Meet Santana + Brandon – Engagement Photography In Cincinnati

Location Details: Glenwood Gardens, Cincinnati, Ohio

Engagement photos are a great way to celebrate the new chapter in your life. You've been dreaming of this day for so long, and now that it's finally here, you want all of your friends and family to experience it with you.

Your engagement photos mark a special moment in your love story.

For many couples, they're the first time they've had professional photos taken, and it's something they'll always look back on fondly. They're also a great way to show off your relationship and how you feel about each other to family and friends who couldn't make it to the proposal or wedding day—especially if those loved ones live far away.

For many couples looking for ways to document this time in their lives, engagement photos can serve as an important piece of memorabilia that will serve them well long after their wedding is over.

A good photographer will help you share your personality with others by making sure every photo tells a story about who you are as individuals (and together) through candid moments or thoughtful poses; this helps ensure that people viewing these images later on down the line won't just see some generic snapshots from an unknown couple but rather relatable images portraying what made them fall in love in the first place!

I am so thankful for my relationships with my clients and friends.

Santana and Brandon are the sweetest people, I am so happy for them. I am so excited to be able to celebrate this special and joyous moment with them!!

I met Santana through the amazing CincyNanny community, and I was so honored when she asked me to photograph their wedding and engagement photos. Witnessing this chapter in their love story is an honor and brings joy to my heart!

I can’t wait to celebrate with them on their special day!

These are engagement photos worth being jealous of!

These are engagement photos worth being jealous of!

The couple is beautiful, and their love for each other is evident in every photo. They're people who smile with their whole face and don't mind showing it. Even though they insisted they "weren't picture people" and that I would have difficulty getting them not to look awkward, I think it's clear how wrong they are. Not because I made them look like someone they're not, but instead, I focus on capturing the beauty I see IN the awkward, in the silly, and goofy. That IS the joy I want to capture.

And this is the kind of honesty I want to capture when taking photographs for someone else's big day—especially if that person happens to be getting married! If you'd like me as your photographer, call me today!

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed this peek into the world of engagement photography. We love helping people capture their uniqueness and tell their love stories through our imagery!

Contact Me Today

Love of Photography | My Journey to Becoming a Professional Photographer

This post contains affiliate links.

My passion for photography was born on Christmas. I was 12 years old. And my grandparents got me my very first camera. It was a mid level point and shoot, Sony I believe. And it was my best friend.

From that moment, you couldn't catch me at a family gathering or event without my camera in my hand. From Disney World trips, Soccer Tournaments, family weddings, and more. Every opportunity, I had my camera ready to go capturing the joy I felt around me.

As an undiagnosed neurodiverse child, I always felt more comfortable behind the lens than in the midst of the action. Even today, observing and capturing the joy between families and friends is one of my favorite things to do. However, some things have fundamentally changed. I no longer hide behind the lens, but rather let the lens to become an extension of myself. While I dabbled in semi-professional photography throughout high school, college, and beyond-I never took it further than Senior photos for friends, small weddings, or family portraits for those closest to me.

I had the opportunity to go to New Orleans in the summers of 2009 and 2011 and attend the NOLA Travel Writer's workshops put on by Altovell publishing. I won the honor of the cover photo for the travel anthologies compiled by the Tween travel writers attending the workshop as well as several written pieces and photo stories as a part of the collection. The lessons learned from Denise Altobello and Jenny Velasquez, as well as the incredible instructors and experiences they provided us changed my view and approach to photography and storytelling.

I learned to not just capture what I see, but curate and become a part of the story myself. To jump in with two feet and learn to be more than a casual observer, but a storyteller. I interviewed and profiled Louis Sahuc who's work with shadows and light still inspires me as a photographer today.

Shop my books below. You'll find me credited as Reagan Johnson (My maiden name).

---

I continued to photograph, create, and grow my passion and knowledge for photography as a hobby. But it wasn't until April of 2021 that a compilation of pandemic-induced creativity, meeting the right mentors, and a spark of inspiration brought Meadowsweet Photo Company to life.

Since then my love for photography has turned into something even greater, a community of families who cherish one another, and value authentic photography and a fun and memorable experience for every member of the family. I have had the incredible pleasure of meeting and capturing over 50 Families since my launch in April of 2021 and I cannot wait for everything that is to come for Meadowsweet Photo Company.

