The story behind the shoot
The right bridge at the right time
Hi everyone! I'm Gerald, the photographer on this shoot. I wanted to share with you how A and J's proposal came together, from the scouting run two days before to the moment on the bridge. Read on!
What they wanted
A wanted autumn foliage and something that felt like Kyoto. Not just leaves, but Japanese structures in the frame. A bridge, a pond, a temple nearby. He was visiting from Osaka for the day and had a loose itinerary, which meant some flexibility on timing. What he did not have was a fixed location. We went back and forth on several spots in Kyoto before I went to scout in person two days before the shoot. Nanzenji was too crowded that year. Maruyama Park was quiet, even on a national holiday, and it had everything: autumn colour at its peak, a stone bridge over a shallow pond, Japanese structures in the background, and enough space to work without people constantly in the frame.
The challenge
The bridge at Maruyama is a small, popular spot. People stop there, take a few photos, and move on. The challenge was timing the moment so A and J had it to themselves. I briefed A before the day: take your time, do not rush, wait if there are people around. On the day there were four or five people queuing to take photos at the bridge. A kept his composure completely. He waited until the bridge was clear, walked J onto it, they took a couple of selfies together, and then he started the proposal. By the time he got down on one knee, there was nobody else there. The timing was his doing, not mine.
How we shot it
The bridge crosses a very shallow pond with stepping stones across the water. I was standing in the middle of the stream on those stones, pretending to photograph the water and the surrounding garden. J never noticed me. She only found out there was a photographer after the proposal, when A pointed to where I was standing. She was emotional from the start. She cried during the proposal and was still going afterwards. Both of them relaxed quickly once it was done. It was their first photoshoot together and they said so, but it did not show. They trusted the process, followed direction easily, and genuinely seemed to enjoy being in front of the camera. The autumn light at 2:30pm was good. The portraits came easily after that.
"J only found out there was a photographer after the proposal, when A pointed to where I was standing."
"The timing was his doing, not mine. He waited until the bridge was clear, and then he went for it."
Thank you so much for everything, we had a great time and we loved all the photos!
A · Proposal · Maruyama Park, Kyoto
Plan your proposal in Kyoto
We handle the logistics. You focus on the moment.