I first met my wife Laura at work. We were both first grade teachers at a public school in North Carolina, forced to spend time together in the name of collegiality and collaboration. After a year flirting, we hopped into a relation and the rest is history. From 2007 until 2018, my wife and I spent nearly every minute of every day in close proximity to one another. We worked together, slept together, ate together, and played together. Sure, we found time to do our own thing. We had lives without each other. But, if I looked at a graph, I would be willing to wager that more than 75% of the past decade was been spent within shouting distance of each other. I enjoyed being close to my wife. It was a comfort knowing that she, more often than not, was either by my side or just around the corner. Now, as a professional photographer in Japan taking on a range of assignments, I am often on the road, far from my wife (and son), too far for me to be comfortable about the distance. This is one of the toughest parts of the job. But, at the end of a week-long project or commission, I get to return home to family and pick right back up where we left off. Similar to the first phases of my relationship, some couples spend nearly every waking hour together. Other couples are forced to make long-distance work, connected only by Facetime, text messages, and their love for one another. Every relationship is different and as a couples portrait photographer in Tokyo, I am always interested to hear my client's story. I recently heard from Mary who, like so many others, is currently away from the one she loves. While the decision to be afar is what is best for the couple's future, the fact remains that the distance is not an easy burden to bear. Mary wrote: Hey Andy! I will be in Tokyo for work from August through October. Thankfully, my fiancé will be visiting me during the first two weeks of September. I want to get engagement photos taken in Tokyo while we are both there, something special to commemorate our time together (as we will celebrate our 4 year anniversary this coming November). This will be my second time in Japan, but John's first so we really need to default to your experience and expertise in regard to location. Neither of us are huge fans of the heat, and I am usually anti-sun. A late afternoon or evening shoot may be the better option, but I will leave that up to you as far as your availability and what is best for light. I was, of course, pleased to hear from Mary and wanted to create a session that not only showcased the couple's love, but that would also be a bit of a souvenir from Tokyo. After chatting back and forth with Mary and John, we decided that my two-hour couples offering would compliment their vision of an ideal portrait experience. Two hours would give us enough time to relax and not run through our location choices. It would also provide us the opportunity to create some stunning imagery that the couple could use for a variety of purposes. I presented two route options to Mary and John. After a bit of deliberation, the couple opted for a long loop around Shinjuku station, the world's most used transportation hub. We would spend an afternoon together shooting in the various locations found around Tokyo's well-known neighborhood. Our plan was to hit some iconic spots like Omoide Yokocho and Golden Gai. But I also wanted to take the couple of a few locations less traveled by the throngs of tourists smashed tightly in places like Shinjuku or Shibuya. In the end, I had a blast with Mary and John. They were both so calm, flexible, and easy to work with (my ideal clients). I was thrilled to present them with a collection of images that will hopefully remind them of their special time together in Tokyo and that can add a bit of happiness while the couple is oceans apart. Are you interested in scheduling a pre-wedding, honeymoon, or vacation photography session? If so, take a look at my couples photography services and then contact me today to begin planning your custom session in Tokyo, throughout Japan, or beyond. More Couples Photography
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