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Category: ‘Engagements’ Category
Jessie & André
All the way from my dear Provence, I though I would share a couple pictures of one of our favorite baby sitter and her fiancé. As long as we’ve known Jessie, André has been in her life, and it was pretty clear they would become husband and wife eventually. In the military for a few more years, there is a great big chance they will travel the world, enrich their lives with different cultures. We are sad to see her leave, but are excited for them to start on this wonderful adventure together.
They just needed real quick a few pictures for their “save the date”, but I would really like to have a “real” engagement session when I come back from France.
In the past years when I return to THE homeland, I’ve been filled with ambitious projects to blog about France, and it seems each time I’ve done less. I’ve come to understand how sacred this moment spent with my family in my birth town is to me, and have lowered my expectations tremendously. This year I would like to make a special effort to showcase the legendary landscape while on my vacation. However, after talking to my friend Daniel Ewert, a landscape photographer expert, I realize this may very well be a very ambitious project still. As he explained to me, one of the secrets of landscape photography is like always in the photography world, LIGHT. Not just any light mind you, but sunrises and sunsets, those small windows of time during the day are your best best to catch some gorgeous imagery. But, in this part of the world, in this time of the year, that translate being set up in a great location at 5:30AM, and 9PM. The first being prime sleep time, the second during the most important meal/gathering of the day, the dinner! So, the task will be challenging, but I may manage a few shots, that I will be sure to share here.
By the way, you must take a minute, to click on the link above to check out Daniel’s work, it’s breathtaking. Be sure to visit in the “gallery categories” (under image), the Landscape and Nature Photography, and in there his recent body of images of Mallorca (an island near Spain)
Leigh and Brian engaged
It’s Saturday, happy week end everyone!
We have a big day planed, the weather is beautiful, we’ll pack the family on the boat and spend the day on the beach, with a picnic… But first I must post some pictures of these love birds.
Because they live out of town, we only met 2 days before their wedding for their engagement session. But by the end of our time together, I felt like one of their best friends, that’s just how they roll.
Brittany & Gabriel
They met totally unexpectedly, Brittany was decorating her new home, and shopping for furniture. Gabriel was working in that store and Cupid struck him hard. When she left he had already decided he would marry her someday. On their first date, Gab might have been a little nervous, knowing he was with the women of his dreams, but Brittany agreed to a second date, and they’ve been an item ever since. They’re new to the area, from Louisiana, and will tie the knot this June. They’re so happy together, joy oozes all around them. We had so much fun taking these pictures, I can’t wait for the wedding.
You know that feeling when you’re so madly in love, no mountain is high enough…, you just feel at the top of the world,
Fred & Wade, the real thing
Here it is, the full E-session. I had in mind the 50ies, the scenic dinner seemed like the perfect place, and I found it’s one of Wade’s favorite spots. In fact, I’ve heard he’s a regular on Sunday morning. Fred is a dune expert, and the beach is her territory, so we had to finish off the day by the water. As they soon discovered, I get carried away with my camera, but this was especially fun. Watching Fred and Wade so giddy with love, laughing and just so happy together was a real treat for me. You two are just perfect together! Hurry up with the wedding and the babies!
Ils nagent dans le bonheur, c’est un vrai plaisir que de les voir ensemble!