Why You Should Get Family Photos Without Kids

There is never a bad time to get family portraits. In fact, there's never a bad time to have professional portraits taken, period. You could be a single person living alone, a childless couple, or an older adult without children of your own who has been meaning to document your life with pictures. The average age that people have their first child is 27 - and the only regret many parents have is that they didn't take a family portrait before they had kids! Your life is happening now, it is not on hold until a magical age or the addition of a new family member. Capture every stage of life and celebrate the journey along the way.

3 reasons to get Family Pictures BEFORE Kids

1. Family pictures are way more fun before kids. They are much less stressful because you don't have to worry about how they will behave for the photos or who will be taking the pictures. It is also easier to dress 1 or 2 people than 3, 4, 5, 6...

2. Celebrate the heart of your relationship, your passion. As it is today. Personally, I wish I had more pictures of my husband and me from before our son was born. When our love was fresh and unaffected by the complexities of parenthood. Because it wasn't better. But it WAS different. Your love WILL change after children. And it's so important to enjoy, capture, and remember every single stage of the journey. We have photos from after his birth, as we made it a priority. But those years before we became a family of 3 are only captured in selfies, and I wish we had done more photoshoots!

3. It sets the stage for your future. A family portrait is a snapshot of who you are AND who you want to be. The photos can remind your children of what it felt like to be young and to have hope for the future. It's not about vanity, but a legacy. We're not talking about the typical "I just need 1 good shot to post on Facebook" stuff, we're talking about real memories that will last forever. The story of your love.

Choosing a Photographer

Choosing a photographer for your adult-only family shoot can be tricky. While some people would say the market is over-saturated, I disagree.

We all have our specialties.

I don't do weddings. Noise, crowds, and following someone else's timeline just ISNT my jam. At least not in this stage of my life and career.

For me, sessions are a beautiful creative escape from the hustle and bustle of life. A chance to forget the business, the chaos, the real world. And lose myself in someone else's love story.

At heart, I am a storyteller and a caregiver. I love to curate and capture experiences that showcase the core values that make each family unique.

I document the story. The journey. That's MY style.

But you better believe that some of my favorite photographers THRIVE in a loud, crowded environment. and capture absolute killer images on the dance floor, or during the sparkler exit.

Or the AMAZING portrait photographers who create styled scenes with so many layers of meaning, symbolism, and perfection that I could stare at their images for hours.

There are different photographers for different people, needs, and styles.

So connecting with your photographer is so important. I suggest following some photographers on social media if you're just not sure and checking out not only their photos, but their stories and behind-the-scenes videos and captions to get to know their personalities. Do you need someone to make you laugh? What kind of person makes you feel at ease and relaxed?

Remember When

You can’t go back to your “before” time after you have kids. And (most of the time) you don't want to. But there are some things that just change. It was so easy to get dressed up, take photos, and feel beautiful before you have kids. Not because pregnancy, parenthood, or growing older MAKES you any less beautiful. But we just don't prioritize self-care in the same way after kids. You just can't. When there's another human to keep alive, the hours in the day seem to get cut in half.

Remember the feeling of jumping in the car and just going on an adventure? It doesn’t last long. Take advantage of your beautiful moments before you have kids so you have pictures to go along with the stories you have to share the older your children get.

But what about the parents? Is it too late?

I will say this slowly.

ab-so-lute-ly not.

In fact, I would almost argue that you should prioritize photos together even after kids. Because those quiet moments together are so rare.

So let's make a date night out of it. Call grandma or your go-to babysitter. Come hang out and kick off a romantic date night with a cozy photoshoot o remind you of the love and connection that started your family in the first place.

Family photos are a treasure that won't ever go out of style. They are a souvenir of your loved ones, your favorite moments, and the memories you'll treasure forever. There's no wrong time to get photos. No waiting for kids. No magic combination of "complete" your family needs to be. Capture it at every stage and have memories to show the world, yourselves, and future generations the power and magic of your love story.

Subscribe to our exclusive VIP list to be the FIRST to get announcements about new Mini Sessions (we've got one in the works JUST for the grown-ups! Trust us, you won't want to miss this!), sales, events, and more.