Living Room Jams & Backyard Brews: Greg & Maddie’s Engagement Shoot at Home
There’s something kind of magic about photographing people at home.
No location scouting, no timeline pressure—just two people, their space, and whatever weird, wonderful energy lives there.
For Greg and Maddie, that meant spinning records in the living room, throwing kebabs on the grill, hanging out with their cats, and sipping beers next to a concrete goose named Walter. Their South St. Louis engagement session wasn’t about the “perfect shot”—it was about documenting a slice of their real life. And honestly? That’s what made it perfect.
Greg and Maddie had just moved into their new home in South City, and it already had that lived-in love vibe—plants in the window, records by the speaker, cats roaming the halls. The goal wasn’t to create something polished. It was to document what their life actually looks like right now.
We kicked things off in their living room with a soundtrack that set the tone: Tom Waits, The Band, and (a personal fav) Labi Siffre. I barely gave direction—they just curled up on the couch like they normally would, and we let the music do its thing.
We also bonded over their Ikea lamp in the corner. It just so happens I have the same one. I feel honored to have shown them how it turns on and off, since they never figured it out on their own, hahahaha.
Their two cats made themselves known immediately, popping into frame with the confidence only cats possess. Maddie and Greg didn’t miss a beat—they were laughing, cuddling, letting the chaos unfold in the best way.
The two of them started to prep lunch in the kitchen, and then things moved outside. He fired up the grill for a stack of chicken and steak kebabs, and Maddie rolled in wearing a vintage Buick hat and some badass shades. I was obsessed. The whole vibe just screamed, “We’re here to chill and look good doing it.”
We set up a little vignette in the backyard with lawn chairs, a cooler full of beers, a couple of plastic flamingos, and the star of the show: Walter—their loyal, concrete goose companion who’s followed Greg across the Midwest. Walter now stands guard outside their South City crib like the legend he is.
It wasn’t just a setup for photos. It was them. Honest and weird and full of personality.
Once the food was ready, we moved back into the kitchen. No formal dining table shots—just the three of us sitting on the floor, eating kebabs and chatting about what’s next for them. The light was soft, the mood was warm, and the vibe couldn’t have been more natural.
These in-between moments—post-lunch laughs, crumbs on the floor, cats circling for scraps—they’re the ones that make me feel whole.
Do you want your engagement photos to feel more like a good hang and less like a photo shoot?
Let’s make that happen.
📍 Based in St. Louis — happy to travel
📸 Photos and video with zero stress, 100% you
🐾 Cats and concrete geese welcome
