How to manage and capture a surprise proposal?

Recently I was privileged to witness and capture some magical moments at St Stephen's Green Park in Dublin.

The Challenge

Proposals pose a unique challenge in event photography. As the actual main event literally can last only a minute or a few at best, you have to have your camera settings, lens choices and angles locked down. If you look down to change you shutter, the whole thing might already be over. When the couple arrives, the photographer has to be discreetly waiting incognito to not give away the proposal plan, or distract by shooting too close.

Location

Selecting location is of course a big part of proposals. Perhaps it's a meaningful location for the couple, or chosen for the views or privacy. Waterfronts, parks and viewpoints are popular choices. In this case my clients were visiting Dublin and would be after a long flight, so I was able to recommend convenient spots in the vicinity of their hotel.

The spot in St Stephen's Green was selected to combine water, greenery and a bridge in the background. As the proposal took place during golden hour I was able to make sure the sun would be setting bedind them, wrapping the couple in golden light. Websites like SunCalc together with weather forecasts are handy in planning photoshoots.

Timing

Being in contact with the proposing party via texts or WhatsApp is a good idea to be ready when they'll arrive. Alternatively sharing a live location to avoid blowing the cover can work well. The photographer will also need to be able identify the couple easily, as this time the park was quite crowded thanks to the sunny weather. To be ready and sure not to miss the big moment, the groom-to-be gave me great notice by starting the action by stopping to take a photo of her in the spot, before popping the question.

Preparation

I arrived a good 20 minutes in advance to make sure I had selected the correct lens and settings. My plan first was to shoot discreetly from distance with a long lens, but because the park benches were full of people and a crowd of guys were playing some sort of game, I couldn't risk having my view blocked by people at the crucial moment. I ended up using my trusty 24-105mm f2.8 and waiting on a bench next to the agreed spot. That proved effective as I was able to capture some wide shots with the ability to zoom in just enough and was able to discreetly move closer once the action started.

As I was dealing with direct sun light coming and going, the safest way was to go with aperture mode to not deal with changing shutter speeds, as I would miss the moment if it weren't right. By setting my ISO to 400 my shutter speeds would stay fast enough while the only thing I needed to control was the depth of field and some quick exposure compensation if needed.

How to book a proposal photoshoot in Dublin?

For a surprise proposal please use my online booking calendar and select the 1 hour event photography option. To combine the candid moments with posed photos right after, please choose the 2 hour option.

For any last minute bookings you can reach me through WhatsApp.