearing a jean jacket, short skirt and black boots with white socks. Her legs are bare. Man is wearing a jean jacket, T-shirt and jeans. Man is black and woman Metis but has a light complexion with red hair.

    Two side by side vertical photos of a couple sitting on floor in front of bookshelves filled with comics and anime. They are each holding a comic book. The books are open and they are looking at each other in both photos. Man is black and woman Metis but has a light complexion with red hair.

    Couple holding a comic book in front of shelves full of books. They are looking at the camera. Man is black and woman is Metis with a light complexion and red hair. They are both wearing jean jackets/.

    Two side by side vertical photos of a couple standing holding hands at a bookstore with turnstiles full of books. They are looking at the camera. Man is black and woman Metis but has a light complexion with red hair.

     

    Two vertical side by side photos of a many behind a woman with his arms around her waist. In the one on the left a red and white Toronto streetcar is behind them. They are looking at the camera and smiling.

    Blurred photo of a couple in jean jackets kissing in front of a road. Her long red hair stands out. This is an impressionist style photo.

    Backlit couple in front of an artistic mural looking lovingly at each other. Man is black and woman Metis but has a light complexion with red hair. Woman is wearing a jean jacket. Man is wearing a jean jacket with a T-shirt underneath.

     

    Couple in front of yellow and purple graffiti wall in Kensington market, backlit from the sun. They are holding hands and wearing jean jackets. He is dipping her a bit and she is laughing. Man is black and woman Metis but has a light complexion with red hair. Many is a few inches taller than woman.

    Couple in front of yellow and purple graffiti wall in Kensington market, backlit from the sun. They are holding hands and wearing jean jackets. He is dipping her a bit and she is laughing. Man is black and woman Metis but has a light complexion with red hair. Many is a few inches taller than woman.

    Two side by side photos of a backlit couple in front of a red wall in Kensington Market. In the one on the left, the man is looking at the woman and in the one on the right they are both looking at the camera. Man is black and woman Metis but has a light complexion with red hair. Woman is wearing a jean jacket. Man is wearing a jean jacket with a T-shirt underneath.

    Two side by side vertical photos of a backlit couple outside and about to kiss. They are looking at each other in the photos. Man is black and woman Metis but has a light complexion with red hair. Woman is wearing a jean jacket, short skirt and black boots with white socks. Man is wearing a jean jacket, T-shirt and jeans. Man is black and woman Metis but has a light complexion with red hair..

    Close-up photo of a man and woman from the waist up wearing jean jackets, embracing each other. She is in front of him and he is behind her, but she is to the right and he is to the left. Her head is turned back to look at him and smile and his face is against hers as he looks into her eyes. Man is black and woman is Metis with a light complexion and red hair.

    Two side by side vertical photos of a couple sitting on floor in front of bookshelves filled with comics and anime. They are each holding a comic book. The books are open and they are looking at each other in both photos. Woman is wearing a jean jacket, short skirt and black boots with white socks. Man is wearing a jean jacket. Man is Black and woman is Metis with a light complexion and red hair.

    Couple in front of Beguiling Books storefront. They are holding hands toward the left third of the photo. Woman is wearing a jean jacket, short skirt and black boots with white socks. Her legs are bare. Man is wearing a jean jacket, T-shirt and jeans. Man is Black and woman Metis and has a light complexion with red hair.

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  • Engagement photos in Liberty Village.

    Friday, April 14, 2023

    Lynn and Kyle suggested we do their engagement photos in Liberty Village.  It was a beautiful, sunny day but much colder than we expected! These two were a traveling power couple as they met in Dubai, where she worked as a flight attendant and he worked as a chefMan with short brown hair warming up the hands of woman with curly long brown hair. He is on the left and she is on the right and they are facing each other and close to laughter. They are against a red brick wall with windows that have green around them.. Now they are both settled in Toronto.

     

    Two side by side vertical photos of a happily engaged photo. The man has blondish hair and the woman has wavy brown hair past her shoulders. Their border collie mix dog is in both photos.

