Shelley + Michael are a super chill couple, and they wanted their Chapel hill engagement photographer to honor their love of drinking beer on the couch, listening to vinyl records, and chillin’ at their fave local Carrboro and Chapel Hill spots.

This shoot felt like a “day in the life” starring Shelley + Michael in their own skin (or fuzzy leopard-print robes) instead of an arbitrary, tropey photo sesh in a field/on a mountain/clad in fancy matchy Pinterest-looking clothes. The stripped-down feel of this session gave this rad couple a chance to relax in their own space, pop open a cold one, and truly be themselves in front of the camera.

Looking for unstuffy engagement & wedding photos? Head on over to my wedding photography page to learn about my packages and drool over the eye candy I have for you!

A lot of my clients tell me they cringe when looking for engagement photo inspo on Pinterest or IG. “Do I have to do that?” is a question I field all the time.

At-home engagement sessions give you the chance to relax, be yourself, and not have to pretend to be someone you’re not just because the wedding industry tells you you should kiss passionately in a field if you’re engaged.

(Incidentally, Michael + Shelley did take me to a field at Coker Arboretum on their alma mater’s campus, but it was only for impromptu piggy-back rides and a chance to show off their Tarheel pride!)

Looking for cozy snuggle sesh of your own, with engagement pictures to boot? I’m a Chapel Hill engagement photographer passionate about eliminating the stuffiness in your pictures and showcasing your authentic selves. Drop me a line!

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Lizz + Dave wanted to showcase their fondness for downtown Raleigh (and their adorable, squirrel-obsessed fur-baby Drogo), so we planned a fun urban Raleigh engagement session. I had so much fun with this playful couple and love how their authentic goofiness shines in many of these pictures.

Lizz + Dave answered a few questions about their engagement photo inspiration and favorite moments from the session. I absolutely love their creativity. Read below to feel inspired!

1. Tell me about you! (The floor is yours: How did you meet? What activities do you enjoy doing as a couple? Who is your celebrity couple doppelganger?)

We were introduced by our close friends (who are now also getting married in 2017) at Charlie’s Kitchen in Cambridge, Mass. This was the same place where Dave proposed a few years later. Our favorite thing in the whole world is our dog, Drogo. He’s a squirrel-obsessed giant lap dog and by far the best puppy ever.

2.  Why did you decide to book a Raleigh engagement session? Was there anything in particular you wanted me to photograph (or avoid…)? 

We decided to do an engagement session because we wanted photos of us with our pup Drogo for the save-the-dates, and we wanted some casual fun pictures. We felt that since we have enjoyed our engagement so much we wanted photos that represented the fun we have together.

3.   What was your favorite moment from the engagement session? Favorite photo?

Favorite photo is definitely with our championship wrestling belts. Favorite moment during the shoot was trying to get Drogo to look at anything other than the squirrels he was hunting.

4.  What do you plan to do with your Raleigh engagement photos? (i.e. Wallpaper the hallway? Internet fame? Make a collage of your pup?)

Dave made one of the engagement photos into a puzzle through shutterfly as a surprise Christmas gift! It was really a unique way to display one of the amazing photos. He even had “The McRooneys” added to the bottom. It’s so great!

5. Anything else you’d like to add?

We had such a fun time with the engagement session. The photos really show our personalities and we love them! The candid shots make us really excited to see how great our wedding photos will come out!

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Lizz + Dave, thanks for being such a rad, goofy couple. Your authenticity is refreshing, and I loved every minute with you (and Drogo!). I’m pumped about photographing your shindig later this year.

Do you like these unstuffy Raleigh engagement photos? Head on over to my wedding photography page for even more eye candy and delightfully silly moments!

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And sometimes you get 70 degree days…in January. Nida + Clay share my distaste for bugs + heat, so we picked a beautiful 70-degree “winter” day and played in the woods for their engagement session last month.

More meaningfully, Nida + Clay decided to take pictures in Umstead Park, since that was the location of their first date (a nine-mile run!) after meeting at the Fullsteam Run Club. I didn’t make them run nine miles for this session, but we did get a workout walking the trails in the park.

Nida + Clay, thanks for being so laid-back and fun during your session! I loved the ideas you brought to the table and really enjoyed collaborating with you. Thanks for so eagerly embracing the concept of #brinsonbanksing, too, haha! I hope you love your photos!!

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Crystal + Dylan, thanks so much for being adventurous and willing to cavort in a random field at magic hour! I always love shooting in new places and am grateful for your enthusiasm over finding a unique location for your session. This shoot was a memorable one for me, and I hope you had as much fun making new memories as I did! I’m pumped about photographing your celebration this fall.

To view all of the photos from Crystal + Dylan’s session and order prints, please visit their gallery on my online print shop!

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Read the Q&A with Stacy + Jay, featured below, to learn more about their engagement session inspiration and photography experience! To view all of the photos from their session and order prints, please visit their gallery on my online print shop!

1. Tell me about you! (The floor is yours: How did you meet? What activities do you enjoy doing as a couple? Who is your celebrity couple doppelganger?)

We met through mutual friends and knew each other for a few years before we got together. Serendipity struck one night at Southern Rail; we had an amazing conversation getting to know each other better, and the rest is history! We love to cook (and eat!), hike, play with our dog Pepper, travel, and do crossword puzzles.

2. Why did you decide to book an engagement session? Was there anything in particular you wanted me to photograph (or avoid…)?

