Kristen and Jose

 "I'm just going to sit here", says little 5 year old Emily to me in the limo, and comes to sit right next to me. It's nice to have a fan.

She asked to take some pictures, so I hold the camera in front of her and show her where to look through and what button to press. *tick*tick*tick*tick*tick*tick*tick*tick. She fires off like, 20 frames in an instant, which is of course what my kids do too.

It kinda ended up working out for me, because Kristen looks over to Emily, laughing, and I get to see them interacting. It's really a cool little moment. It's not as dramatic as Jose and Kristen's stolen kiss on the dance floor. It didn't have the gravitas of Kristen looking over to her soon-to-be husband during the ceremony with beaming eyes. But it was a moment, a little one, and it was authentic, and it was beautiful. And I was there to see it.

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Jennifer and Jorge

Me, walking around Honeymoon Island, near Dunedin, by myself, and I stop and stare for awhile, walk in circles maybe. Squat down, climb up on stuff, lay down and look up. Talk to myself, squint. Fold my arms and stand in one spot, thinking. Walk away, come back. Laugh. Still all by myself. Yeah, I look like a weirdo when I’m scouting a location.

Jennifer and Jorge were just a bit late to engagement session from their tasting, but that was fine by me cause it gave me a little more time to wonder around and ponder and look weird to tourists.

I try to never take the same shot twice if I can help it, so I’m a scout-aholic. Even if I’ve shot at a venue a bazillion times before, I’m there a few days ahead of time, trying to see things I haven’t seen before. Seeing the session, from beginning to end, in my head.

Funny thing is, I sort of forget all about it as soon Jennifer and Jorge arrive. The plan is still there, but just in my subconscious, I guess. It takes a back seat to being in the moment and letting Jennifer and Jorge shine. And shine they did.

huggie!

At the Wehle home on the lake, I've just finished their family session and we've said our thank-you's and good-bye's. Just as I'm leaving, and closing the front door, that's what I hear, "huggie!", from one of the kids.

Not even occurring to me that that "huggie" was aimed at me, I keep going down the driveway with the last of my gear. I hear the door open and 7 year old Bella calls down to me, "Mr Aaron, huggie", she yells, runs down the drive, and gives me a big hug and a thank you. Pretty awesome.

She runs back, I hear the open open and slam, then open again. "Mr Aaron, my brother wants to give you a hug!" I stop and turn, and Jackson, her little brother comes streaking down the drive and gives me a big leg hug. How many people can say that's how they end their work day :)?

that's Bella and Jackson.. oh yeah, and their mom

Michaelann and Jason

As we waited for Michaelann to dress nearby, Jason was describing the venue they were soon to be married in.

"It has huge windows overlooking the river and downtown Cleveland", he tells me, and conjures images of redbrick, loft ceilings, and re purposed industrial design.

It sounded awesome. Really awesome.

I'd love to be able to fly up and shoot their wedding, but alas, Michaelann and Jason had already booked a local photographer (who I'm sure will do a great job for them, given the obvious taste they have in picking out photographers, haha).


I try to keep my weddings in the southeast, but if you're a couple as effusive, warm, and in love as Jason and Michaelann, I'll make the exception and hop over to your corner of the country :).

Matt and Genie

Once upon a time Matt was just a hot dog vendor at Disney World. But in true Disney fashion, he happened to be a very good looking hot dot vendor with a masculine chin, a strong build, and honest blue eyes. One day he happens to see “the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen” walk by. It was Genie, playing Pocahontas in a parade.

Music swells. Smitten, he breaks out into song and stepping from behind the hot dog cart, animated squirrels and finches join their voices to his.

Okay, no, that didn’t actually happen. But theirs being a fairy tale story, set at Disney World, it seems like it easily could have.

Every day Matt would go to watch for Genie in the parade and try to work up the courage to ask her out. Weeks go by. Finally, with only a few weeks left there at Disney World, he realizes it’s now or never.

Disaster. He gets sick and develops “kermit the frog” voice. More self conscious than ever, but fearing that he might miss his only chance, he approaches her. “Excuse me, but would you mind going on a dinner date with me”, he croaks.

She says yes! They start dating, and she falls for him so hard, that she doesn’t even mind that he calls her Jenny instead of Genie for the first few dates (till she kindly corrects him). They fall madly in love.

Fast forward a few years (ok, so they took their time, not everything can be Disney in their story) and they are married at the beautiful Hilton on Clearwater Beach before their guests and a fiery sunset.

From a distance, I could have sworn I saw a them laughing and dancing with a few animated sea gulls and dolphin on the beach.

The Petersons

I have this vision for myself in old age. I’ll be sitting in my standard-issue-for-grandpas wingback chair in my living room and the grand kids will be playing around the house, and as they happen run by, each one will stop and give their grandpa one kiss on the cheek

And I’ll be listening to my daughters laughing in the kitchen as they drink wine. And I’ll be giving advice to my sons about home improvement and they’ll listen even when they know I’m flat out wrong. And the cooking will fill the house. And the motes of dust will lazily sprinkle a ray of sun warming the room I’m in. And my heart will be full and sated.

The Petersons had me come out to their house on the lake in Odessa to take their family portraits and the scene there was pretty darn close to my imagined old age. The Petersons were all together, some from out of state, others may as well be. The rarity of the occasion suffused their eyes with glow from the big, simple happiness of being together. That glow spilled out everywhere and I felt like an honorary family member that day.
And I got to catch that glow with my lens.