We think it can't get any better than this. :-)
JM & Abby talks to us about their engagement shoot:
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What are the preparations you did for this shoot?
JM: Hahaha! We tried (tried lang) going on a diet. 'Di ata nahalata sa pictures yung effort ko. =)
ABBY: I asked my friends, Clarisse and Yvette, to be our Engagement Stylist and Photoshoot Director. Clarisse was our stylist while Yvette directed the shoot together with our photographer, Mel Cortez. I got the idea of having an engagement stylist and photo shoot director from reading the Vatel Manila blog. Every day kong binubuksan yun site ng Vatel Manila pagdating sa office (oopsss, hope my boss doesn't get to read this!). There I read na meron palang engagement stylist. I told JM "Gusto ko ng ganun, exciting and memorable yun!". Since JM and I were looking into a pocket-friendly shoot, we thought of giving our friends the chance to showcase their talents by "hiring" them for free. =) Super research talaga kaming tatlo. Super write pa kami ng likes and dislikes during the shoot, how to make ourselves comfortable with each other, smile or not to smile and we made a list of things to bring. Parang nagpapalano talaga kami ng shooting ng artista.
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JM: I was tasked to talk to my friend who owns the talyer, coordinate with the photographer, logistics and scheduling. Only now did I realize na ang dami ko pala ginawa, hahaha!
ABBY: JM was too involved with the preparation and even sa wedding plans. Two days before our prenup, it was my birthday and he surprised me with the PILIPINAS shirts from Collezione. Why am I surpised? Because we wanted to buy that shirt for our photoshoot but after going from one branch to another walang size na mag-fit sa kanya (Super rare kasi yung size niya... super rare talaga). Di ko alam he ordered for his size na pala ng sadya weeks ago pa kaya nagulat ako na pareho yung shirt namin.
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Your favorite elements?
JM: The hood of the car with no engine. Friends who saw the picture of us under the hood were asking if it was done through photoshop or was it achieved through editing. Definitely NO! It was a real car with no engine ready to be fixed. Days before the shoot, Abby and I were hoping that there'd be a car with no engine so we can have a shot under the hood. Tadan, meron nga! It was indeed a shot for us to own!
ABBY: Our Chihuahua dog, Yoda. Take a look at all his shots and you will be amazed. Magaling pa siya mag-emote kesa sa amin. Yoda speaks through his eyes since he does not bark. Hindi po siya pipi but for some reason di siya tumatahol. Heard him bark thrice only but that was a long time ago. He’s our baby and being with him during the shoot was really exciting. Yoda, joining the shoot, created a story through his eyes. Sir Mel was able to capture Yoda’s “emote” moments. I super love it!
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How did your photographer make you feel comfortable?
JM and ABBY: Sir Mel Cortez was one of the most enjoyable persons we’ve ever met. He was always asking us [re] what do we see in a scenario, how do we visualize it? Once we had that, he would see it as an opportunity for a new concept and because and we quote ”first time lang may gumawa nito”, so everything was a new scene and not [just in] any ordinary beach, forest, airport, etc. shoot. And what we liked about him was he was anxious to do the same thing that we did. After the shoot under the hood, he positioned himself under the hood also for his own pictorial. How often do you see a photographer getting photographed during his own shoot? That’s wicked and we liked it!
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Why was this location chosen?
JM: The location was actually the last location [we] thought of. The original shoot was in Punta Fuego. We had a fun time there but it was missing some ingredients so another photo shoot was established. Now we were checking the net for shoot sites within Metro Manila and saw a couple like Villamor Airbase, Fort Bonifacio, Makati, but cars came to mind and [there's] no better place [for that] than an auto shop! I tried pulling some strings and it was set. In our opinion, it was the best location for a photo-shoot ever!
ABBY: We finally decided to have it an auto shop because, number 1, we both love cars. We always talk about engines, car models, our dream car, mags, tires, etc. 2nd, it’s JM's dream to have his own auto shop. (Someday we’ll have one too. I’ll support JM on this. Hehehe!) Also, we discussed about having our photo shoot in a location that isn’t common and haven’t been abused photographically. Yung location fit talaga sa story namin, kaming-kami talaga. Our friends, after seeing samples of the photos said “Ang ganda kasi storya niyo talaga”.
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Favorite memory of this day?
JM: Under the hood. My favorite! Unique and astig! Getting under the engine bay of the car was a challenge. I thought I wouldn’t fit, Hahaha! Abby was cheering for me the entire time while I did my best to fit myself under the hood. Luckily and happily, I did! Poor Abby, she has to slide herself in last and there was little space left for her since I occupied most of it. It didn’t end in just one position down there. We did it side by side vertically and shoulder over shoulder horizontally. Whew - EXTRA CHALLENGE!
ABBY: I second the motion! Hehehe!
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Highlight of the shoot:
JM: It was when we were trying to fit ourselves in to the Mini Cooper. As you know size matters and the Mini was a car that speaks for itself. Getting in the car for Abby was a synch. She got in the driver seat while I was in the passenger side. As you see in the picture it looks up close and personal but how was I able to fit in? Well, for a small car, the Mini has exceptionally wide doors that compensates for its miniscule body. I retracted the passenger seat and sat in it but [not without doing] a little contortioning. So what was the highlight? Getting two big people into a matchbox-[sized car]! Now how’s that for a highlight!
ABBY: LOL! While reading JM's answer to this question, hahahaha!
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Tips to other couples on how to prepare for an e-session:
JM: For the guys, involve yourself in the planning process and share your thoughts. Your fiancé will appreciate it if you speak up. It is extremely important that you help your fiancé in planning, executing, coordinating with whoever and most of all, both of you should own this session. It’s not just her day but it’s both yours. It won’t hurt to smile during your photo shoot and enjoy the moment. It only comes once in your life but the experience and the memories will last forever. Oh, one more thing, say “I love you” to her before the shoot starts and during the shoot, smile and say “You look beautiful today”.
ABBY: Research, research, research and do an ocular of the photo shoot location. Write down all the things that you need to bring, the likes and dislikes, sample photos and think about your overall theme or concept. Present the idea to your photographer and do a pre-shoot meeting if possible. Also, it would be great to have an engagement stylist and a photo shoot director (as the saying goes “two heads are better than one”). Allocate a budget for the shoot such as [for the] clothing, makeup, food, emergency money etc. Bring a First Aid kit together with your makeup kit. You’ll never know what will happen during the shoot. Drink plenty of water for a healthier skin and take a good sleep. Pangit sa picture pag puyat plus you need your energy for the photo shoot.
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Location Guide: Fix Stop, Araneta Avenue, Quezon City
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Decisive Moments
Suite 902 Burgundy Place, Katipunan Ave.,
Loyola Heights, Quezon City
The Philippines
Office: (+632)929.9624; (+632)474.5417
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We're featuring engagement session shoots as a prelude to the wedding photos to show our readers how couples prepare for their big day. We also feature the photographers involved as they share with us their thoughts on the shoot. If you want your own e-session to be featured on this blog, get in touch with us! :-)
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