Ok, maybe that’s a little more dramatic that it really deserves to be… But I’m entitled to a little drama from time to time – it’s my website. Besides, every story is better with a little, how do you say, flare. So yeah, the grassy knoll, that’s what I’m going with.
So I’m helping my girlfriend’s work friend pack up and move out of her apartment in Falls Church, VA one crisp November morning since I had no shoots or plans that day otherwise. We get there early enough to see that we were late and much of the hard lifting had already taken place – accidentally, I swear. But there was plenty left to do and we got started right away. We helped carry stuff down the stairs and through the courtyard to the moving truck parked as nearby as possible. Until we’d emptied the whole apartment save a roll of paper towel and the pizza (and beer) we’d ordered to take a break. Finally it was pizza time.
While eating pizza, Brandon, another work colleague of my girlfriend who had joined us to help with the move (and who had done much of the heavy lifting) asked what I had on my agenda for the rest of the day. I made small talk for a minute before asking him what he had planned for the rest of the day. He calmly looked at me and said that he was planning to propose to his girlfriend that afternoon.
And just like that, our conversation changed. He had the ring in his car – the story just kept getting more and more hilarious. So we discussed photography and the plan began to come together. This was a first.
I got the call from Brandon that it was time and my girlfriend (my cover in the grassy knoll) and I jumped into my packed and ready car and raced (carelessly disregarding almost all posted speed limit signs – sorry officer) out to Old Town Alexandria where Brandon and his unsuspecting girlfriend were enjoying a chilly-but-romantic picnic by the water. We parked, geared up, and sent him the “you’re on in two minutes” text as we briskly, but casually, walked over to take our place. Brandon was, in comical form, fumbling around with every possession he’d brought to the park in an effort to keep Meg relaxed and enjoying the afternoon. Meg later described Brandon as “weird all day long”. Guess it wasn’t quite as casual as he’d thought.
Finally Brandon figured out the blocking for the big moment and after retrieving the ring from their bag, it was time for him to make his move. Not even Steven Spielberg could have better staged this one… Nice work, Brandon.
Needless to say, she said yes. And spent a moment in shock and joy before discovering “some guy taking pictures of us”. Brandon calmly responded, “I know”. I mean, what else was he supposed to say, he did know?
After getting the shots I wanted, we came over to officially be the first to congratulate them (sorry to Brandon and Meg’s family, we beat you to it!). We all enjoyed a good laugh but kept it brief, we didn’t want to intrude on their special afternoon – especially now that it’d gotten much more special. Knowing Brandon, I’d come prepared with a victory cigar for him since after hearing his nervousness approaching the big moment, I felt he needed a little pat on the back. And before we left, I snapped a few engagement photos of the couple at the scene of the crime.
Congratulations, guys! Enjoy it.
