The response to our Lovers Rock V-Day contest has been overwhelming! The three of us couldn’t be happier with the turnout and then the voting was over the top! Thanks to the hundreds and hundreds of friends and family who voted.
Darlene & Francisco are our Grand Prize Winners!!! Congratulations to the two of you on your contest win and on your recent engagement.
Please leave a comment below and let me know what you thought of our contest. Would you like to participate next time? What are your thoughts and ideas of what you’d like to see next time? Different location? Specific month? Anything. Your ideas will help us make then next one even better!
Yesterday, in honor of Valentine’s Day and lovers everywhere, my good friends and admired colleagues Parris Whittingham, Robert Wagner and I hosted public portrait sessions at Madison Square Park. We invited couples from all walks of life to join us in the celebration of their love stories. Amazingly, despite the 30 degree temperature, 19 remarkable couples came out to participate in the event.
In the images that follow, you will be able to meet each couple and learn more about the “Lovers Rock V-Day Contest” and explore how you can you can help 1 couple win an awesome grand prize.
All are welcome to vote! Vote for the couple that demonstrates the strongest connection of love and which celebrates the spirit of this Valentine’s Day in our beloved city of New York. Each person is allotted one vote per blog. Visit the couples’ images on Parris Whittingham Photography and R. Wagner Imagine to vote again. The couple with the most votes across all three blogs is the winner, see contest details for more information.
Each couple was asked “What good behavior/best practice can other couples learn from you?”. Below is their answer to that question along with my favorite image I made of them.
1. Valerie & Thomas – “Make an effort to spend quality time together and don’t forget to laugh.”
2. Heidi & Josh – “To enjoy one another’s passions.”
3. Kirby & Tyler – “Communication”
4. Lindsay & David – “Always give good hugs.”
5. Kelly & Todd – “Enjoy life with your best friend & love!”
6. Samantha & Dennis – “Patience & Forgiveness.”
7. Chelsey & Kyle – “Patience”
8. Jayne & Dan – “Fun-loving & Outgoing”
9. Jennifer & Kenneth – “How to understand one another.”
10. Jaye & Jenny – “Less TV, more cuddling.”
11. Linsay & Linus – “How to be a team.”
12. Irina & John – “Communication (long distance does that to you).”
13. Melissa & Robert – “Always talk things out and kiss each night.”
14. Tara & Lee – “How to not take life too seriously and live in the moment.”
15. Betty & Ian – “Don’t try to plan everything, just let life happen.”
16. Darlene & Francisco – “Think about the present and deal with the future when it arrives.”
17. Julie & Jerry – “Mutual respect for each other always.”
18. Melissa & Massimo – “Even with different work schedules we find a way to make it work.”
19. Miho & Ken (& Emma) – “Good communication.”
Special thanks goes out to so many for helping us spread the word about this event and for participating, too! With gratitude, thank you: Brooklyn Bride, MerciNYC, AntiBride, Tammy Golson, Lela New York and Always a Bridesmaid. And big, big thank yous to Chrystal (Bobby’s wife), Adriane and my wife Nel for supporting us with all the logistics for 2 hours in the cold weather. You guys are awesome!!
While meeting over breakfast one morning, each of us realized that most couples do not have updated professional photographs of themselves. This is especially true for couples who have been married for several years. This Valentines Day, we want to give back to the awesome couples of New York City and offer a complimentary photography session to you.
How to Participate?
• Any and ALL couples are welcome. Whether you be Newly engaged, newly wed, dating, married with children or married with grand-children….please come out and spread the love!
The Meet Up?
• On February 13th, we will meet at Madison Square Park from 3:00pm-5:00pm
• The meeting point is famous 5th avenue clock (5th Avenue and Broadway) located between 23rd and 24th Streets
• After a brief introduction we will begin working on-location with with you
Next Steps…
• Each photographer (3 total) will have 5 minutes to work with you to conceptualize and document a unique image/moment
• On February 14th by 2pm, a single image from each couple will be posted independently on the wedding photography websites of: Parris Whittingham Photography, R Wagner Photography, and Threshold Visions.
The Contest
• Anyone can vote on their favorite image on each of the 3 sites
• Voting closes Tuesday February 16th at 9:00pm
• The selected images/couple with the most votes across all 3 sites will be declared the contest winner The Grand Prize
The winning couple with the most total votes (from all 3 sites) will receive:
• A complimentary engagement session with the photographer of their choosing (over $400-$1000 value)
• $200 print credit
• $100 gift certificate to Mario Batali’s OTTO Restaurant
NOTE: All couples who participate (by working with each photographer) will receive a high-resolution files from their photography session. Couples must consent to signing a model release to have their likeness publicly displayed. Portraits will be taken on a first come first service basis. We suggest arriving slightly before 3:00pm. Friends, employees and relatives of the photographers are allowed to participate, however, they are not eligible to win the grand prize.
