Jeff Cooke Photography » Engagements

Sarah + Dustin Engaged

Jeff Cooke — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 13:46:23 +0000

Sometimes, my favorite shoots are all about creativity, where the couple has no set plans for their images and wants the shoot to be full of fresh ideas, creativity and imagination. This was one of those shoots. We began Sarah and Dustin’s engagement shoot sharing time with their beautiful bernese mountain dogs. After that, we headed out to capture the couple with no real destination in mind. I was looking for a place that was fun, different, and unique for their shoot, as I love it when a couple trusts their wedding photographer to use his creative eye. The chosen location was great, a setting that had a very “trash the dress” feel to it. They totally rocked the shoot, making my job easy. This is a wedding that I am looking forward to shooting at the beautiful Glen Arbour Golf Course, just outside of Halifax. Sarah and Dustin are a great couple, and I cant wait to capture their special day.

Cottage Country

Jeff Cooke — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 14:46:43 +0000

I have been to Chester, Nova Scotia for many sailing trips with my best friend’s family over the years so I knew it would be an amazing place for photos when Andrea and Mark asked to meet there for their engagement session. Mark’s family cottage is in a sweet spot overlooking a little cover off the Chester Basin, so this was definitely the obvious spot to get some great photos of the two with an amazing backdrop that only Nova Scotia can provide. I’ll be seeing Mark & Andrea again this fall when they tee up at Ashburn Golf Course for their I DOs!

On the way home, Jenn and I drove past an old motorcycle parked on a quiet Quinpool road in Halifax and I had to stop to try out a shot idea that I had been thinking about for an upcoming trash the dress session. This is another example of why I love having Jenn on board.

She Said … YES!

Jeff Cooke — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 15:26:53 +0000

Usually engagement sessions are scheduled in the months leading up to a wedding once a couple becomes engaged. But in this case, Andrew took the idea of engagement session literally. He was planning on popping the question to Mairead where they met at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, so we strategized a few days before and came up with a plan to have the moment captured with photos. The plan basically involved me being out of sight spying on the couple as things unfolded. I’m sure that I looked out of place – standing in the wet weather, dressed in black, tucked behind a tree with camera gear in hand, waiting … and as they approached, I noticed their umbrella read “merde, il pluet” – how fitting. She said yes and it was a perfect moment – and thankfully, campus security didn’t stop by and ruin my cover …

Those who have worked with me know how I love to capture those “real” moments, so I have to say, it was a pretty exciting shoot for me – I’m sure Andrew would agree for his own reasons! Congrats guys and I look forward to ringing in 2011 with you at your New Year’s Eve wedding.

Law Abiding Citizens

Jeff Cooke — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 14:06:47 +0000

Gayle and Brent were visiting Halifax from Ontario to celebrate Gayle’s graduation from Law school. Although their wedding isn’t till 2011, the couple took a moment away from their busy weekend to meet up for a few engagement photos. With Brent being a Professor and Gayle a recent Law student, I thought the Dal Library would be a perfect spot for a few shots.

Speaking of Law Abiding Citizens, within 24 hours of this shoot, my wife and I managed to rack up a total of 5 tickets from the Halifax Regional Municipality: 1 traffic ticket, 1 ticket for talking on a cell phone, 2 tickets for lack of paperwork in the car and 1 ticket for failing to obey a traffic signal or sign. Not bad for a day’s work – I guess the Halifax police were out in full force before the long week-end!

Make Some Magic

Jeff Cooke — Wed, 26 May 2010 13:46:43 +0000

I met Sheila and Ross very early one morning while they were in Halifax visiting for the weekend. The early morning meet-up time was impressive since they had taken in the Halifax pub scene the night before – it’s definitely hard to call it a night when you are surrounded by good music, friends and beer ‘Nova Scotia style’, but even after a late night they were up and ready to turn out some great engagement photos. Thanks guys & I’ll see you soon when you return for your Maritime wedding at historic Pier 21.

Beachy Keen

Jeff Cooke — Wed, 19 May 2010 18:40:42 +0000

With summer right around the corner, I’ll be getting a chance to visit more and more of Nova Scotia’s amazing beaches. I can’t complain since pretty much any spot along Nova Scotia’s coastline makes for stunning photographs. I recently visited Lawrencetown beach with Robyn & Egist who will be married next month at the Inverary Resort in Cape Breton. We pretty much had the place to ourselves and the two had a lot of fun letting lose in front of the camera before their big day.

Hay … Smile!

Jeff Cooke — Mon, 17 May 2010 13:32:57 +0000

I headed out to Middleton, NS last week to meet up with Shannon and two of her favorite guys: Steven, her groom to be, and Tom, her beautiful horse. I was happy to incorporate Tom into their photos and had so much fun reflecting their country roots into things. We scheduled our engagement shoot hoping for a Nova Scotia sunset – and the vast view we had of the Middleton skyline did not disappoint. Nova Scotia just continues to amaze me with all of its beautiful places! I look forward to continuing with this theme at their wedding this summer at the beautiful Hatfield farms!

Alyson & Darryl Engaged!

