Preparations for any session involving flowers in Korea necessarily happen very close to the shoot date. In the case of Brandon’s proposal, we were aiming for the buckwheat flowers on Jeju Island, which typically last a couple of weeks at best. They bloom and stay a beautiful white during that time before quickly turning brown and leaving just the green fields behind. As with flowers like the cherry blossoms, timing really is key with the buckwheat flowers.
In preparation for the proposal, I headed to our location and scouted several different possibilities for Brandon two weeks before the session. We discussed the different possibilities and how they might play out. In the end, he chose a gorgeous spot looking down a path of Jeju’s famous volcanic rock fences leading to a tree with fields of buckwheat flowers on each side.
On the shoot day, I arrived just before the couple to set up a video of the moment and place a bouquet of red roses to augment the scene. Once they arrived, Brandon took it away just as we’d discussed with a heartfelt video he had made that helped them relive all the emotions they’d felt together until that day. This gave me a great opportunity to capture a lot of different emotions and compositions. Finally, Brandon took Mindy’s hands, made his speech, and asked for her hand in marriage.
Our chosen day ended up being slightly foggy and overcast, which brought a different, but equally beautiful feeling to what we had expected. The evenness of the light meant that we could shoot anywhere without harsh shadows and carried through the deep green of the buckwheat. Since we’re unable to enter the park until the 9am opening time, this was perfect. That timing is a few hours after sunrise and means that the light would have been harsh if we’d had a perfectly clear day.
Following the proposal, we moved around the fields together and made several images before the crowds picked up and getting a clean frame became difficult. By that time, we were all in need of a morning coffee anyway, so we parted ways and the couple headed over to one of Jeju’s famous coffee/Instagram spots, Orrrn, to get their fix.
A big congratulations to Brendan and Mindy again. I hope you guys have a wonderful wedding and a great start to your lives together. Thanks again for entrusting me with this moment in your lives.
Looking to have your own proposal photographed? I’d love to hear from you. Please reach out! Don’t forget to follow my Instagram as well for updates!
