As an artist, I am constantly looking for ways to improve my craft and work on projects that express who I am as a professional and creative simultaneously and in a truly authentic way.
I bring up authenticity because I'm constantly overwhelmed by a world that's full of perfect seeming social media posts and heightened expectations for photographers.
As part of my personal quest to find my visual voice I teamed up with some of my favorite fellow creatives to bring my emerging photography style to life. This last month's shoot with Sam & Jake was the culmination of that vision and a lot of heart, love, and attention by a team of talented vendors.
I hesitate to even title this a styled shoot, but I want to be upfront about it. We asked Sam and Jake to be models for our project, but what started as a styled shoot with a couple "pretending" to elope turned into one of the most magical days of shooting I have ever experienced.
Perhaps that's because we chose two people who have been madly in love and married for almost five years, or perhaps it's because there is just something so lovely and magical about taking an entire day to focus on loving your significant other intentionally. Either way, Sam, and Jake spent all day together reliving their love and commitment to one another and it's nothing short of magic.
We started the day out with an intimate in-home session where Sam & Jake shared breakfast, lots of cuddles and got ready for their day. After spending the better part of the day basking in all the good feels we headed out for Hope, Alaska. Where we took in all the good light and Sam was courageous enough to run around barefoot all afternoon along the most beautiful stretch of beach we could have been fortunate enough to find.
We ended the day with an elopement scene and lots of bubbles. And let me tell you, these vows were far from staged. Sam even worked on her vows the morning of the shoot and added her special touches regarding Jake's sometimes less than funny jokes. And Jake definitely exhibited all the same pre-ceremony jitters he experienced five years ago on their first special day. To all present, we felt honored to be in their presence and I can't wait to capture more love like this down the road.
So whether you're eloping tomorrow, or you've been married for five, ten or twenty years, I want to share below for my potential clients what an elopement day or vow renewal would feel like if you let me tag along for every special moment of it.
Vendors collaborating on this project include:
Hair and makeup: Amie Smithwick Stylist
Videography: Wild and Beloved Films
Floral design and coordination: True North Events & Design
