Spooktacular Destination Proposal: Reflections On A Themed Proposal Photo Shoot
By, Tabitha Miki Floral Designer for Jolene Kaneshige Photography
Being able to see a productive brainstorming session for a project come to fruition is always incredibly rewarding! This particular spook-tacular destination proposal photo shoot, in downtown Honolulu, Hawaii was no exception! For this shoot, I had the opportunity to push the limits and go outside my comfort zone and the normal floral designs that many people would automatically gravitate towards. It truly was an unforgettable experience for me! At first, it was quite a struggle for me, to be honest, but I was incredibly pleased with the results! I decided to go with blood red roses and I made a spider web to cap the rose bouquet with a subtle jewel in the center, as well as placing a spider on top!! It was such a fun element that I got to add into the shoot! It was perfect!
What made it even better was the models! While I watched them pose and re-enact a surprise, spooky, romantic proposal they seem to lose all track of this world. The models were unafraid to throw themselves into the characters and live in the moment; they truly embodied the characters zeal for all things macabre!! They made the characters come to life, or back to life!(Pardon the Halloween joke). The models were such a fun and enjoyable couple to work with not only for their theatrical flare, but what they provided to the project as well! To sweeten the shoot they surprised me by bringing some props that had that eerie feel! A small coffin box that was able to serve as a ring box and a skull with a black raven perched on it. It definitely made the shoot more than I dreamed it would be!
Another important element of the the photo shoot that really helped set the scene was our venue. One of the criteria the venue had to meet was did it fit the theme? In a word, YES! The next dilemma we had to solve was: how do you show you are in Hawaii without being cliché? Simple, look for subtle touches that speak to the location without being stereotypical. In other words, we were not immediately flocking to the beach. We were able to shoot at a venue with interesting almost gothic details on the columns creating that creepy, yet beautiful look that we were looking for! The lauae fern in the background was a subtle nod to Hawaii! Last, but certainly not the least, there is the vital element to the photoshoot; our ninja photographer, ever impressing me with her talent! She always takes the photo shoots to a new level!! Our ninja photographer always finds a way to make the photos look like art! The angle, the way she focuses on one element while making the other appear dream like really sets her work apart! I could not wait to see the end product!
Then the day came and just as I was writing notes for the photoshoot, I got that sneak peek text!! Our ninja photographer sent me a few of the photos from the shoot for inspiration!! They were out of this world! Suddenly, it hit me, now the project was complete! I can’t believe the photoshoot has come and gone, in the blink of an eye!
Upon reflection on the shoot, the only thing I would have changed was to bring some pillar candles! There were several window seats on the side of the building that would have looked great with some pillar candles and the bouquet, and maybe a few shots with the candles on one side and our couple on the other, but other then the candles, I wouldn’t change anything! Overall, the shoot was incredible and gave me a chance to grow as a designer. Reflection on any project is so vital to an artist’s growth! I have learned to step out of my comfort zone, and to do something different, outside my norm! As I write and reflect, I can see that this project proved to be an amazing chance to grow as an artist! Looking back further on the process, I was trying to pick a favorite part of the photo shoot process, from start to finish; but it’s always so difficult to pick a favorite! Whether it’s the initial scheming and allowing our imaginations to run wild with all the different projects and ideas we can dream, or being able to physically start the project itself, or seeing the photos of the project afterwards it’s hard to name just one thing that is exciting and enjoyable! I give up; I pick everything, but I think you could sense I was going to pick that! But I digress. So as I close, I’m sure you were wondering: what does a themed proposal have to do with a Hawaiian, destination proposal you ask? Everything! The themed proposal shoot was a great way to put a subtle Hawaiian getaway twist to the theme! It’s a chance for our design team to keep ideas and inspiration flowing and a chance to help inspire fun and creative ways for other couples to get engaged! It is that icing on the cake! Dress up! Be fun and daring! Challenge your organization skills to keep everything a surprise and be able to do something fun besides the beautiful Hawaiian shores and make lasting memories with the one you love!!
Need help in planning your getaway? We would love to help “tell your story!” Contact us and let’s start scheming!
