Couple’s Date Night Photo Adventure in Ann Arbor
A quick, fun way to get some amazing photos of you and your partner!
I can’t tell you how fun this date night photo adventure in Ann Arbor was, but before we get into the sweet details of the session, I’m available for more date night adventures if you’re ready to book! We’ll work together to plan your perfect date with your partner, I’ll provide guidance for what to wear, where to go, and when is a good time. All you have to do is make sure you and your partner are there and ready for some fun!
Ok back to what you’re really here for, the adventure photos!
When Shreya reached out to me to book a date night session I immediately was all in. She wanted to surprise her husband with a little adventure downtown Ann Arbor to some of their favorite spots, so we worked on a plan to make best use of our time in the State Street District and Shreya worked on her plan for surprising her husband! Isn’t this just the best idea for a surprise date night?! LOVE!
Together we landed on starting at Nickels Arcade, making our way over to the Michigan Theater (more on that later), then ending at Ashley’s which is one of their favorite bars. I made sure to call in to the bar to make sure it would be ok to shoot photos in there, and they were absolutely down (thanks Ashley’s)!
The date was set for an evening in between Christmas and New Years so we knew there wouldn’t be too much foot traffic because of the University of Michigan’s winter break, and you know, it’s freaking freezing in December. I was confident we could have plenty of opportunities for sweet photos without having to wait for lots of people to cross, or giving myself more post production work (e.g. editing out lots of people in the background).
So here’s where things went a little awry. As you may know, I’ve got two little kiddos at home, and as you may know, kids are FULL OF GERMS. We all ended up getting the flu over Christmas break (my illness came on Christmas morning, so that was fun), and I’m convinced this is the first time I’ve ever had the flu. I was MISERABLE! Anyways, I let Shreya know and she and her husband were so kind to let me rest and we ended up pushing back the photo session a few days.
It ended up working in our favor for weather, kind of. It was colder than it would have been if we had been able to stick to the original plan, so that wasn’t fun, BUT it was snowing! If you’re going to be cold for your photos, then it at least better be pretty, and lucky for us it was so beautiful. Whenever working in the cold I always make sure to bring lots of hand warmers to keep in pockets, so when I hopped out of my car I started warming them up for the evening session.
However, the first problem arose before I even parked… the Michigan Theater marquee was off! We had planned on using it for photos since Michigan is not originally their home, but we had to pivot. Luckily the State Theater marquee was on, and even luckier, they usually go to the State for movies, so it was just as meaningful for them! Lesson here is to be flexible, sometimes during sessions we don’t get the exact scenario we are aiming for, but I’m always down to change gears (I like a good challenge).
So we met in Nickels Arcade, spent some time cuddling and dancing (them, not me), and then headed down the snowy street for photos outside of the State Theater. Now here’s something I learned way back when I worked on films. Filmmakers LOVE when the street is wet, it creates great reflections, and some movie crews go as far as wetting down the street in between shots! So, with the snowy evening the street was beautiful for us. The colors, the reflections, *chef’s kiss*!
Once I knew we had gotten “the shots” and we were freezing our butts off, we meandered over to Ashley’s for the final stop on the date night adventure. I spent a bit of time taking photos, but also finished off my portion of their date night with a bit of a fun chat. Then I left them to drink their beers and relax together after a fun adventure together.
It was one of my favorite sessions to date because the photos are stunning, but also because I had so much fun! Shreya left me the sweetest Google review saying the same, so I thought I’d share her words here. Not going to lie, my heart grew and I may have cried a little when reading it:
“Emily is truly one of a kind—warm, fun, and incredibly talented. From the moment we met her, she made us feel completely at ease and turned what could have been a cold winter photoshoot into such a joyful, memorable experience. She even came prepared with heating pads for us, which perfectly reflects the kind of thoughtful caretaker she is—always going above and beyond for her clients. My husband and I absolutely loved both the experience and the final photos. We had so much fun during the shoot, and Emily beautifully captured the moments and emotions we were hoping for. The pictures feel so genuine, full of life, and nothing like stiff, posed shots. Emily has an amazing ability to bring out people’s true selves, and we couldn’t be happier with how naturally everything turned out. We’re so grateful to have worked with her and will cherish these photos forever.” -Shreya
I’d love to go on more date adventures in Ann Arbor with couples looking to document this time in their lives, just want to have some fun, or are celebrating a milestone or event. Let’s get you on my calendar for your next date night.
