Proposal Photography – Capturing that perfect moment

Everyone who has ever been engaged has their special proposal story.. They can tell you in every detail about it. Where the proposal took place, what they were wearing, how nervous they were or how utterly surprised they were when their partner got down on that one knee. It is one of life’s amazing moments that I think is too special for it not to be captured, shared & celebrated.

As a professional photographer in Brisbane for a long time now, I have been lucky enough to photograph many proposal surprises. I love capturing them, as each one is so unique and special and tells the story of each couple. I also love the pure unexpected emotion that that moment generates. The tears, laughter and love that flows straight after a proposal is special to see.

Photographing a surprise proposal also, just happens to be one of the most challenging photography tasks. As it is most often a complete surprise to the other person getting proposed to, I have to remain inconspicuous and unnoticed until their partner starts to pop the question. Depending on the chosen location, I am usually at a distance at first and pretending to be doing something else entirely. It is not until the proposal begins that the camera is brought up and the moments are captured.

Below are some tips on how to pull off the perfect surprise proposal that will wow your partner and look great in the photos.

Plan ahead

Planning is one of the most important aspects to a successful surprise proposal. To keep the surprise nature of the proposal, there can be almost zero interaction on the day between the photographer and the couple until the proposal starts. As such it is important to chat with your photographer before the day to cover things like:

Think about positioning before dropping to one knee

Understandably, the person doing the proposing has a lot on their plate on the day of the proposal. From hiding their nervousness, to making sure the ring is in the pocket. They often just want to quickly get the proposal started as soon as they get to the location. That is great, but I often suggest taking that extra second or two to make sure you are in that perfect position that you have planned previously with your photographer.

Make it extra special

The pure act of proposing to the person you love is pretty darn special as it is. But you can amp that up even more by making the proposal location as wonderful as possible. There are specialist companies that do just this. They can reduce all the stress of organizing all the little details and plan the perfect proposal for you. Providing gorgeous & romantic setups filled with your partner’s favourite flowers. They can even provide a post proposal picnic filled with champagne and treats! One such proposal planning company that I can highly recommend is With Love Proposals.

Ditch the accessories!

Often you or your partner have things like hats, sunglasses, bags (even shopping) on the day that probably would be best left out of your special moment. I suggest as you approach the proposal spot, to pop them aside so there are no distracting elements in your captured images. Removing sunglasses is particularly important if you can remember, as it allows us to see and capture the best facial expressions (and tears!)

Enjoy the moment

My big tip is to relax and enjoy the moment. Proposing to your partner is a significant milestone. After the proposal, have some quality personal time together. Laugh, cry.. or do both. It will all be captured from a respectful distance. Only after you have shared this special moment together should you point out to your partner your secret photographer.

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