Christmas Nostalgia In New York City

I really love the holidays, especially in New York City. When my husband and I lived there, I just remember the magic filling the city during Christmas time. That has never left me, and I have always wanted to document something that felt how I did during that time of the year. Doing a “Christmas” shoot was a must for me, but, of course, with my own twist on it. I found my opportunity with these creative couple photos, and this is how it all turned out.

The Couple

For these creative couple photos, I worked with Kat and Ross. I reached out to them on Instagram. Sometimes, you know what you want, who you want, and you go after it. 

Kat and Ross are both in the arts. Kat is an actress, and Ross is a singer/musician. They both live in New York City, which is also where they met. They were the perfect kind of couple for these photos with their creativity and NYC spirit.

The Setup

I knew the only element I wanted to use for the shoot was a Christmas tree. The one we got was great. The plan was to hop around the city, using the Christmas tree as a prop. NYC is already a very creative and inspiring space for me. So, with all our combined energies, I was confident we could develop the kinds of creative couple photos I imagined we could.

And we did.

Their Creative Couple Photos

When you think of NYC, there are a couple of locations that come to mind. If you’re like me, these include the subway and the streets above it. For this photoshoot, we incorporated both. 

Within those locations, we found a lot of variety to work with too. When we shot in the subway, both in the station and in the cars, there was a ton of movement to work with. We captured the subway moving behind Kat and Ross and the people passing by them too. I loved this sense of a city that kept on going, that took what we’re doing in stride. I also loved showing that we were a part of that city, not separated from it.

When we shot inside the subway car, it felt like we were holding that city still for a moment, peeking into what it was doing on its way to somewhere else. It was fun finding different ways to pose Kat and Ross too, and it was also fun finding ways to incorporate the riders in the background too. 

When we shot on the streets, we took photos of Kat and Ross hanging out next to lampposts, sitting in the middle of the street, and on a corner next to a bunch of signs. What I loved was how each had their own little piece of NYC to share. The bits of graffiti, the grime on the sidewalk, and the shine of the stone road all gave a glimpse into what makes NYC what it is. 

Release

NYC will always be in my heart, especially its Christmas time. Doing these creative couple photos with Kat and Ross felt like I was opening that part of my heart back up and getting the opportunity to share it with them and all of you. 

In that way, every shoot means something to me. I don’t take any one of them lightly. And every shoot releases something from within me. This was my Christmas in NYC shoot, and I’m glad it’s out there with you now