Jen reached out to me earlier this year for her 2021 wedding. When she told me that her fiancé is a firefighter and she is a nurse, I was really excited! Jen told me she wanted to incorporate the fire department in her engagement session. Immediately I had visions of the fire trucks and lights flashing behind them. I could not wait!
We were having abnormally warm fall weather on the day of their fire department engagement session. The weather can be so hit or miss in the fall, it made me happy to have such a beautiful day for their session. I drove down to Somerset, just south of Jackson, to start at the station. Scott is the Fire Chief so we had free reign of all the equipment and trucks. I was like a kid in a candy store, I could have photographed there forever.
Fire Department Engagement
Jen had brought a variety of outfits and let me pick which ones I thought would look best with the locations. It’s so much fun for me to get to pick out what my couples wear for a couple reasons. First, it ensures that the outfits are going to work well together and not clash. Secondly, I can guide my couples towards clothes that will photograph the best with the chosen locations. Sometimes there’s certain patterns and colors that just do not come across well in photos, and if I can save them the disappointment ahead of time then I am more than happy to do that.
We started their fire department engagement session on the newly washed firetruck. Jen painted her nails black and red, which was perfect for the photos! I had them cuddle up together on the front bumper to get warmed up. A lot of couples are nervous in the beginning of the session. However after I do a few poses and show them what I see, they end up relaxing. It really helps when they realize they aren’t as awkward as they think they are.
McCourtie Park
From there we moved around the fire station for a few more images, then packed up to go across the street to McCourtie Park. The park is a large, historic estate set on 42 acres and features 17 gorgeous cement bridges. It is a wildly popular place for Jackson photographers, so you’ll have to be patient or very strategic if you decide to use that location. I had to position myself to cover up other photographers or families getting their photos done in the background. Due to the popularity you’ll also be waiting to use a specific spot on the property while another photographer finishes up. It’s not a big inconvenience at all, but just something to keep in mind.
For more firefighter engagement session ideas, check out Chris & Lola’s photos.
