Central Park's Most Romantic Spot

     It was November 13th and I get a  call from Ryan a High school friend who has some wonderful news!   He found his true love who he wanted to spend the rest of his life with!   He was planning on proposing while on a day trip to New York on Thanksgiving eve with his girlfriend Nicole and had thought of me and my photographic services to really make this day something to remember!  I was thrilled and said yes I would love to help document this day which you will remember for always!
  
     Few days before our journey to NY I look at the weather and realize were looking at showers and thunderstorms all day!  I let Ryan know and we still keep our plans and hope for the best!  As a mainly portrait photographer I am use to being involved with directing my shoot with my clients to be able to capture the best images.  With the weather being so iffy Ryan and I began to start brainstorming other ideas to capture this wedding proposal!
    Together we finally we come up with a brilliant plan which went something like this.....

Operation Proposal

 10:15 I arrive at Central Park and I begin to ask for more directions on how to get to walk to Wollman Rink.
10:25 I arrive to Wollman Rink to discover due to the massive amounts of rain the previous night the rink was not open!  I text Ryan immediately to let him know.  I continue to await Ryan and Nicoles arrival to the Rink
11:05  I spot Ryan from affar I have my 70-200mm paparazzi lens ready to go and be far enough away they couldnt see me!  I begin to photograph them looking at the beautiful view from Wollmans Rink of the Plaza hotel!

11:10 Ryan and Nicole begin to wander around Central Park.  Mind you we are flying by the seat of our pants now with our plan!!!!  The ice was closed, so now what!!!!!!   I continue to stalk the couple hiding behind tree's, and rocks trying to get some awesome candid shots.  I had to be very careful while following them in central park because if my cover was blown and Nicole saw me, then the next part of Ryan's surprise would have been ruined.

11:20   After Ryan and Nicole take several photos together they proceed and continue walking around Central Park...Little does Nicole know that she is being followed by a photographer that her soon to be fiancee hired to come to NY with them! 

11:30  The 2nd part of the plan is to check out the Belevdere Castle.  I find out from a woman who sees me acting suspicious with my camera (who i did explain what I was doing there) that the Castle is within walking distance and the subway would take just as long as walking.  I text Ryan this info!





 12:00  We make it finally to the Castle!  It is still pouring rain and we arrive to find a overhang to get out of the rain.  However over 3 dozen other children on a school trip found this overhang as well.   Again I am wondering how this is going to work.   I see Ryan and Nicole arrive to the same overhang.   I get my camera out and my phone out and pray that these kids will LEAVE ASAP!!!   My prayers were answered they left immediately!    SHOW TIME

I look down at my phone and start to appear upset and anxious!  Ryan and Nicole are down a few steps looking out over the beautiful landscape over central park and the New York city skyline!  I speak up to them and say "Excuse me...Hi I know this may sound kinda weird, but I was wondering and hoping you two can help me out!."  As they near closer I introduce myself "Hi I'm Amy.  I'm a freelance photographer here in NY and I was contracted to photograph a few of the Top Romantic locations in Central Park for a local blogger.  I was suppose to meet a couple here that just told me now that they couldn't make it due to the weather!  I really need to get these photos to the writer of the Blog by tomorrow and I'm out of time to make anything else work!   You two are a cute couple do you think I could take a few shots of you guys here?  I'll certainly share them with you too online! 
12:05  Ryan and Nicole look at each other, smile and respond with "Sure why not!"   I get their names and I begin to start to pose them and take a few different shots under this awesome overhang!

12:10 Then we take a walk down to below the castle and I find this great curved walkway with the most beautiful wood fence ever!  To top this romantic location off was that there was still a few yellow leaves stuck to the tree hanging over the walkway, as well as, leaves lining the path which popped out against the wet damp pavement!   We were still taking photos as were all talking about the day and the rain, and how they were supose to be ice skating!  I elaborated how I have postings on Craigslist to help find work and that's how I got this assignment with this blogger.

12:12  After some great shots, I arrange them for the last shot.  I was doing a depth of feild shot I told them where Nicole would be posed up front and be in focus and Ryan would be in the distance out of focus!  Ryan knew this was his Que it was time!!!!  As I'm taking these photos Ryan is digging deep into his pocket and pulling out the ring and sneaking up behind Nicole who is posing perfectly for my shot!

