“Raw and Soulful Engagement Portraits in Queenstown New Zealand”

Photographer: Andre

// This session was FEATURED on The Wedding Notebook. Click here to see the featured post. //

You know the feeling when you meet or talk to certain people for the first time and you just know that they’re your kind of people? That’s the vibe I got from Amy and Kevin! I always believe that one of the most important things in doing my job is the chemistry between me and my couples. Somehow we could tell how comfortable and strong the bond between the photographer and the couples from the captured moments or expressions in the photographs.

This destination pre-wedding shoot to New Zealand with them didn’t feel like a work trip. It was really more like a fun trip that we do with our close friends! There were 4 of us, Amy, Kevin and Amy’s best friend, Shae who joined the trip as well. It’s weird that I instantly felt connected to them like I’ve known them for a long time. Maybe because they came from Australia so I felt more relatable, or maybe because we share the same types of jokes like what I usually do with my wife, I am not sure! They are super easy going, super fun & hilarious people to be around with. I wished my wife had come with me there because I know we would all get along very well together.

Our base is in Queenstown, we shared a lovely airbnb home together. We explored gorgeous places in our list by doing road trips everyday. But of course the highlight was when we hiked to Roy’s Peak in Wanaka. It took us around 5,5 hours return hike and it was so worth the effort. The view at the top was nothing like we’ve seen before, truly magnificent! We were blessed by the beautiful weather most of the time, but there was once when it was stormy and raining, and I was quite bummed because I couldn’t do the shoot I wanted. Funny thing that Amy was the one comforting me instead of the other way around, haha. The rest of the shoot was very enjoyable and relaxing. I guess it’s really true; it’s not where you go but who you travel with that really matters.