Fall 2019, New York City. My first time in the ‘Big Apple’. New York City had always been a dream city of mine. And, lucky me, Nikko and Thesa trusted me to capture their intimate engagement photoshoot in NYC! As soon as I set foot in the famous JFK for the first time, I grabbed my luggage and boom! My eyes looked up to the magnificent metropolitan city, the city of New York, the city that never sleeps.

The city made me feel really inspired… inspired by the ambience, buildings, art, people, and the list could go on and on. It really was as good as (perhaps even better) than what I had heard from other people and seen from pictures or movies. After spending one delightful day strolling around the city, on day 2 I started taking Nikko and Thesa’s pictures.

Nikko and Thesa. They really are such a lovable couple. Thesa is a very calm lady. She has a gorgeous smile and is a very talented florist herself. And Niko, he is a very gentle man. And by gentle, I mean really gentle. Ha ha. One thing that stood out to me about this couple was that they really knew how to be present and enjoy the moment.

Seeing a couple who knows how to enjoy every moment is, for me, quite a rare sight. Why? Because people nowadays are very busy with their smartphones & social media. I personally really appreciate people who can enjoy the moment; people who can put all of their heart, sincere smiles, mesmerized eyes, and true feelings into the present. The kind of true feelings that you couldn’t afford on your phone. And for this, I really admire Nikko and Thesa’s relationship.

Nikko and Thesa, Jerikho (the MUA), and I… we always had quality time over a cup of coffee every single day when we were in NYC. We tended to forget about our phones every time we were together, and we loved to stroll around the city with each other, too. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it really, really is good to have someone beside you who can share their feelings, time, and good vibes with you. Too much phone and social media can make your heart flat and depreciate the quality of your life. 

So, forget the emojis on your phone and smile at the person in front of you. Appreciate their time, their feelings. Appreciate the people around you. Give yourself a good quality of life and you will be made happier. Cheers to real feelings, real love, and real chemistry.

Yours truly,

Aha