I'm Tyler Jordan Soucy, a documentary wedding photographer based in Connecticut, who works with couples worldwide. I believe that weddings are meant to be lived, not performed. This journal is where I share some of my quick insights as a documentary photographer, and I hope that you find something useful or inspiring here.
Great engagement photos are built around familiar and comfortable routines in a relationship—walks through a favorite neighborhood, a go-to coffee shop, or a park where the couple always ends up in nice weather. But, they can also mark something new: a trip across the Atlantic for the first time, core memories being made in real time. This surprise proposal and engagement session was one of those.
Simon reached out on Instagram after someone referred him to me—and since he and Katie were flying in from the UK, I was both extremely excited and deeply aware of the trust he was placing in me. He told me about his plan to propose during their trip to New York, and we worked out the timing and a meeting spot so I could be nearby without being obvious or interrupting the moment.
I also discussed how we could avoid jumping straight into traditional posed portraits afterward. Instead, we planned to let the two of them go for a walk—giving them space to remain present. This way we'd remove any pressure or expectation to perform so that they weren't emotionally pulled away from such a big moment in their lives.
When I think about engagement sessions, I want the setting to actually mean something—whether it’s your go-to ice cream spot, the movie theater where you had your first date, or the city skyline you’ve only ever seen together on film. It doesn’t have to be dramatic or grand; it’s already inherently special when it reflects your relationship.
For Katie and Simon, that meant the cobblestone streets and waterfront views of DUMBO. It was all brand new to them, but the trip was already significant to their lives. Years from now, they’ll remember how it felt to explore Nw York together for that one week.
After the proposal, we moved the session around DUMBO's red brick arches, scenic streets, and industrial textures that make it such a photogenic nook in Brooklyn. I gave them a few loose prompts—and looked for where the light felt right—but we kept things open to the moment.
This creates breathing room for couples to interact, hold each other, look at each other, and laugh in a way that’s completely their own. It’s something I could never orchestrate for them, but by giving them space, it also gives them permission to be themselves.
The rest of the shoot played out in motion: walking past food carts and old warehouses, talking about nothing and everything, and sharing a few jokes as we made our way across the waterfront.
Side note: If you’re considering an engagement session in New York, Brooklyn Bridge Park is one of those special places in the city that gives you a lot variety without going far. You’ve got spanning bridges, cobblestone streets, waterfront greenery and pathways, brick architecture, and the carousel lights at sunset. It’s both structured and chaotic, but in a way that works. Even with the crowds, it finds a way to feel intimate.
Whether you're newly engaged or just want the type of images that reflect your relationship, documentary style engagement photos are the best way to freeze and remember how you make each other feel in places that you love.
Let’s talk about what that could look like for you.
