Bailey & Hunter | Downtown Northport & Lake Nicol Engagement Session
(The full gallery can be found below this post!)
As a photographer in Alabama, fall weddings and engagement sessions have to play within the boundaries of football. When Bailey and Hunter scheduled their Tuscaloosa engagement session, we knew a University of Alabama, home football game could result in shooting locations bogged down by out-of-town fans and could put us at the mercy of gameday traffic. We scoped the calendar for by-weeks and away games before setting a date for their engagement session.
Once we confirmed our free weekend, we set the locations. We’d start first in Downtown Northport and then drive over to Lake Nicol. For a couple that met and fell in love at the University of Alabama, these locations served as the backdrop for many of their first dates.
I was excited the moment I arrived in Tuscaloosa. Outdoor engagement sessions can always be a toss-up with the weather, but luck was on our side on this September afternoon. The day was gorgeous.
Bailey and Hunter looked perfect for their adventurous engagement session, but there were definitely nerves. Being in-front of the camera can be intimidating, especially when it’s your first time getting professional shots done with your partner. I tried to put them at ease by explaining that, for one, this is a totally normal reaction, and they’d feel more comfortable as the afternoon progressed. Two, I gave a quick rundown on my process: providing silly prompts, giving subtle tips for more movement, and stepping away for a few seconds to let them melt into the moment with each other. (We also joked about having a beer beforehand but ended up scratching that idea.)
With that we got started. We began by the sidewalk next to the bridge. To shake off their nerves, I had them hold hands and “catwalk” towards me. Within no time, the exercise became a source of laughter, with Bailey and Hunter bumping hips and pulling each other along the path. They danced and spun and even snuck in a few smooches. (Yes, I just used the word smooches.)
Now warmed up, we found a shaded area for our next set, where the sun poured from between the trees and over the top of the rustic bridge. Here I encouraged lots of touching and cuddling. Just as before, Bailey and Hunter filled the space with laughter and their infectious connection.
It was also here that we found a moment for peace. I had them get curled up together in the grass and took the slower moment to ask how they fell in love.
Before meeting Hunter, Bailey was in one of (if not the) toughest moments of her life. A few months prior and after a devastating journey, Bailey’s mom lost her battle to cancer. While they started off as friends, in Hunter, Bailey found solace and understanding, a person who could help her shoulder her grief.
When Bailey was processing this new normal by herself, she sought comfort at the Riverfront in Tuscaloosa. When Hunter started accompanying her on these visits, they had long talks to the backdrop of the rolling river. Both could feel themselves falling for the other, and the companionship seamlessly turned into something more.
A few years later, when Hunter got on one knee at the same riverfront, Bailey’s decision was easy.
Now in front of the camera recounting this story, while the memory is still (expectantly) brimming with emotion, there is so much understanding between the two, a love that is supportive and joyful and compassionate. Even looking back at the pictures to post, the feeling of the moment comes back to me, and the certainty of their love is so clear.
We snapped a few more shots before walking to explore the rest of downtown Northport. We found a back door with a dreamy awning compromised of two leaning trees and used it as an impromptu stage. In some of my favorite shots of the day, they snuggled on the steps as the sun cast beautiful light on their faces.
Finally, we made our way over to Lake Nicol for the last of the engagement pictures. Lake Nicol is always a fantastic place to photograph regardless of the weather, and that day was no exception.
The lake was calm, reflecting the trees in its mirror, only perturbed by a few kayakers and one giant, inflatable raft. We were able to get pictures right at the water’s shore and on the higher cliffs overlooking the lake. Those final shots bring me a sense of calm, and I know that their engagement session created so many special and beautiful moments.
Bailey and Hunter were due to have their wedding at the beginning of April but were forced to push back their date because of COVID-19. I’m so looking forward to seeing these two tie the knot, but for now will have to live vicariously through these pictures.
Thank you both for such a wonderful afternoon!
