Travis and I had been speaking for months by the time this day rolled around. He really wanted this to be a special moment for them and we’d planned for a sunset proposal on their trip to Jeju Island. Even from our first few messages, I could tell from the way Travis approached our conversation that this would be an incredibly important moment for the couple.
On the day, it was clear that we’d not be getting the bright sun we’d hoped for, but an overcast sky. Honestly, this makes for equally as beautiful images, so if you’re seeing clouds on your big day, don’t worry! The even light that an overcast sky provides allows for a focus on the emotions of the moment rather than the beautiful light. I let Travis know that no matter the light, this would be a special moment, one they would never forget.
They approached the area under the guise of having a try of Seopjikoji’s giant swing, and Isabel still had no idea what was about to happen! As they approached the scene we had planned, I prepared myself to capture every moment of what I knew was going to be an emotional time for them. They shared moments of laughter, tears, slow hugs, and gazes at the ocean before the end of Travis’ proposal. The soft and even light put those moments front and centre.
In the lead-up to the big day, Travis had a custom-made plush toy sent to my house that would be the focal point after the proposal. This was a larger, newer version of a plush that held great significance for the couple, and it brought a rush of emotions for Isabel when it was introduced after the proposal. So, we spent the first few moments of our time together just playing with the toys and processing the moment they had just been through.
Then, it was time for us to get started with our post-proposal shoot. The overcast day, again, was a wonderful boon for our shoot. It gave us the freedom to use any location we wanted and move in any direction that took our fancy. As you can see here, it also brings a depth to the colours of the scene that has a very different feeling from bright sunny days. It allows the scene and the people to shine through rather than just the light. But, enough of my love story with overcast light, though. Back to the love story at hand!
It was clear that Travis and Isabel were deeply attuned to each other. Their mix of romantic and playful moments during the proposal inspired that same approach to the couple photos afterwards. We took each location and set up a starting image before allowing it to flow in whatever direction it took itself. We had the perfect combination of warm skin tones and grass with the cool tones of the ocean and sky to make every photograph feel finished in the moment, so it was just a matter of experimenting and seeing where our whims took us.
After we’d spent some time along the coast, we moved back up to the amazing Glass House by Ando Tadao. This building is the iconic cornerstone of the park. Its angular shapes stand in stark contrast to the natural surroundings. I started with some minimal, static images that showed the space as much as they did the couple, but we quickly let it slide into the fun, playful feeling we’d been exploring.
As I photographed these moments, we all noticed that the cloud layer on the horizon was thinning. We allowed a glimmer of hope to find its way into our minds and prepared for some moments of beauty. It wasn’t long before the sun started to poke out under the cloud line, and we had the stunning sunset we’d hoped for. I measured the space between the clouds and the horizon with my thumb and guessed we’d had 10 minutes at most to work with the light. So, we moved into the flower field next to the building and stayed there, shooting like we were possessed. Then just like that, the sun went behind Hallasan, and we were out of light. A quiet, simple frame of the ring was all we needed to conclude the session.
Congratulations again to Travis and Isabel and thank you for allowing me into your lives for this brief moment. It was an honour to be there for you!
To those looking to have your own proposal photographed in Korea, I’d love to hear from you! You can also see my proposal blog and Instagram to explore more of my work.