True love after all these years…

Laura and William have been married for a long time (I think they said 51 years), and they have a HUGE family, with tons of grand-kiddos. From this session, I can tell why they’ve “worked” this long: they are STILL head over heels for each other.

Their son, Nick, bought this session for them as a gift certificate last year, and William and Laura haven’t taken portraits for a long time. I could tell Laura was especially a little nervous when they first arrived, but I saw something magical happen the moment William smiled that million-watt smile at her. Suddenly, all signs of nervousness were gone, and her eyes began to sparkle and her own smile brightened the whole room.

Taking these photos wasn’t work at all. They laughed and flirted and gave me so many amazing moments, it was hard to choose which ones I would end up keeping for the final product.

“Flirt, have fun, and the rest will follow…”

That’s the philosophy I use for all my “relational portraits”. You can pose and plan out a shot as much as you want, but it’s not until you see the relationship, usually “broken free” through laughter and love, that the magic happens. It’s the story of the relationship that turns a “nice” photo into a “priceless” treasure for my clients.

There is a lifetime of love in those smiles and sparkling eyes, and a comfort and a familiarity that only comes from being with someone who knows every part of who you are, the good and the bad.

I am particularly proud of these portraits, because they express for me more than any others I have taken, “I am yours, and you are mine, and I couldn’t imagine it any other way.”

Thank you William and Laura for giving me the opportunity to capture this moment in your incredible story together.