Jeff Cooke — Wed, 12 May 2010 17:16:28 +0000

Meeting Alyson and Darryl at the Dingle in Halifax for an early morning engagement session brought back memories of catching crabs and starfishes there as a kid (although this time I wasn’t scared of running into any ghosts or witches in the Dingle tower). We all managed to stay dry, although their dog Wedge eventually decided to chase a few ducks and take a dip! I’m looking forward to working with them again this September at their wedding, which will be held at the Noggins Corner Farm Market just outside Wolfville, Nova Scotia.

Bon Voyage!

Jeff Cooke — Sun, 09 May 2010 12:45:13 +0000

Photographing this newly engaged couple was quite special as everything had a sort of “see you soon” feel to it. In a few days, Dave will be saying goodbye to Crystal when he deploys to Afghanistan for 8 months with the Provincial Reconstruction Team for the Kandahar province. He’ll be working to help facilitate infrastructure improvements which makes for a generally better quality of life for locals in the area and, in turn, improves security for everyone. Coming from a family with a naval background, I have the utmost respect and am forever grateful for what our men and women in uniform do for our country and the rest of the world … safe travels Dave!

Bug Spray and Lifejackets Required

Jeff Cooke — Sat, 08 May 2010 23:12:53 +0000

Last week I headed out with Will and Selena to their camp, which is nestled in a little cove on Conrod’s Lake just outside of Halifax in Chezzetcook. There are no roads that reach this beautiful, remote spot, so we packed up my gear in their boat and pushed off for the five minute ride up the lake. Once we were away from the dock, the motor was having some trouble starting and we started drifting … doesn’t sound so bad … until I noticed that we were gaining speed and headed towards a damn with a 10 foot drop! I had a mini panic attack as I envisioned the boat going belly up with all my gear sinking to the bottom of the river. Just before I reached the point heaving everything overboard towards the shore, Will saved the day and we sped off.

I also realized that living in the south for 10 years must have sweetened my blood because those Nova Scotia blackflies certainly loved me. I had forgotten how they come out in full force this time of year – shooting with a swarm of blackflies around your head certainly has its challenges! The trip was well worth it I can definitely see why this spot is so special to this soon-to-be-married couple. I’m looking forward to photographing their wedding, and as a result of this whole experience, I’ll be heading to MEC to pick up a waterproof dry pack for all my gear, a can of bug spray and will be reviewing my insurance policy!

Melanie & David Engaged

Jeff Cooke — Wed, 05 May 2010 17:08:37 +0000

I first met Melanie years ago when my family moved next door to her in Fall River … and now, 23 years later, we are coordinating the photography details for her upcoming fall wedding at the beautiful Island Sunset Resort and Spa in Margaree Harbour. Melanie and David are avid rowers, so we decided to meet up at the Mic Mac Rowing club in Dartmouth to capture some fun photos in a setting that compliments their personalities.

Jordan, Tommy & Their Newfoundland Love

Jeff Cooke — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 13:40:45 +0000

Anyone who knows me knows that I love big, happy, playful dogs, so when Jordan mentioned that their 6 month old Newfoundland would be coming along for our shoot, I was excited to include him. Samson has a heart of gold and wasn’t the least bit camera shy … in fact at times he stole the spotlight from the soon-to-be married couple. Thankfully, he never managed to take the picnic table for a walk and just watched patiently, waiting for us to wrap things up. Seeing this fun-loving couple with their new ‘baby’ brought back some great memories of when Susie and I added our first four-legged family member. Such an exciting time in Jordan and Tommy’s lives – I can’t wait to be there to capture their I-dos this August!

Anna + Jack Engaged!

Jeff Cooke — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 20:18:54 +0000

Anna & Jack were a treat to work with … I love the obvious comfort between these two, which was easy considering they’ve been together since high school. They are playful and real – two of my favorite traits in a couple – and I can’t wait to see what a fun celebration their wedding is going to be. Here are a few of my favourites from our recent engagement session …

I guess the danger sign was there for a reason (it was sort of a Twilight meets Fright Night moment) – the look on Anna’s face says it all …

The Key To An Engagement Session …

Jeff Cooke — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 15:08:05 +0000

A great couple, beautiful daughter and gorgeous beach outside Halifax on a foggy Nova Scotia evening are all the makings for a fun shoot, but I also learned the hard way that a foggy night on the beach can also lead to lost car keys. Thanks to iPhone lighting and the keen eye of Dan, no tow trucks were required and, as you can see from the pics below, we had an overall great evening! What a way to end a fantastic shoot … a big thanks to Dan & Kim for the talented beachcombing.

This actually isn’t the first time I have lost my keys and, as my wife reminded me (thanks Sus – I can always count on you to remind me of the details!), the last time I lost them, I was working too. I guess sometimes I get a little too into the moment during shoots and don’t notice important things like car keys falling out of my pocket. So my first purchase of the day (after a Tim’s coffee) will be a tether cord that I can use to physically attach my keys to me. So to all my brides, don’t worry – now I can keep on rocking photo shoots and don’t have to worry about being stranded on location – problem solved!

Date Night

Jeff Cooke — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:45:43 +0000

Dai works offshore for a few weeks at a time and life is very busy with their children, so Dai and Niki always make time for a date night when he is home. Last week on a very spring-like Halifax day, they decided to check out a Halifax hot spot for dinner. I tagged along with them in the early evening and we took advantage of the amazing weather to get some fun shots of just the two of them around the city.