Filming an Engagement Session at the Milwaukee Public Library

The Milwaukee Public Library is one of the most popular spots in the city for engagement photos — but until this past week, I had never shot there myself. Natalie Rose (from Natalie Rose Collective) invited me to tag along to capture some video content for myself, for the couple, and for her socials. We worked together once over the summer (she was wonderful), and with my wedding season slowing down, I reached back out to see how we could collaborate again.

This year, I’ve had the chance to film so many great-looking couples, and Adam and Katherine were no exception. They showed up dressed perfectly for the space — especially Katherine’s dress — and were incredibly easygoing. As soon as they arrived, Natalie got started with them and we were off!

Natalie and I quickly found a rhythm. She began with more static poses (which are less essential for my style, since I love incorporating natural movement), so while she got Adam and Katherine warmed up, I focused on architectural details. One of my favorite shots from the session came from these early minutes of exploring the Library’s textures and structure.

Shooting in the Library, though, was… challenging. I love the classic architecture, but the heavy tungsten lighting makes video a bit trickier. I was recently talking with my dad (who’s a big music/audio guy) about lens filters and how angles affect how they render an image. I told him about some inconsistencies they can introduce, and he said he actually enjoys those imperfections — they keep you sharp and adaptable. That stuck with me. So while I’m not the biggest fan of tungsten, being surrounded by it pushed me to think differently. It got me excited about trying a black-and-white edit for this session — which will be a first for me.

After shooting indoors in that warm, vintage atmosphere, we headed outside for the final part of the session. The timing couldn’t have been better — the sun was dipping, and we got some beautiful blue hour footage with an urban backdrop. Most of the weddings I’ve shot in the last couple years have been outside Milwaukee, in more rural settings. There’s a certain charm to capturing a love story in the middle of the city that I’m excited to explore more moving forward.

My favorite part of this shoot was filming Adam and Katherine in the middle of a busy, fast-paced environment. I love being able to shift the energy of a film quickly, and there’s something grounding about slowing down the frame to focus on two people while the world moves around them. It’s an atmosphere and aesthetic I’d love to bring into more of my Milwaukee wedding films.

Huge thank you to Natalie, Adam, and Katherine for letting me tag along! I always enjoy challenging myself in new environments, and I’m excited to play with the colors, tones, and overall look of their engagement film over the next couple weeks.

If you’re planning a wedding or engagement session in the Milwaukee area and are looking for a videographer to collaborate with — someone who’s focused on capturing your story intentionally — you can reach out to me here! I’d love to talk through your vision and see if we’d be a great fit.

Location: Milwaukee Public Library

Videographer: Jamison Borden Films - Milwaukee Wedding Videographer

Photographer: Natalie Rose Collective