1st Engagement Shoot. CC Please.

if the couple do something i like but not perfect, i tell them to do it again!! nothing wrong with "posed" shots imho...

echo everything nick said and will add...I am not a big fan of portraits with sunglasses. Unless they absolutely want to have them on, I encourage people to take them of, unless it's a concept shot. Fashion sense changes so quickly i would hate for them to look back and say "I love this pic but what was I thinking with those glasses"....My final thought before I snap is, will this be a photograph that they will have on there wall years from now....With the shades, probably not. Without, there is a good chance it could be hanging on a wall for some time.

I would suggest getting the xtrite color passport because it will help simplify color correction for post processing.

Tough lighting overall and problem is the location (assuming stanley park) you cannot control the sun in the location your in. I could imagine direct flash on camera would just fill in the dark contrasty shadows. Regardless of what you do the lighting your shooting in is NOT kind.

You comments on Einstein lights with vml w/ BD would in someways mess up the emotional "feel" of the photos. I have all that gear but if your doing the photo journalistic approach in documenting the proposal /ring you'd be more concerned with your manual lighting than whats going on in your viewfinder. Your subjects are not models so this is where natural light can be less "in your face" allowing your friends to be more natural. I guess for those posed photos you can hit them with f/11 + and shoot narrow aperture to get a different look. Your style will be a mix of natural light or the look of "flash" with narrow aperture. If you ever check out Jeremy clay (Toronto photog) he mixes alot of natural light to a strobist/strobe outdoor shoot.

I guess you rented a lens from Jason at Beau photo? dont ever underestimate the 85 f/1.8. Both L and f/1.8 have amazing bokeh.

Even a well seasoned photog's shots may have looked marginally better but regardless the lighting your stuck shooting in is evil.

If I had to run and gun in that scenario I would have used my PW flex and AC3 just to give enough fill using ETTL or take advantage of shade. I've been in nasty light situations and you just have to do the best you can in those circumstances.

Wow love the 5th picture. so sweet. i like this series.