Summer Engagement Photos in Downtown Raleigh
Engagement photos are an ideal way to get comfortable in front of the camera and get to know your photographer. These sessions are often most exciting when you can move through different settings for a variety of images. Sumner and Matt’s Downtown Raleigh engagement session had it all, from fresh, modern lines in the sunlit sculpture garden to romantic antique street lamps in front of European-style buildings. They trusted me to create artistic images perfect for celebrating their love, and the results are beautiful.
Creative Portraits at the North Carolina Art Museum
We started Sumner and Matt’s session at the North Carolina Art Museum. The museum has an incredible collection, but when it comes to engagement photos, the sculpture garden is the place to go. It’s one of my favorite places to photograph in Downtown Raleigh. The building’s streamlined architecture and white exterior create a modern, minimalist setting for unique portraits.
On the summer afternoon that I photographed Sumner and Matt, the sculpture garden wasn’t crowded. We took advantage to get artistic photos by the reflecting pool under the pale blue sky. As the sun lowered, the trees and architecture made interesting shadows. I love the warmth of the images of Matt putting his arms around Sumner in the dappled light.
This Downtown Raleigh engagement session gave me a chance to take a mix of posed and candid portraits. This combination allows me to capture different sides of a couple’s relationship. The posed images feel both loving and powerful. The candid ones show Sumner and Matt’s tenderness and playfulness towards each other.
Sumner and Matt’s relationship has been warm and loving from the start. They got together a few months before the pandemic started. Once Sumner, a teacher, started working remotely in 2020, they decided to quarantine together. In 2021, they got engaged on New Year's Eve.
These Downtown Raleigh engagement photos provide a contrast to Sumner and Matt’s wedding plans. They’ll be moving their celebrations from the city to the shore for a springtime beach wedding. I can’t wait to photograph it!
Engagement Photos in Downtown Raleigh
After leaving the North Carolina Art Museum, we headed to a parking garage in Downtown Raleigh. A parking garage might not be the first place you think of for engagement photos, but this one has interesting lines and amazing views of the skyline.
Sumner and Matt started this part of the session in their more formal outfits. The contrast of the parking garage and formal wear is unexpected in a way that makes you more curious about the story behind the photos. The image of Sumner and Matt kissing in the elevator feels like a moment from a movie.
Next Sumner and Matt changed into more casual clothes. Their simple but stylish outfits fit with the fun city energy of Downtown Raleigh. At this point in the session, Matt and Sumner were very comfortable in front of the camera. The way they touched and smiled so naturally translated into honest, intimate images that preserve this special moment in their relationship.
Romantic Night Portraits
Around sunset, we headed out to explore the city. Downtown Raleigh has some beautiful buildings with European flair. They added some historic charm to the modern art museum and edgier parking garage rooftop. The glass skyscrapers and creamy stone buildings reflected all the colors of the sky at blue hour.
Everyone loves a golden hour engagement session. It’s understandable when the light is so dreamy. Nighttime photos have a different energy. They’re more challenging to light, but it’s worth the effort for the romantic results.
Throughout the engagement session, Matt and Sumner trusted my eye for creating artistic images. I played with light in the different environments to emphasize emotions or enhance compositions. At nighttime, the ambient light of the vintage street lamps gave a warm glow to the final portraits of the night. I appreciated Sumner and Matt being up for playing with low light and ambient lighting. It gave the later photos a more cinematic feeling.
Would you like me to take your engagement photos in Downtown Raleigh? I’m excited to capture your love with a mix of posed and candid portraits. Reach out to me today!