live for eternity.

a lot of you ask me why it is that I love to shoot high school seniors as much as I do.
this session is an amazing example of why.
these four.
you can't help but wish you were a part of this group. :)
yes, they're beyond fashionable.
yes, they're unbelievably hilarious to get to watch interact with each other...especially when they dance. ;)
yes, they're all ridiculously smart and talented...dancers, valedictorian's and all-state soccer stars. yeah, I know. :)
but the coolest thing about these four?
the seriously old wise wall says it:
"live for eternity, live for Jesus."
they believe it in their core.
it's who they are.
it's in their confidence...their swagger - if you will. :)
it permeates everything they say to each other, how they lift each other up, how they love each other.

yup, these four are something to sit back at and smile at.
four beautiful young ladies.
four beautiful young ladies that no matter what life throws at them,
I have confidence that they will have each others back. :)

[prelude] kevin + sarah's wedding

growing old with you

in the wedding singer robbie sings a love song to julia on an airplane after being introduced by billy idol.
epic romance movie moment. :)
after meeting these two, I could not get it out of my head. :)
yes, it's a funny, tongue-in-cheek song...
                            but the heart of it is endearing and speaks of love in real life.

"I wanna make you smile whenever you're sad carry you around when your arthritis is bad :)
                       all I wanna do is grow old with you
      I'll get your medicine when your tummy aches build you a fire if the furnace breaks
                               oh, it could be so nice, growing old with you
I'll miss you
     kiss you
         give you my coat when you are cold
             need you
                 feed you
                        even let ya hold the remote control...
so let me do the dishes in our kitchen sink put you to bed if you've had too much to drink
                                                           I could be the man who grows old with you
                            I wanna grow old with you"

I think the reason I thought of this song when I met them was in part because of the way he looks at her...
kind of a half smile as if he's just happy to be with her...
also, his "real" smile is reserved for her...
his eyes light up, his shoulders relax and he obviously happy just to be with her.

the other part I thought of this song is obviously because of her.
yes, she is stunning and will be an ABSOLUTE joy to photograph at their wedding in september!
but it's the way she sort of shyly dips her head when he loves on her,
it's the way her eyes smile when she watches him with their BEYOND sweet dog, rio...
and it is just something that I don't think I'll ever get tired of seeing...

this modern couple has a very distinct sort of an "old soul" kind of a love
and getting to photograph them was simply my pleasure. :)

[wedding prelude] seth + meridith

being real

I said it earlier this week...well actually, ms. leibovitz said it first:
"when I say I want to photograph you, I'm saying I want to know you."
and with this family, it's true.
my first ever clients almost four years ago...
she encouraged me like no one else in the very beginning and to her I will forever be grateful. :)
I've seen the littlest three since diapers...
and getting to watch all five of their personalities evolve has been nothing short of a privilege.
you have a leader, a see-er of the details, a thinker, a daredevil and a little princess...and I can't wait to see them continue to grow and figure out how to find their place in this beautiful family...seriously cool kids. :)

one of my favorite things to do in photographing kids is simply letting them be themselves...
yes, you need to draw them out and position yourself to find the best angle...
but watching them simply be themselves is one of my favorite things to get to experience at a family session.
the parents tend to apologize for the "craziness" and "drama"...but honestly, I think that is what makes the best pictures.
real smiles.
real laughs.
real tears.
the real dramatic you...makes for the best photographs.
and these people let me see the real them...over and over again.
and I love it.

yup, drama.
I love it. :)