Aviation Engagement Session | Lynchburg Wedding Photographer
This is by far the most unique engagement session we have had so far in our business history! To be completely honest, I was a little intimidated hanging out with these intelligent and confident pilots at this shoot! I had no idea there were so many regulations, rules, and knowledge behind flying even a smaller plane like this one! I have also never seen the inside of a plane before so having the opportunity to see one up close and learn some aviation terms was so cool for me. James and I were so excited Garret and Kala wanted to get creative with this aviation engagement session.
We spent the first part of the session moving the plane around on the taxiway (the road next to the runway and one of the terms I learned haha). We had so much fun incorporating this vintage airplane in our shots and I never realized how easy it was to move around (I mean it is on wheels so it was easy with help!). The pilots for the shoot, Joey & Justice, were so kind in helping us position it for shots. We made our way to the end of the runway on the grass where I took one of my favorite images I have ever taken!! The beautiful open sky with fluffy clouds paired with their sweet kiss just gives me chills!
This photo reminded me of why I LOVE my job.
While these two changed into their more formal outfits, James worked his ring shot magic using the flight instruments and the prop! These ring shots are so Pinterest worthy and I am so proud of his creativity and steady hands to get these shots. The second half of the shoot was so much FUN! The boys took the plane up a few times (by a few times I mean like 30+ minutes) flying close by over the runway and around the airport. I’m just glad Joey and Justice liked flying that vintage plane because we kept them up in the air longer than I thought!
James and I didn’t realize how quick we had to pose Garrett and Kala for these shots. Like I’m talking 30 seconds (if that) to decide what the photo was going to look like! Depending on how the plane was flying by us we had to change up everything for each shot! That is why I’m so glad we spent the first half of this engagement session practicing poses because I was just throwing my posing terms at them seconds before each fly by! It almost felt like I was giving them a pop quiz on posing! For example:
“Face each other, arms around her waist, hand on his elbow, exaggerated foot pop, start nose to nose & then light kiss,”
I yelled these different poses at them from a far as the plane was approaching for each shot. We had to carefully think about where we could legally stand, where the plane was headed, how to vary each pose, where James and I needed to be to get the right angle, our settings for the light, etc. Aahh! So many things! I’m just thanking the Lord they knew what I meant for each photo because they nailed every single shot!
Looking back on this session, I probably looked a bit crazy but it was because I was so happy and excited for our first aviation engagement session! It’s not every day you have the opportunity to photograph a vintage plane from 1946! I’m also so grateful for our Pilots Joey and Justice for not only cleaning the plane inside and out, but flying the plane to us from SML, moving it all around this airport on the taxiway, and of course flying it so perfectly in the glowy light! I am so blessed to have met these two gentlemen and look forward to possibly seeing them again for Kala’s aviation bridal portraits!!
Enjoy our first ever aviation engagement session at the New London Airport located in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Note: No FARs were broken in the process of taking these photos.
Pilots: Joey & Justice
Aviation School: Liberty University School of Aeronautics
Airport: New London Airport
Until next time,
Emily
