Blog— 2020 —
UMass Amherst Engagement Photos
Jillian & Kevin
UMass Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts
December 12th, 2020
If there is one thing 2020 has taught me, it's how important it is to find a silver lining in everything you do. Throughout this year, I've tried my best to find the positives in coronavirus-restricted weddings, whether they happened this year on a smaller, more intimate level or if they were postponed outright to 2021 and beyond.
I think that's why I knew that the minute Jillian and Kevin reached out to me to let me know their December wedding was getting postponed, for the second time no less, I needed to help this couple find a way to stay positive about a situation they simply couldn't control.
My solution? A fun engagement-style photo shoot where Jill and Kevin could "Take Back the Day."
It was a simple idea and one I could tell they really appreciated, especially on the day itself.
But what I didn't know was just how much it would mean to me. In fact, I might have liked it even more than the bride and groom. I certainly can't think of a better way to spend a rainy December day than working with two great people like Jillian and Kevin and their shoot was an absolutely perfect way for me to close out 2020 on a super fun, positive high note.
When Jillian, Kevin and I first began to discuss their "Take Back the Day" shoot, they asked if I was willing to drive two hours to the University of Massachusetts' campus in Amherst, Mass. I'm not one who minds long drives so, naturally, I said yes and I'm so glad I did.
The pair picked UMass Amherst because it's where they met and though we had to deal with cloudy skies and the occasional spot of rain, their shoot was easily one of my favorite winter engagement sessions I've ever shot.
First off, I loved their fall outfits and the contrast between their dark coats and the white skies was fantastic.
Second, and perhaps more important, once we got past the initial awkwardness that comes with every photo session, Jillian and Kevin really posed well together and complimented each other perfectly. The results were some of my favorite photos of the year by far.
Jillian and Kevin didn't have a favorite "spot" so to speak at UMass Amherst but we didn't need to go far to find a lot of great little locations at the center of campus.
I was particularly a fan of the nice, large windows of the Studio Union building, which provided some great reflections and a nice brick background that popped against their outfits.
Without question, my favorite part of Jillian and Kevin's "Take Back The Date" engagement session was finding the one tree on campus that hadn't fully submitted to the fall leaf dropping yet and that tree, coupled with a beautiful church building nearby, helped us take even more creative, inspired poses as the session wore on.
I love when this happens and was genuinely excited to show Jillian and Kevin some of my favorite shots. I think it rubbed off on them, as well, as they got more and more excited about the session and, consequently, their December 2021 wedding photos.
All in all, Jillian, Kevin and I spent around two hours together in the rain and though it was wet, cold and generally miserable weather wise, it was exactly what all three of us needed that afternoon.
Being a bride and groom in 2020 is an agonizing thing and no one wants to have to make the decision to push off one of the most important days of their life but the more I talked to Jill and Kevin, the more I could tell they were thankful they made the choose on their own and weren't forced to by state and local officials.
Is it a bit frustrating that they'll have to wait an entire year to say "I do?" I'm sure. But, if there's one thing Jill and Kevin's "Take Back The Date" session showed me, it's that this couple deserves the wedding of their dreams once everything is back to normal.
So, thank you Jillian and Kevin for taking me up on this special photo session. I honestly can't think of a better way I could have capped off my 2020 schedule and look forward to seeing you around this time next year for a wedding day I am absolutely certain will be well worth the wait.
See you in 2021!
-Paul J. Spetrini