We knew we wanted engagement photos; what else would we have used as pictures for our save-the-dates and wedding invitations? We’re a pretty ridiculous couple, so we knew we wanted our pictures to reflect that. We didn’t want “typical” photos, though of course we wanted to look amazing in them. We hoped to avoid anything that seemed to cliche or staged…we wanted something that showed off how we interact in real life (while also making us look incredible).

3. What was your favorite moment from the engagement session? Favorite photos?

Jay: My favorite moment was really a collections of moments: trying to persuade our dog Pepper to do what we wanted her to do. She never complied. My favorite picture is of me, cross-eyed and Stacy wearing my glasses. I also love the on(s) under the Davie Poplar.

Stacy: My favorite moment was climbing out over the creek in the North Carolina Botanical Garden. We weren’t exactly wearing outdoor footwear but we made it work! It was great to be able to have Pepper in these photos. I think my favorite shots are by the Old Well. It brings back great memories of our time at UNC.

4. What do you plan to do with the engagement photos? (i.e. Wallpaper the hallway? Internet fame? Make a collage of your pup?)

Fairly typical stuff- use them in our official wedding correspondence, frame a few and give them to our parents, stun our friends with how great we look together, the usual. Now that we have them, I am sure we’ll come up with some ridiculous ideas like print them on wrapping paper or coffee mugs.

5. Anything else you’d like to add?

We had a great time! Courtney made the entire session fun and playful. I think we were a bit nervous going in…thinking that there was a “right” or “wrong” way to do engagement photos, but Courtney put all our fears to bed and helped us get over any anxieties we had so that we could have fun and let our true selves show.

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Stacy + Jay, thanks for being your fun, goofy selves throughout this shoot! I had so much fun romping through the trails at the North Carolina Botanical Garden with you and revisiting our Alma Mater and expressing our Tar Heel pride. I hope you love your pictures and even get some laughs out of some of these shots. Enjoy!

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Heidi + Patrick, thanks for being such enthusiastic collaborators with this shoot. You were up for any suggestions and contributed a lot of fun ideas- some of which I had never heard of before! I am excited to photograph your wedding next month and have more fun rollicking in downtown Durham with you. And a big thanks to my fab intern Katy Jones for assisting me with this shoot. You rocked the reflector like a boss.

I hope you enjoy these pictures!

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This shoot was a lot of fun, even if the pups were a bit traumatized by falling in the water. Kennedy + Jenn, thanks for being up for a new adventure in a beautiful spot! You picked one of the most beautiful days of the entire month for our shoot, and I had a blast frolicking in nature with you and your fur babies!

To view all of the photos from their session and order prints, please visit their gallery on my online print shop!

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I spent a cool spring evening photographing Rhea + Craig at one of my favorite spots in Hillsborough: Down Yonder Farm. No engagement session is complete without mean-mugging donkeys, stray chickens, or affectionate cats. Rhea and Craig are an adventurous, easy-going couple who gladly embraced the farmy environment, which made for a fun shoot.

A few words about Down Yonder Farm: this spot is truly special. Susan Gladin and Peter Kramer graciously invite artists (musicians, writers, photographers) to use their farm for events or quiet inspiration. When I first used the farm last year, Peter sat with me (and my client!) for quite some time, cracking us up with his jokes and sharing stories of his own wedding and musical endeavors. He welcomed us with open arms, and at the end of the session he emphasized how much he wanted me and Justin to continue to use the farm for shoots. Peter sadly passed away in December after a hard battle against esophageal cancer, but his legacy lives on in Down Yonder Farm for The Arts. If you would like to read more about Peter, his wife Susan, and DYFA, check out the family’s blog! I didn’t know Peter for very long, but the moments I spent with him were deeply meaningful. I am so grateful for him, Susan, and their wonderful farm.

Rhea and Craig, I am so glad you experienced the joy that is Down Yonder Farm! I couldn’t think of a better couple to share this spot with. I hope you love your photos, and I can’t wait to photograph your wedding this May!

To view all the photos from Rhea + Craig’s session and order prints, please visit their full gallery on my online print shop!

The post Rhea + Craig | Rustic Hillsborough Engagement Session | Hillsborough Portrait Photographer appeared first on Courtney Potter Studio.

Since Anirudh and Suhana are both UNC alums, they chose The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for their spring engagement photo location. Any Tarheel living up out-of-state daydreams about campus in the springtime (especially when there is still snow on the ground up North!) We couldn’t have had a nicer day for this shoot in March- eighty degree weather and sunbeams illuminating the newly blossomed flowers made for a rejuvenating experience after the long winter.

Creatively speaking, one of biggest challenges of shooting at an iconic spot like The Old Well or Coker Arboretum is avoiding visual redundancy (I have lost track of how many times I’ve shot there!). One of my 2015 goals is to really push the envelope with making images- I don’t want to settle for what is comfortable or expected. To challenge myself on this shoot, I brought an assistant to help me work the reflector (thanks Kasha!). This is something I have just recently started doing that creates a more polished look- that extra pop of light makes a huge difference!

Anirudh and Suhana, thank you for making this session such a pleasant experience! I couldn’t think of a better way to spend the first real day of spring in North Carolina. I hope you love these photos, and I can’t wait to to photograph your wedding this August!

To view all of the photos from Anirudh + Suhana’s session and order prints, please visit their online gallery on my print shop!

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