Christine and David’s photo session in Manhattan was huge fun.  No wonder, when working with a couple who had oodles of personality, and had no hesitation in playing for the camera.  Christine and David, I can only imagine that photographing your wedding will be as great a time.

For more images, do check out the photo gallery on Facebook.

Merisa and Sam were another couple who was just so much fun to work with!  The photo session started at the apartments where they origally met a few years back, and from there we went to Skylands Manor to grab the last bit of Fall colour still to be seen.

Merisa and Sam, see you in a few weeks again at your wedding.

I’m so flattered to photograph Casey and Shane’s wedding in 2011, and that they wanted to book with me so far in advance .  So after our meeting, we did their engagement photo session immediately afterwards - using some of the last remnants of Fall colours for these these romantic portraits.   Casey and Shane … thank you!  I know we’ll have just as much fun on your wedding day. 

I have to try not to over-use the word ‘fun’ on these posts on my latest photo shoots.  This is tough though, since the very idea with the engagement photo sessions is to have fun, and get lovely relaxed portraits of the couples whose weddings I will be photographing.  And then I have a photo session with a couple like Theresa and Jason – they were just so spontaneous and I simply have to try and keep up and grab the images as they play around and dance and just act their own crazy selves.  And the only way to describe the photo session is … that it was a whole lot of fun!

Oh, and there was this thing about a sandwich.  (Don’t ask me!)

Theresa and Jason .. thank you for a great shoot.  I really look forward to your wedding next year!

It seems like we didn’t have much of a Fall this year here in New Jersey .. but for Jill and Mike’s photo session we did have some nice weather, and the beautiful autumn backdrop of the grounds at Skylands Manor.  And I’ll let the photos here stand as proof of what a great photo session it was.   Jill and Mike, thank you .. I had a good time working with the two of you, and look forward to your wedding next year.

Another great photo session – this time with a cute playful couple, Rowena and Jared.  We spent part of the afternoon roaming around the Liberty State park area looking for interesting spots .. and I really like what we came up with.  Rowena and Jared .. see you in a few weeks at your wedding!

It’s always a pleasure doing an engagement photo session – it’s a nice time to meet up with a couple for a photo session and get to know them a little before their wedding.  Even more of a pleasure with a couple like Jennifer and John who is relaxed in front of the camera and fun to work with ..

This is perhaps an uncharacteristically serious image of Jennifer and John, but I like it.

Jennifer and John .. see you at your wedding in a few weeks’ time.

Denise and Phil chose the Jersey shore for the location of their engagement session .. and with the late afternoon light gradually turning into a dramatic warm glow and with such a hot couple, this was just a fantastic photo session!   Denise & Phil .. see you next year at your wedding!

Jen & David – anniversary photo session from Neil van Niekerk on Vimeo.
[ if the video is choppy, let the clip buffer completely first, or turn off HD ]

Jennifer and David met up with me on their first wedding anniversary for a photo session in the same place where we had their engagement photo session – Skylands Manor in Ringwood, NJ. The estate grounds always make for beautiful and varied settings for portrait sessions. It was also a nice opportunity to catch up again with them now, a year after their wedding. Jen and David, thanks again and do keep in touch.

A few of the images from the session that were used in the clip ..

For Milene and Don’s engagement portrait session, we decided on doing the photo session at Fairleigh Dickinson University (NJ), since that is where they had met the first time.  As a photographer it is always more interesting to explore the area without preconceived ideas, and find interesting spots and angles … allowing me to give the couple images which are unique to them.

Milene and Don, I had a great time during the photo session .. we’ll do the same again soon at your wedding!