The ring was already on her finger when they walked up to meet me. They had gotten engaged shortly before our shoot, and I knew it — so the very first thing I said to them was congratulations. Their faces lit up straight away, and from that moment the whole session had a celebratory feeling to it.

We met at Maruyama Park and started with the greenery there, keeping things relaxed while they settled in. From there, our plan was to walk to Gion Shirakawa, and the walk itself turned into half the fun. Along the way we stopped at a Japanese vending machine, at old wooden storefronts, and at little corners of Gion that most people walk straight past. Some of my favourite frames from the day came from those unplanned stops.

They told me it was their first time wearing kimono, which honestly surprised me, because it suited them so naturally. Against the old streets of Gion, they looked completely at home. Every time I lifted the camera, the colours, the setting, and the two of them seemed to fall into place.

They were also wonderful to work with. Whatever I suggested — a pose, a spot, a slightly different angle — they said yes with real enthusiasm. When I showed them photos on the back of the camera, they kept complimenting the shots, which made me very happy. And because they had shared a few places they wanted to visit beforehand, we were able to fit many of those in too.

By the time we reached Gion Shirakawa, it felt less like a photoshoot and more like a stroll with friends, just with a camera along for the ride. They were friendly, kind, bright, and quick to smile, and I enjoyed every minute.

Congratulations again on your engagement — I am so happy I got to be part of this chapter. Please come back to Japan someday. I would love to see you both again.

If you have just gotten engaged and want to mark it with photos in Kyoto, my Kyoto packages are all on this page.