This SoHo NYC engagement session with Amanda and Helena is one of my all-time favorites — and honestly, it almost didn’t happen the way it did. Rain poured down my entire train ride in. I watched the radar the whole way and tried not to stress. Thankfully, it cleared about an hour before we met at NoMo SoHo, and the city delivered one of those golden summer evenings that feels cinematic.

Why SoHo Is One of the Best NYC Engagement Session Locations

SoHo has everything — cobblestone streets, cast-iron architecture, graffiti walls, fire escapes, and that unmistakable energy that makes New York feel like the main character. The light in late afternoon bounces off the buildings in a way that looks magical on film. For couples who want something editorial and alive, it’s hard to beat. The neighborhood is walkable and full of unexpected moments — which is exactly how I like to shoot.

Amanda & Helena: A Session Full of Joy

We started on the quieter side streets near NoMo SoHo, then wandered over to Champers Social Club for a glass of Prosecco — because why not. By the time we reached Feste, the energy felt completely relaxed and playful. The Pride Month disco ball rainbow installation sat out front, and the most perfect table happened to be open. I mean, how iconic. Some of my favorite frames from the entire session came from those five minutes.

Amanda and Helena trusted my vision completely — the color blocking, the motion blur, the quiet in-between moments. That trust changes everything. Their DC wedding the following spring was already on my radar, and after this evening I could not wait to celebrate them again.

If you’re looking for an inclusive wedding photographer who loves destination engagement sessions and shoots on film, I would love to connect. Every couple deserves to feel completely seen — and completely themselves — in front of the camera.

Congratulations Amanda & Helena!

Contax 645 • Contax G2 • Kodak Portra 400

Photographer: Renee Hollingshead

Film Lab: The Find Lab

 

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