    Woman in brown dressy coat with white turtle neck and man in black coat leaning against a wall, about to kiss. Two side by side photos. In the one on the right, he is sticking her tongue out at her and she is smiling at him. In the one on the left, she is smiling at him. You can only see her face. You can see the back of his head and you can tell that he is looking at her. She has wavy brown hair and he has blonde light brown hair.

    Two side by side vertical photos of a couple against a brick wall. He is wearing beige pants and a dark coat and she is wearing brown suede low-cut boots, white pants, and a brown coat. Their arms are wrapped around each other in both photos. Her left is up as she hugs him in the photo on the right.

    Woman in brown dressy coat with white turtle neck and man in black coat leaning against a wall, about to kiss. Two side by side photos. In the one on the right, he is sticking her tongue out at her and she is smiling at him. In the photo on the right, they are kissing.

    Close-up side by side vertical photos of a man with short brown hair in a dark coat hugging a woman in a brown dressy coat. She has one arm around his neck and the other on his shoulder so her wedding ring is visible. She has long wavy brown hair. In the first photo, they are looking at each other and look like they are about to kiss. In the second, they are nose to nose and smiling at each other.

    Man with short brown hair warming up the hands of woman with curly long brown hair. He is on the left and she is on the right and they are facing each other and close to laughter. They are against a red brick wall with windows that have green around them.

    A woman with a brown coat, white pants and brown suede boots about to be twirled by a man in a black coat and beige pants in front of a beautiful, colourful floral mosaic mural on a red brick wall.

    A woman with a brown coat, white pants and brown suede boots about to be twirled by a man in a black coat and beige pants in front of a beautiful, colourful floral mosaic mural on a red brick wall.

    Two side by side vertical photos. In the one on the left, a man in a black coat and beige pants holds hands with a woman in white pants and a beige coat. A red and white Toronto streetcar is in the foreground. They are standing in front of a green garage on a red brick wall. In the photo on the right, the couple is looking at each other in front of a red brick wall and their border collie dog is looking at the camera.

    Couple in front of Lake Ontario sitting on rocks with their dog licking the woman's face and the Toronto skyline in the background. The water is very blue.

    Couple in front of Lake Ontario sitting on rocks with their dog in-between them and the Toronto skyline in the background. The water is very blue.

    Couple in front of Lake Ontario sitting on rocks with their dog licking the woman's face and the Toronto skyline in the background. The water is very blue.

     

     

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  • Sporty and fun engagement photos at Jeff Healey Park and Tom’s Dairy Freeze

    Thursday, April 6, 2023

    I knew I was going to have a fun time photographing Marc and Maya when they suggested we do sporty engagement photos.

    We were initially going to take the photos close to Humber Bay, but the field there was soaking wet, so we pivoted and took them at Jeff Healey Park instead.  This new location worked out great because it also has tennis courts and is located in very close proximity to Tom’s Dairy Freeze . Maya grew up eating ice cream at Tom’s Dairy Freeze, so we incorporated that into our session too. Scroll down to see the excitement that happened at Tom’s!

    South Asian woman trying to get football off white man. They are both smiling and in a field.

    Tackle time.

    White man in black long sleeve shirt lying beside South Asian woman in purpleish pink shirt with football in-between them. Their eyes are closed and the photo was taken from above.

    Their love is a touchdown! 🏈

    Black and white photo of a couple looking into each other's eyes and smiling. They are surrounded by a grassy field and it is a sunny day.

    In that fleeting moment, the world disappeared, and all that mattered was the connection between them.

    South Asian woman throwing a Molkki stick in a baseball field as her white fiance looks on and smiles. Black and white photo in baseball diamond.

    Marc and Maya introduced me to a new sport called Molkki! Check it out here: https://www.molkky.world/molkky-game .
    Have you ever played Bocce? It is similar to that, but different. This game originated in Finland. These were definitely the most sporty engagement photos I have ever taken!

