Emil & Melinda

Love story, Sweden

The frozen harbour

We started by the water, where the boats sat frozen into the harbour and the sun was already low and bright. It was around minus 18, so we kept moving, and I made the portraits I love most: one of them in focus, the other just behind.

The frozen lake stretching to the horizon with a bare tree and a distant jetty

Emil and Melinda walking along a snowy quay past a moored ship in Västerås

Emil holding Melinda from behind in their winter coats as snow falls

Melinda looking at the camera as she leans against Emil on the frozen shore

Emil and Melinda walking in the winter sun, long shadows on the snow

Melinda with her hands pressed together against Emil’s coat as he looks down at her

Emil in a grey coat in focus, Melinda soft behind him on the frozen shore

Melinda resting her head on Emil’s shoulder, her ring hand on his coat

Emil and Melinda at the edge of the frozen harbour beside icebound boats

Emil and Melinda walking hand in hand past an icebound ship as snow sparkles

Emil and Melinda in silhouette on a jetty against the low winter sun

On the shore

Along the shore the snow was deep and the ice stretched out to the horizon. Emil and Melinda walked into the sun, took turns in front of the camera for single portraits and stopped by a lifebuoy with the city’s name on it.

Melinda with her eyes closed against Emil’s cheek, her engagement ring in view

Emil walking alone towards the camera across the snowy shore in his grey coat

Emil and Melinda walking towards the camera across the snow with the sun behind

Melinda smiling as she leads Emil by the hand across the snow

What couples say

“Dina was our Photographer in June '25 in the Dordogne, and she was amazing. So easy to meet her online, organise all of the details easily, and then send her photos we wanted in preparation. She also worked really well with our videographer, and made sure we got every photo we needed. Highly recommend!!”

Hannah and Guy, wedding at Château d’Oche, DordogneSee wedding

Emil and Melinda walking side by side along the frozen shore in the low sun

Emil in his grey coat and scarf looking away across the snow

Melinda in a black coat, hand at her chin, in bright winter light

Emil and Melinda beside a Västerås lifebuoy on the frozen shore

Melinda smiling up at Emil with the bright sun behind them on the frozen shore

Melinda laughing as she leans into Emil by the lifebuoy stand

Emil and Melinda walking along a snowy jetty beside a ladder into the icy water

Melinda turning on the snowy shore in front of bare bushes and ice

Emil and Melinda tiny at the end of a snowy path between tall pines

Through the pines

We finished in a park among pine trees, where the light was softer and snow lay on every branch. By then they were running down a slope with Emil’s hat in the air, which is the warmest way I know to spend minus 18.