Downtown Annapolis Winter Engagement Session

Audrey + Colin | Alex Hill Dooley Photography Annapolis Photographer

This February downtown Annapolis engagement, one of my now-favorite sessions of ALL TIME as an Annapolis Photographer, almost didn’t happen.

You know when you communicate with someone and just have a really good feeling about them? That’s how I felt about Audrey from the second she popped into my inbox.

She was so sweet just through email, so I was incredibly excited to work with her (that, plus, as much as I love photographing families, sometimes it’s nice to do a session where I don’t have to dance around like a crazy person). She was coming into town to visit her fiance – a Firstie (aka Senior) at the Naval Academy, and wanted to find an Annapolis Photographer to capture some photos of them before their June wedding in Memphis.

Once I saw the weather report for this day, I was even MORE excited – a high of 67 degrees on a February Sunday in Maryland? Do you know how rare that is? (Actually as I’m sitting here typing this on a cold gray day in April I’m thinking we maybe haven’t had a day this warm since!)

Anyway, do you know the scene in the movie “Old School” where Will Ferrell’s character blacks out during the debate competition and delivers a perfect answer? This session felt a little bit like that to me (but not because I was partying heavily the night before trying to keep my “fraternity” going).

It’s because – I came down with a wicked bout of food poisoning the night before this session. I was up literally all night, and on top of feeling the worst I’ve ever felt in my life, I was in a total panic about letting Audrey down (and, I mean, Colin too, but I hadn’t met him yet).

I was frantically making backup plans so that even if I couldn’t make it, someone could still make this day happen for them (rescheduling was not an option) because I honestly didn’t know if I would be able to leave my house.

Luckily for me, somehow, the worst of my symptoms subsided just in time for me to meet Audrey and Colin in Downtown Annapolis for their engagement session (sorry about the frantic back up plan texts, Audrey!).

I warned them that I would likely be quite a bit lower energy and even more scatterbrained than I would normally be at a session, but they understood (and were pretty low-key themselves – so it all worked out okay). I felt like it was going pretty well (I mean how could it not – just LOOK at them), but, was so worried in my depleted state I wouldn’t deliver a gallery up to my standards.

BUT. I think taking it slow and being forced to be incredibly intentional (plus again the fact that they are super in love and super adorable) worked in my favor. When I got these images up on the computer to edit, I had ALL the relief and the heart eyes. I am SO glad that I forced myself out of bed that day – because I really, really loved this session (and spending time with these two lovebirds).

(Had to incorporate the Academy into a few of these shots!)

If you’ve read this far, thanks for stopping by the blog!

xo,

Alex

P.S. Need to book your Annapolis, Maryland engagement photos? Contact me here!