Favorites from 2023
Some of my favorite photos from a busy 2023 as a family and lifestyle photographer in Worcester.
Last year was a real hectic year here at Tom Godfrey Photography and for Tom Godfrey general life. My daughter, Eejin, was born in the last weeks of 2022 so 90 percent of 2024 was climbing the often sheer face of the first-time parents learning curve. I also entered into my last semester of graduate school which was great because they saved the most intense work for the end. In October, by far the busiest time of year for any family / lifestyle photographer in New England, I was also trying to conduct interviews, research, and write a 60 page paper on the connection and value of diaspora as seen by second generation Asian Americans. There was not much sleep involved but it’s done! My degree is currently sitting at the top of a pile of stuff in my office that I have yet to sort. Then my wife SiEun, Eejin, and I went to Seoul after the holidays.
This is all to explain why I am posting my favorite photos from 2023 in almost-March of 2024. Here are some of my favorite non-commercial photos from this past year.
Clare and Julian: A Sunset Engagement at Holy Cross
Check out some photos from this sunset engagement session at Worcester’s College of the Holy Cross.
Wow, what a busy few weeks. I am just getting around to sharing Clare and Julian’s engagement session photos from last month. This was my first engagement session in a while and it was my first time ever setting foot on the campus of the College of the Holy Cross despite driving by it a thousand times a week.
When Clare and Julian first reached out to me about shooting their engagement session at Holy Cross they knew that they wanted to capture the sunset. It made total sense because they had spent a lot of time walking around the campus during dusk during the pandemic. It makes even more sense when you factor in the fact that the Holy Cross campus sits on a massive hill that towers over the city. The views are killer and the campus exists in its own little world.
I liked Clare and Julian from the start. We had a lot in common and a laidback attitude and sense of humor being part of that. It was a lot of fun walking around their haunts on the verge of their graduation from medical school. We even found a little time for a few cap and gown photos.
We had actually postponed their session because there was some possible rain and definite clouds coming in for their original date. I love shooting in cloudy weather - I actually prefer it - but the vibe is totally different and when you want a sunset session a cloudy day just aren’t going to cut it. It was 100 percent worth the wait!
Check out some of my faves from my session with Clare and Julian!
Felicity and Matt: An Engagement Session at Colt State Park
Colt State Park in Bristol, RI is the best of at least two worlds. Withing one hour, we were able to have an engagement session that took advantage of the fall foliage and the sunset over the coast. Throw in an awesome couple and you have a great day in the office.
Felicity and Matt have a special place in my heart. For starters, their engagement session had to be rescheduled multiple times due to crappy weather and other issues that were out of our hands. With a wedding at the start of the wedding season, they were also one of my first couples to be impacted by the pandemic. This is definitely a bummer but it’s one of those things where I know once Felicity and Matt’s wedding day arrives it’s going tot take on this added sense of celebration. People are gonna be ready to party.
Felicity and Matt picked Colt State Park in Bristol, RI for their engagement session. I had not shot at this place before but I was super curious- Felicity and Matt picked it because it delivered both foliage-filled areas as well as great coastal scenery. It totally delivered and I have suggested it a few times since then.
Our session was a great chance to get a feel for what it was like working with each other. This is why I ALWAYS suggest engagement sessions happen. Felicity and Matt had some photos that they liked which gave me guidance but they were totally cool with walking into the bushes or climbing on the rocks for me. They also had really cool Game of Thrones inspired shirts.
A few months ago the thought that wedding season might get so universally screwed up by something like this never crossed my mind. I’m sorry it has but all we can do is grab something and look forward to it. I am looking forward to Felicity and Matt’s wedding and will be investing in extra memory cards in case I go overboard in my photo count.
If your wedding has been impacted by the pandemic, I feel for you. The whole wedding industry feels for you. If you would like to chat about your photography needs then feel free to reach out!
Holly and Josh: A Rustic Engagement
It’s not often that I get to photograph an engagement session with horses on a working farm. I was able to do that for Holly and Josh’ engagement session on a foggy day in Oxford, MA.
As I was driving to meet Holly and Josh for their engagement session at Buffumville State Park in Oxford, MA, it started to get a little foggy. Within a few miles of driving from my house in Worcester it started to look like a horror movie and it looked like it was about to rain. I was getting a bit nervous for our session but I was happy to see that Holly and Josh were both game. I am super happy that they did because the gray weather really jacked up the colors and the vibe of this engagement session.
One of the things I really like about Holly and Josh was that they were really easy to talk to. This was the first time that we had met in person and there’s always that little bit of nervousness when you go straight from “hello,” to “ok, now go lean against that tree and kiss.” Both of them were super gregarious and full of ideas which really helps to keep things light, collaborative, an fun. Holly and Josh spend a lot of time with horses and they wanted to include them in their session. It was AWESOME getting to spend a little bit of time on the working farm where their horses live. This was the first time that I had a session involving horses. This was cool enough but I have a soft spot for rustic Americana and this couple really delivered on that.
Check out some of my favorite photos from Holly and Josh’ engagement session!
If you are looking for engagement photos on a farm (and can provide a farm) then I would love to hear from you!
Rebecca and Sean: A Sunset Engagement in New Hampshire
Most of my engagement sessions are in parks. They are easy to access and beautiful- this is New England, after all. Rebecca and Sean had access to a backyard that rivaled any park that I have been to. Check out some photos from this sunset fall engagement session in New Hampshire.
Rebecca and Sean were a lot of fun to hang out with for their engagement session. They have a laid back personality that is similar to my own so it was real easy to get along with them. Their engagement session was a lot of fun because it took place on at the house of somebody connected to them. I love the parks that I photograph at, like Moore State Park in Paxton, but it is always nice to shoot somewhere new. Full disclosure, this place definitely offered a lot more than your typical backyard but hey, that’s New Hampshire for you. We also got to take advantage of the sunset. Check out some of my favorite photos from Rebecca and Tim’s sunset engagement session in New Hampshire!
If you are looking to have an engagement in spacious backyard, a park, or your front porch then I would love to hear from you!
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