12:14  As I tell Nicole I got the shot and I look down at my camera, she turns around to look for Ryan.  She finds him on one knee with a beautiful ring in his hand!  I then proceed to continue to photograph the big moment unfold!  Ryan says to Nicole " Nicki you are the most amazing person in the world to me. I am completely in love with you.  I cannot imagine not seeing your smiling face each and every day for the rest of my life!  I'll always be there for you.  I vow to do whatever it takes to make you happy, and keep you safe. Will you Marry me!"

12:15  Nicole is crying and saying "Yes"  I yes am still taking photos!  Nicole looks over at me then at Ryan and says "Did you plan this?"  "Do you guys know each other?"  Ryan and I respond with "No we don't know each other"  I say "OMG I didn't know what was going on, I just saw Ryan on his knee with a ring and I just kept snapping... Ryan did you have planned to propose today!!!?"   Ryan responds with a smile on his face from ear to ear " I had planned on being on the ice right now with you and doing it then, but then when it was closed I didn't know what I was going to do.  Then when Amy came along I just thought on my feet and thought this would be pretty cool."

We take a few more celebratory photos before "Amy the NY Photographer" departs to leave the two love birds to enjoy the rest of their day! 
In the following weeks I had made a fake email account for "Amy" to email the images to Nicole and Ryan to have for the holidays to show to their families, so my cover wasn't blown!

All time favorite shot!!!  Love everything about it!

   
For a whole month Nicole has believed that I really was just a photographer who really lived in NY who just happened to be involved in her wedding proposal!  Nicole will be opening a book that Ryan and I had put together for her to open tonight on Christmas Eve which will reveal our surprise for the best romantic proposal and Christmas gift ever rolled into one!  Nicole, I cannot wait to meet you again and introduce myself as Rachel Beck potentially your wedding photographer!!!  I loved being a part of this special occasion and I would love to continue to document the unfolding of your future life together!  Merry Christmas!

Fall Photo Sessions

Fall is my favorite season as well as my favorite season to photograph in.  I love the smell of fires, and crisp air, and enjoy getting a new wardrobe out to wear.  Sweater weather, means I can wear my boots again!

  I feel like Autumn is a lot like my photography style.  Colorful, Fun, and beautiful to look at.  Leaves make a great prop to throw up in the air, or catch as they are falling off the trees. 


The colors of the trees are spectacular and makes for the best backgrounds!   Check out some of my favorite shots from this Fall's sessions.











 Remember its never too late to update a family photo!  Documenting your families growth is something you can ever go back and do over again!  Having a short session with Rachel Beck Photography will ensure that you have a great time doing something different and together with you family.  As well as, allows you to have a photograph to cherish into the future no matter what may come your way!





Few Favorites From Grace & Ruth's Mommy n Me session:  Ruth and I went to College together and I have loved keeping in touch with her and helping preserve memories for her and her beautiful little girl.

 Dawson & Chase Fall Fun Portraits:  These cuties I get to be with for a few hours every week for the past 2 years almost!  Love watching them grow! This is a surprise Christmas gift for their parents. Hope shes not reading my blog! lol

Large Family Portraits:  Always needs to happen.  Make a time during a special occasion when everyone is all together to schedule a portrait session. 

 This family was celebrating their mothers birthday and gathered in Doylestown to meet me prior to heading to dinner.


















Maternity sessions gone outdoors:  My first time venturing outdoors for a pregnancy session and I fell in love with Angela and Richard and these photos we captured where Richard proposed to Angela~

Rachel & Nate just moved here from Sunny California.  I met this cool family in Vegas in April while attending her brothers wedding as a guest!  Small world.

 They have moved to Newtown and I was so happy to see them again and get some beautiful Halloween photos with the kids and new photos to send out with their "We have moved" cards! 


October is nearly over and wishing the leaves didnt fall so quickly!  Hurry and contact me to get some Fun Fall photos!  Sitting fees are $50.00 and I have a plethora of package options for you and your family.  Loving my life and what my business is becoming.  Thanks for reading and please come again!

Referral program.
If you referr a wedding to me you will recieve a free family session including 5 digital images Valued at $200.00. 
If you refer 2 families you get a free session with Rachel Beck valued at $50.00

New Office Space

The time has finally arrived when an office space was necessary.   In mid July my wonderful supportive parents and I took a drive around the area looking for available office units.  We looked at 3 places and 748 Bethlehem Pike in Springhouse Pa was the perfect fit!

The days of meeting with potential brides and grooms at Starbucks have ceased!  The online proofing concept is now a in person meeting to preview your photos together with me to help assist you with making choices for your package.  Now I can have the joy of seeing your faces when looking at the artful portraits I have captured for you which was the last piece of my happy business puzzle which needed to come together.





