Love letter to Montreal: Couple says goodbye with a photoshoot
LGBT Engagement photos in Little Italy
After many years here, Alice and Sandra were moving away from their home in Montreal to France. Before their departure, we planned this relaxed couple’s photoshoot to memorialize their favourite local hangout spots and capture the feeling of their life in Montreal.
Sandra and Alice are the sweetest couple! They had a lot of fun during the shoot and made my job easy by laughing at each other, enjoying themselves and just being two cuties in love! 🙂
![Lesbian couple walking along Montreal sidewalk near locked bikes](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-225.jpg)
couple photos in your neighbourhood
Whenever I can, I suggest shooting engagement sessions in people’s home turf.
I want to capture the vibe of your first apartment together, of your local coffee shop or your favourite bar.
I want to document your life, your pets, and the places you pass by on your regular walks.
These pieces of everyday routine end up being part of the pattern of your life as a couple. And I think they deserve to be documented in photos just as much as beautiful vacations and special events.
For Alice and Sandra, their home turf was Villeray and Little Italy: a cozy, residential area north of the Plateau Mont-Royal, full of families and cafes, street art, chatty old couples, and hipsters on bikes.
It’s also right by the Marché Jean-Talon, which is an open air farmer’s market with stands selling everything from fresh fruits and veggies to flowers, to roasted nuts and tasty gelato.
![Lesbian engagement photos in Montreal](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-011.jpg)
![LGBT engagement photographer in Montreal](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-276.jpg)
![Black and white photo of LGBT couple laughing](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-234.jpg)
![LGBT engagement photographer in Montreal](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-243.jpg)
![Queer couple portraits in Montreal](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-133.jpg)
![Lesbian couple lying down on graffiti and holding hands](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-149.jpg)
![Lesbian couple holding hands on colourful sidewalk in Montreal](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-158.jpg)
![Queer couple photoshoot in Little Italy, Montreal](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-043.jpg)
Local community gardens and street art
We started out the couple session with stroll around the Villeray neighbourhood.
The girls wanted to pick up some herbs from a local community garden to use for their dinner later. After exploring the curbside plants, they found some fresh parsley.
![Gay couple exploring urban gardens in Montreal](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-025.jpg)
![Gay couple exploring urban gardens in Little Italy](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-026.jpg)
![Engagement photo of lesbian couple in Montreal](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-030.jpg)
![Gathering herbs from community garden in Villeray](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-036.jpg)
![Gathering herbs from community garden in Little Italy](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-038.jpg)
We hit up their local bakery, then continued wandering the area, checking out some of their favourite street art.
Many of the Villeray alleyways are covered in murals and graffiti art.
![Lesbian couple crossing the street](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-040.jpg)
Ruelles vertes – greening the back lanes
Many of the back lanes in Montreal are being converted by local residents to green alleys as part of the Ruelles vertes initiative.
It’s a community project to make alleyways more environmentally friendly and safer for children and families to enjoy.
The alleyway behind Alice and Sandra’s apartment was no exception. The neighbours had worked together to plant tiny gardens and put up painted birdhouses. There were art murals and repurposed bicycle wheels that had been decorated.
The girls had helped paint a little free library box for residents to share books they wanted to pass on.
![Lesbian couple walking by art mural in Montreal during engagement photo session](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-053.jpg)
![Alleyway engagement photos in Montreal](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-064.jpg)
![Same-sex couple walking in Montreal's green alleyways](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-085.jpg)
![Same-sex couple hugging in Montreal's green alleyways](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-093.jpg)
![LGBT couple portraits in Montreal's ruelles vertes](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-094.jpg)
![Fun couples photos Montreal's ruelles vertes](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-098.jpg)
![Getting a piggy back ride from her girlfriend](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-124.jpg)
![Jump on my back!](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-126.jpg)
![Same sex couple wandering backyard alleyways and exploring art pieces](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-291.jpg)
![A cat staring from a back yard](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-301.jpg)
![Small free library in back alleys](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-303.jpg)
Café Ferlucci
Sandra and Alice ended the photoshoot with a trip to their favourite next-door coffeeshop, Café Ferlucci.
This inviting Italian cafe used to be a hat shop and the owners have retained a lot of the retro decor, adding to the vintage charm with eclectic artwork.
The friendly team of baristas makes this a neighbourhood favourite for regulars to hang out and chat.
And they serve a mean affogato (an espresso shot with a scoop of vanilla ice cream)!
![LGBT couple portraits at Cafe Ferlucci in Montreal](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-317.jpg)
![Lesbian couple portraits at Cafe Ferlucci in Montreal](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-327.jpg)
![Engaged lesbian couple in romantic photo at Montreal cafe](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-330.jpg)
![Romantic photo at Montreal cafe for lesbian couple](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-333.jpg)
![Rock paper scissors](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-341.jpg)
LGBT engagement photos
As a queer wedding photographer, it’s always a pleasure to work with LGBT couples. I love photographing love stories in all shapes and forms. But queer love stories just hold a special place.
My relaxed documentary approach is flexible and allows room for you to be yourselves in your photos. It’s an inclusive photography approach because I adapt to each couple. No need to quash your gender identity or rein in how you typically express your affection. Instead, you can have an informal, candid photo session and get couple portraits that truly represent you.
If you’re looking for a LGBT engagement photographer, send me a quick hello! I’d love to photograph your story.
![LGBT engagement photo in front of red wall](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-270.jpg)
![Couple holding hands on stairs](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-260.jpg)
![Lesbian couple laughing and hugging on stairs](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-258.jpg)
![LGBT engagement photos on porch steps in Montreal](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-249.jpg)
![Sunset stroll for engaged same-sex couple in Montreal](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-196.jpg)
![Lesbian couple holding hands and strolling](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-190.jpg)
![Casual engagement photos while cooking at home 02](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-360.jpg)
![Casual engagement photos while cooking at home 01](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-359.jpg)
![Sunset couple photo in Villeray, Montreal](https://www.esthergibbons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LGBT-engagement-photos-355.jpg)
My friends are so beautiful in real life, but they are even more beautiful on those pictures !
We’ll miss you so much. See ya in July 2019