It was a pleasure to photograph another young and happy couple. Aren't they just glowing? So many stylized family and couples portraits are set in simple naturalistic settings and are adorned with picnic paraphernalia, antique picture frames, or chalkboards. The usual viewers are usually left wondering whether the picnic truly involved the consumption and enjoyment of actual food and beverage, or whether it was all merely staged; they may be left wondering what priceless portrait of George Washington was carelessly cast aside for its frame, or whether the picture is only a photograph of a photograph; they may even be left wondering whether chalk was used to write on a real chalkboard or whether it was an optical illusion. Still, the intrigue and uncertainty of these simple props create a romantic and simplistic charm that gives these engagement photos the radiating energy and warmth of young love.
Wait a minute... who is that in the background?
It appears that various bystanders were unaware of the romantic photo shoot taking place (perhaps they could not resist the warmth and love that radiated from the props... and the couple, of course). This caused the widely known effect we call the
PhotoBomb.
Someday this lovely couple will have a beautiful family; they will enjoy family trips to the beach, they will drive their kids to soccer practice... just like this countryside bystander is already dropping the kids off at the pool.
Bitter, loveless people grumble and groan about all the "mushy gushy crap" in the typical engagement photos.
But we embrace it.
The tender words on engagement photo chalkboards help the body-language-impaired to understand the love the couple shares. Sometimes, however, the words may add an unexpected tone to the loving body language captured in the photograph.
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