Once signing the lease in early August my Mother Debbie and I went to town shopping for furniture, curtains, and designing the look for my 1st office space!   Day 1 we found the cute pillows for the sofa which inspired us to go with the red and black motif.  We returned to Costco to purchase the last leather sofa, and last two zebra chairs that were available!   Stacy the wonderful woman at JC Penny's helped us make curtian decisions which brought the rooms together.





       Few trips to Ikea,
shopping online to find a black desk, 
and the look was almost complete...












 48 inch flat screen TV brings your photos to life! 
Coffee table full of my wonderful album designs.

I spent hours to choose what images to hang on my walls to represent my best work.  Finally once day all the canvas gallery wraps and the frames were all ready to go be placed around on the walls of my office!

  My Mom and I hung them with care, discussing each ones placement in detail.  Once stepping back and seeing the completed product, was over whelming!  It was then that I realized how far I have come in such a short period of time and how lucky I am to have been able to make a small business a success within the first 3 years.  I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for me and my photography.

Thank you to everyone who helps support Rachel Beck Photography. Surly none of this would be possibly without you! 

Manayunk Mania

Another favorite spot of mine for engagement photos is downtown in Manayunk!  I was introduced to a few select spots from a bride of mine last year Beth and Courtney!  Every time I got there to shoot, I remember the 1st time going there with those two!  I just had a not so photogenic couple before them.

Then once I get to meet Beth and Courtney I fell in love, and it was one of my best sessions at that point in my career last summer!

 Never had seen two people more in love!  The photos prove it!







Here is some of what I have done in Manayunk over the past year!

Roxy their dog really made some of the photos!

Hey Roxy!

one of my favorites!

Always looking for new doors, or textures to shoot on.  This Garage door new!  

Cathy and Zach :)

                                             Lauren & Tom<3          

 Lauren & Tom cancelled with their original photographer once seeing their engagement photos from him!  Rachel Beck Photography was always their first choice, so glad that they ended up booking with me.  I insisted on re shooting their engagement session for them, and lucky we did!  They are incredible images as well.  This day was a 98 degree humid as all heck day!  We met for an adult beverage before starting our session, and got out into the heat, and got done and have beautiful photos where you will never know how hot it was that day!

A Testimonial Which I'll Treasure Forever!

Dina and Dwayne a couple of mine was introduced to me by my best friend and Event Coordinator Sarah Morrison with All About Events.   Working with this couple was more than a pleasure and I cannot wait to help document many more moment within their future together!   Dina wrote to me a beautiful testimonial which brought tears to my eyes!  Thank you two for every kind word written.....

Rachel,

Until now, I have never written a testimonial or even a review for a product because (as bad as this sounds) I never cared enough to make the effort.  This is my first testimonial and one that I feel is greatly deserved.  

When we first met you, Dwayne and I had such a great feeling about you and instantly knew that the job was yours (despite having met with several other photographers as part of our due diligence process).  You have been a consummate professional throughout our wedding process and have greatly exceeded our expectations.  On the "day of", you were literally everywhere, and captured photos that we weren't even aware were taken.  Your talent, professionalism, and energy level also were noticed by many of our friends/wedding guests, who have repeatedly commented that our photographer was amazing . . . and we could not agree more.  

Funny true story . . . Dwayne and I attended a birthday party last evening and a few of our friends (who were also guests at our wedding) commented about the photographer taking pictures at the party that "she was no Rachel Beck"!  LOL

The pictures that you took at our wedding (and during our engagement session) were absolutely beautiful and the turnaround time for getting the images back to us was extremely fast.  Moreover, with some many great photos to choose from, we truly appreciate your willingness to sit down and help us pick the perfect shots for our wedding book.  

It is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that we would highly recommend you, as a premier photographer, to anyone who asks and we look forward to being able to use your services again to capture the next of many happy life events . . . Rachel, you are officially our "photographer for life"! :-)

With love and respect,

Dina and Dwayne Edghill

Table #'s created from our Engagement Session!

Baby Mason

Funny story about this family.  I was contacted by them via Google to capture some maternity images before giving birth.  We confirmed the session the night prior and I show up to their house and no ones home.  Here Allie had gone into labor late in the evening!  Missed getting the pregnancy photos, however meeting this little bundle of joy and seeing the incredible images we captured once he passed out!

My favorite shot!!!

Little did I know when arriving at this lovely couples home, would I be leaving with some of the most precious and outstanding newborn photos to date!  Hope to be able to watch little Mason grow up by documenting milestones throughout this families future.