Who said it is too cold out for a portrait? Even though most of the leaves are down and the countryside lies dormant, January is still a beautiful time for an engagement portrait. Many of the couples I meet become engaged around the holidays. Then the planning begins! A good photo of themselves as a couple is a must. Christa and Jonathan are both busy doctors at Duke Hospital. She is a neurologist and he is an orthopedic surgeon. They are planning a December 2012 wedding at Fearrington Village.

They wanted their photos to be simple, classic and real. The trick is to get past the fact that you are posing for a photographer to find some real moments. I tend to just let the couples interact with each other with light direction. This way their real personalities come through and moments abound. I always try to do some verticals as well as horizontals so they have lots of options for save the dates. Thanks for a fun afternoon, Jonathan and Christa!