    Couple looking into each other's eyes and smiling in a black and white photo in a baseball diamond as they pick up Molki sticks.

    You can tell these two make a good team as they pick up Molkky sticks together.

    Colour photo of engaged couple picking up Molkky sticks in a baseball diamond.

    Love and laughter, Molkky ever after.

    White man hugging South Asian woman on tennis court. They are each holding wooden tennis courts. They have lots of tennis balls in front of them.

    Courtship at its finest.

    Couple sitting on tennis court. They are each holding wooden tennis courts. They have lots of tennis balls in front of them. They are looking at each other and smiling. Woman is South Asian, wearing a purple shirt and black leggings. Man is white, wearing a black long sleeved shirt and blue jeans.

    Courtship on court.

    Couple sitting on tennis court. They are each holding wooden tennis courts. They have lots of tennis balls in front of them. They are looking at each other and smiling. Woman is South Asian, wearing a purple shirt and black leggings. Man is white, wearing a black long sleeved shirt and blue jeans. They are kissing.

    Game, set, love!

    Two vertical photos of couple on the tennis court. Woman is on left kissing man on the right. They are on either side of the net. The woman has a long sleeved purple shirt and the man has a long sleeved black shirt. They are both holding wooden racquets. Man is white, woman is South Asian.

    Have you ever seen so many sporty engagement photos from one session? I love how they incorporated so many of their athletic interests into their session!

    Two side by side vertical photos of a couple eating ice cream. The man is eating his vanilla cone and the woman is looking shocked as her chocolate ice cream falls off the cone. In the photo on the right, they are both laughing. He still has his ice cream, she does not have hers. They are laughing. Man is white, woman is South Asian.

    Ice cream casualty makes for a double scoop of laughter. Maya’s family has been coming to Tom’s Dairy Freeze since she was little and this was the first time she ever left an ice cream.

    Two side by side vertical photos of a couple eating ice cream. The man is eating his vanilla cone and the woman is looking down as she has just lost her chocolate ice cream. In the photo on the right, they are both laughing. He still has his ice cream, she does not have hers. They are laughing. Man is white, woman is South Asian.

    The aftermath of the dropped ice cream. Unlike in childhood, nobody looks too sad.

    Two side by side vertical photos of a couple eating ice cream in front of Tom's Dairy Freeze, outdoor ice cream place. They are looking at each other in the photo on the left. She has a giant chocolate ice cream cone and he has a vanilla cone. they are both laughing. In the photo on the right, they are both eating their ice cream cones. Man is white, woman is South Asian.

    They kindly gave her an extra large scoop after, making this the sweetest engagement session!

    Two side by side vertical photos of a couple eating ice cream in front of Tom's Dairy Freeze, outdoor ice cream place. They are looking at each other in the photo on the left. She has a giant chocolate ice cream cone and he has a vanilla cone. they are both laughing.They are sitting on a blue bench in front of the ice cream store, which has the menu and photos of ice cream on it. Man is white, woman is South Asian.

    These two have a fantastic attitude!

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  • Hehe’s 80th birthday party!

    Friday, March 31, 2023

    I was delighted when Dianne contacted me to photograph the momentous occasion of her father’s 80th birthday celebration in Etobicoke.  It was the first family gathering they had in a long time and it was definitely the type of gathering we all missed for the past couple of years.

     

    80 year old man on right with his two grown daughters on left, all wearing white t-shirts.

    Hehe and his grown daughters.

    Two side by side vertical photos. In both photos, an 80 year old man is holding a boy around two in his lap. They are all wearing white t-shirts.

    Hehe and his great-grandsons.

    Man sitting on a couch holding a photo of his deceased wife.

    Honouring his deceased wife by including her in the family photos.

    80 year old man in middle with his grown daughters on either side of him. They are all wearing white t-shirt. He is holding a photo of his deceased wife.

    Hehe, his daughters, and their mom/his wife.

