I met up with Arjoo and Sharath on May 6th for an engagement session all around Washington, DC. We took pictures around the Tidal Basin, Jefferson Memorial, and Lincoln Memorial—hitting some big hot spots around the city.
When meeting Arjoo and Sharath, I was immediately struck by how incredibly kind and sweet they both are. Arjoo dedicates her time to working as an occupational therapist at a children’s hospital in DC, and Sharath works for Tesla. Both of them are brimming with love—not just for each other but for others around them—and are so easy to work with.
Sharath met Arjoo when he was in town staying with some friends, Jason and Jenny, during the 2009 Obama inauguration. Arjoo was friends with Jenny and came over to visit, as she usually does, and met Sharath for the first time then. They connected on Facebook but did not see each other for until Jason’s wedding, three years later.
Since Arjoo had grown up with the families of some of Sharath’s best friends, he felt like she was not an outsider and that she was safe. Eventually, he also felt like she was marriage material. Arjoo, meanwhile, had been hearing all about how nice Sharath was. When she met him in person to see his kindness for herself, she knew she wanted to marry him.
On Arjoo’s 31st birthday, Sharath made reservations at Founding Farmers, one of her favorite restaurants. He also arranged for both of their families to meet at Lafayette Square Park across from the White House so they could grab an after-dinner drink together. Since they had to pass by the White House to get there, Sharath saw it as a perfect opportunity to propose at the White House—with all their family there to witness it as well!
I can’t say enough how kind these two are, which I thought was especially incredible from Sharath. You don’t always see people taking such tender care of their spouses, so his above-and-beyond thoughtfulness really stood out. No matter what was going on around them (like the weather—it was freezing cold and windy), they felt such obvious comfort in one another’s arms. It was special to witness, to say the least.
I also loved having Arjoo’s big brother, Achaya, for the engagement shoot. He is Arjoo’s protector and caretaker and did everything he could to help the day go smoothly, walking around holding her heels and flats (depending on what she needed to walk in) and anything else she needed. She is incredibly lucky to have such wonderful men in her life.
As we walked alongside the monument, I was able to capture a beautiful water image. I love water and love being able to photograph with it. My cinematographer, Adam, who did the cinematography for their wedding, was also there dabbling in photography—and loved all the stunning DC backgrounds we were able to use.
While I was photographing this stunning couple, I was reminded of this quote, which I believe perfectly sums these two up:
The word “shams” (sun) is feminine, and “qamar” (moon) is masculine. The sun burns itself out to give light and life to everything around, and the moon is “muneer,” meaning it reflects the light. Within itself, it has no light; it radiates the brilliance of the sun. So when we shine as men, the implication is that we are reflecting the glorious light of our women…” ~ Shaykh Abdullah Adhami
Sharath & Arjoo, thank you for asking me to be your engagement photographer. I simply loved sharing in the joy that you two have together and also fully enjoyed being your wedding photographer.
