After moving to New York City last year, Central Park quickly became one of our most frequented and favorite spots. Not only is it a great escape from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan sidewalks, but it is easily one of the most romantic places in the city. So when Adam contacted me to photograph his upcoming proposal to his girlfriend Amanda, you can imagine my excitement. While a proposal is a very intimate moment, I have always thought it would be incredibly special to have photos of such a happy memory. Lucky for me (and for Amanda!), Adam felt similarly. He had carefully orchestrated the sweetest proposal plan that completely surprised Amanda and resulted in a resounding yes! I must admit that I felt more than a little stalker-ish hiding out in the bushes with a massive zoom lens attached to my camera (I got several strange looks from people walking by), but by the moment Adam was down on one knee you can bet I was choking back the tears as I snapped away.

Amanda and Adam, I am truly honored that you let me be a part of such a special moment. I hope you can look back on these photos many years down the road and remember all the emotions and excitement from this day. Congratulations!!!

He asked…

…and she said yes!

Amanda’s reaction when Adam pointed to me and told her that I had been capturing the whole thing…

The New York Times newspaper insert that Adam had created that told the story of how they met and asked the big question. And, of course, Amanda’s new, sparkly bling!

Jessica and Dan are one of the sweetest couples I’ve worked with. From our first meeting at a coffee shop on Capitol Hill to their engagement session in West Seattle, it has been such a pleasure getting to know these two. They have kind hearts and a great energy about them. Plus, Jess was a complete rockstar in front of the camera and there were lots of laughs shared during this session. I can’t wait for their wedding next summer at the Roche Harbor Resort on San Juan Island!

I’ve known Karen since I was a freshman in high school. Her older sister, Kate, is one of my very dearest friends. So when Karen called me to say she was engaged and wanted me to be her wedding photographer, I was absolutely thrilled! Although it does make me realize how quickly this wonderful and crazy life is going, now that the little siblings of my friends are starting to get getting married! But I’m so happy for Karen and her soon-to-be hubby, Pat. These two sure know how to make each other laugh! More than once did I have a smile on my face while editing their session and seeing the “bloopers” from our shoot. I’m so excited to head back to Spokane in October for their wedding!

Meet Jessica and Jason…the sweet couple I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with the other weekend. They wanted a Pacific Northwest feel for their engagement session, so we spent our time exploring the downtown waterfront with Washington state ferries coming and going in the background. We later walked up to the always-bustling Pike Place Market and end at the Olympic Sculpture Park. These two are very obviously in love and excited to get married. Jessica is such a kind, sweet girl (with the most incredible blue eyes and red hair!) and Jason is her quiet protector, always looking to make sure she is okay. It was wonderful to spend some time with these two, getting to know them both, hearing about the details for their upcoming wedding and their plans for the future. This is what I love so much about engagement sessions. It’s such a great time for me to get to know my couples and by the end of session it feels more like hanging out with friends than anything else!

Jessica and Jason, thanks for all of the great laughs and for being up for whatever I suggested…even if it meant another few miles of walking! I can’t wait for your wedding in July!

 

Well, hello there. It’s been awhile, hasn’t it? I really don’t know where the times goes!

Despite my shortage of blog posts in the past weeks, things have been really busy and I’m excited to share what I’ve been up to. So stay tuned for more photos that will be hitting the blog soon! First up, a little sneak peek of this gorgeous red head and her sweet hubby. I photographed Jessica and Jason’s engagement session last weekend and we actually got quite lucky with the weather (I’ve completely given up hope for sun these days, but was thankful for clear skies and no rain). Much more of these two love birds coming next week!

Today I’m sharing a very special session and I’m excited to finally be posting these photos! Earlier this year, before I had a blog or a website and before Kathryn Bradley Photography became a real, living business, I begged my dear friend Olita and her boyfriend Steve to model for me. I was nearing the end of my photography program and needed to put together a body of art for our final exhibit. I had a vision for the type of session I wanted to do, and knew Olita and Steve would be perfect for it.

It was early February, which in Seattle is by no means a dry time of the year, but on the day of our session it was sunny and the air was crisp. The three of us headed out to one of my favorite Seattle spots. I’m not sure if it was the location, the yummy afternoon sunlight or the obvious chemistry between these two, but this session felt really special while I was shooting it. And although I feel like I’ve learned so much since the start of this year, these are still some of my favorite photos to date.

Olita and Steve are some of the kindest, most genuine people I have ever met. They are wonderful individuals and as a couple they bring out the best in one another. Spending time with them, you simply know they are right for each other.

During our shoot, Olita would tease Steve about how fun it would be if it was actually their engagement session. Steve simply laughed with us, not letting the teasing get to him. Little did Olita know that Steve had plans of his own! As it turns out, patience really does pay off. After years of dating and Olita wondering if Steve would ever propose, he popped the question during their summer road trip to California. Of course her answer was a resounding YES!

Olita and Steve, thank you for doing this session and being patient with me! Without a doubt, this world will be a better place because you have chosen to spend your lives with each other. I love you guys!

I thought I’d also post a few photos of the sample album I designed from Olita and Steve’s session…

Happy September! Can you believe that August is over?! On one hand I’m excited for the cooler, brisk days ahead that call for hot cups of tea and comfy sweaters. But on the other I am in disbelief that summer has almost ended! I’m still getting used to these Seattle summers and the fact that it never gets really hot, so I think the ending of this season always catches me by surprise!

However, I do have an exciting September announcement! This month I will booking portrait sessions to help grant wishes for women with stage 4 breast cancer. For each portrait session I shoot this month, I will be giving $100 to Get Hitched Give Hope, a wonderful non-profit that raises money for breast cancer patients.

I know few people that haven’t somehow been impacted by breast cancer – a mom, an aunt, a sister, a friend. Over 40,000 men and women will lose their lives to breast cancer this year in the U.S. alone. Yet, it takes an average of only $4,000 to grant a wish for one family who has been given a terminal breast cancer diagnosis. So, please share this with anyone you know who might be interested in a portrait session this month – and in helping make a wish come true for someone suffering with breast cancer.

And to all brides and grooms, make sure you get your ticket to the annual Get Hitched Give Hope event on October 28th where top Seattle wedding professionals will be exhibiting their services and products, with silent auctions, raffles, and a live auction! Visit the Get Hitched Give Hope website for more details.

Finally, I wanted to leave you with a sneak peek from a great family session I had on Sunday. Such a fun, sweet family! The full blog post is coming soon.