    Two young women in their late teens and/or early 20s each holding a 2 year old boy.

    Some of the younger family members hold the youngest family members.

    Two grown men in white t-shirts smiling side by side.

    Brothers-in-law

    Man on couch with his dog, who is standing but has his right paw on the man's lap.

    Grandpa’s main companion was happy to pose for photos with him!

    Family of three. Two year old toddler son in the middle.

    The little guy was happy to pose for photos!

    Toddler son holding an orange toy car in-between his parents.

    Family of three.

    Family of five on couch, all wearing white t-shirts. The kids are all boys and the youngest is around 13 and is lying on the laps of everyone else.

    Sometimes it’s fun to try out different poses.

    Large group family portrait of 10 people, all wearing white t-shirts.

    Dianne’s family.

    16 person family portrait, 17 including framed photo of deceased wife/grandma. They are all wearing white t-shirts.

    17-person family portrait.

    Many family members all dressed in white t-shirts, doing cheers to the family patriarch

    Cheers!

    Grandpa blowing out his birthday candles, while many members of his family watch.

    They didn’t put 80 candles on the cake!

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  • Tammy and Cody’s Winter Engagement Session in High Park

    Sunday, March 12, 2023

    Tammy and Cody met online nearly 3 years ago and have been going strong ever since!  They were open to everything, so we started off at a coffee shop and continued their session at High Park. We really lucked out because it was an overcast day with no snow on the ground, but by the middle of our session, there was a fair amount of snow!  These two could not stop smiling at each other throughout the session.

    Couple looking at each other while holding coffees inside a local coffee shop. Asian woman, white man. THey are smiling at each other. The store has a pink moose head on the wall behind them and the counter is green. The couple is in front of the counter.

    We started the session off at a local coffee shop because Tammy and Cody love coffee.

    Couple looking at each other while holding coffees inside a local coffee shop. Asian woman, white man. THey are smiling at each other. The store has a pink moose head on the wall behind them and the counter is green. The couple is in front of the counter.

    These two are real coffee connaisseurs and they gave me a list of 4 local coffee shops to choose from for their photos.

    Two vertical photos side by side of a young couple dressed in black outside on a snowy path. They are hugging and looking at the camera in the first photo and they are kissing in the second photo.

    There was no snow at all at the start of our session, but we were pretty happy it appeared for the photos!

    Two vertical photos side by side of an Asian woman and white man holding hands and smiling at each other. Grenadier Pond is in the background.

    I love the look of Grenadier Pond, so we walked down to the Queensway for these photos.

    White man hugging Asian woman from behind, in front of Grenadier pond. SHe is looking behind her to smile at him and he is looking at her.

    “Winter is a time for love and we are so grateful to have found each other.”

    Asian woman in front, white man behind. He is looking happily at her and she is looking up at him and laughing. He is wearing a long sleeve black coat. She is wearing a black vest. She has a long-sleeve green shirt under her vest.

    I love how this couple makes each other laugh!

    Asian woman and white man with foreheads touching. Their eyes are open and they are smiling at each other. She is wearing glasses. They are in front of Grenadier Pond, which has trees in the background.

    I like asking couples to get really close without kissing. It makes for some pretty intimate moments and romantic expressions.

    Woman's hands wrapped around the back of a man's head. She has turquoise fingernails and you can see her diamond wedding ring. It is a single diamond on a rose gold band.

    We had to take this photo to show off her ring and her nails!

    Close up of white man kissing Asian woman in front of Grenadier pond. They are both wearing black. You can see the pond and the out of focus trees in the background.

    “A kiss on the cheek is like a warm hug for your soul.”

    Couple on a snowy path. White man is looking at the camera, Asian woman is looking and smiling at her him. Her hand is on his chest, showing off her engagement ring.

    The path was covered in snow towards the end of our session!

    Asian woman and white man with foreheads touching as they hug each other on a snowy path with barren trees.

    “The warmth of winter love is the sweetest of all.”

     

     

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