Fred & Wade, teaser
I couldn’t let an other day go by and not post just one picture of my good friend, Frederique with her fiance, Wade. I have known Fred for a very long time (she loves to remind me the exact number of years, which never fails to freak me out, to her delight). She’s my only friend from France, living here. We met in 10th grade, we were in the same class, in a very unique school, “la Legion d’Honneur”, an all girl boarding school created by non other than Napoleon. The school was to be attended only by the daughters of his decorated soldiers (by our highest medal of honor, “la Legion d’Honneur”). There are 2 campuses, the middle school (6th till 9th grade) is in the middle of Saint Germain’s forrest, and the high school is adjacent to the Saint Denis basilique (where all the kings of France are buried). Both in the Paris suburbs. We wore uniforms, dated from the Napoleon area, and slept in dorms originally used by the monks of the basilica, only there was twice as many of us in the same space (140 girls in one room, 3 dorms in all). The building was, is a magnificent gothic structure built in the 1200s… Our classes, however, were held in the most modern building of Europe! At the time, I may not have appreciated the fine education I received in such a prestigious and traditional school, but now I feel quite proud of those 5 years in boarding school (I’m afraid at some point it may even have felt like detention). It was a boarding school in all the old fashion sense, meaning we only returned to our families for a very short weekend (Saturday 4:30PM after a test, till Monday 8AM). All in close quarters, apart from our parents, we developed tight friendships, it was like having a flock of sisters. Fred and I share many special memories from our special school, and I will always cherish our friendship. Fred moved to Pensacola 11 years ago, and built a very successful business of restoring sand dunes, Dune Doctors. Her hard work and dedication has placed her top in her field all along the Gulf Coast. Still striving for excellence, she has recently enrolled in school to obtain her masters. (To me that will only delay babies!!!) I am extremely thankful to Wade to have stolen her heart, as I can now rest assured she will stay in Pensacola…
After sharing so much, I had to insert here our sophomore year classroom picture:
Yikes! Does it say 1987???
And now just a little teaser of their E session,
Shannon, Michael, Caraline and Colin
All right, brace yourselves because this is a long post, many pictures! I had to, I treated the session as family portrait, and an “E session”. Shannon and Michael are the sweetest couple, so in love. They will be getting married in May, and didn’t really have any pictures of them together.
Don’t they make a beautiful family?
The session was a lot of fun, everyone was in a playful mood.
I love this mother/daughter picture. Shannon is an absolutely amazing mom, dedicated to her children, and you can clearly see how much they love her in return.
Michelle & André
I had so much fun taking these pictures. What a sweet couple and man, are they in love!
They were so easy to photograph, being so happy together, they have a permanent smile on their faces. They couldn’t stop laughing..
I did just take this picture a couple of weeks ago, and it’s all green here, but it’s also getting hot in Florida and I can’t help wishing for the gentle fall breeze, so I modified this picture to a fall foliage.
When Michelle looks at her fiance, her eyes sparkle, she radiates joy.
They told me how Andre proposed, he had a friend of Michelle help him set up his plan: she called Michelle to meet her at her family’s restaurant where Andre walked in (in the full of people restaurant), with a boom box on his shoulder playing their song, some roses and an engagement ring, and proposed in front of the crowd…
I asked Michelle to whisper something in Andre’s ear. At first he had a gentle expression, then his smile expanded, and he declared it may be time for them to go home…
My favorite, I think it’s both of their expression, and the soft focus that gives energy and movement to the image.
Anne & Jimmy
A quick sneak peek of your E session. It’s spring break here, my parents are visiting from France with some friends, and we’re staying with them at the beach. I’m no beach bum, and the water is not warm enough for me to even want to try to dip my feet, but my children are having the best time swimming! ( while I watch wrapped up in towels).
Back to the pictures, I was warned that Jimmy was somewhat camera shy. Not so, I had a great time taking pictures. These 2 are so much in love that they glow, they’re a beautiful match and it shows in every picture.
I’m working on my laptop, so I hope the colors won’t be too much off.
While Anne changed dresses, I made a little friend, I tried my best feline approach, but he didn’t really care for me to get too close. I love how they do that big red goiter.
Bonnie & Jacob’s "E" session
Just wanted to share a few images from a recent engagement session. Bonnie and Jacob requested to take some of the pictures at the “goofy golf”, and others at the bluffs. I had never been to either place, and I was a little dubious about our first location, but I think the result is fun. I felt I had a little room for spunk and originality and had a great time editing these. The bluffs was a little more of a traditional approach. I think they make a lovely couple and I’m looking forward to their wedding.
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We are sooooo happy!
The pictures are beautiful Arielle! We are so very grateful that you took the time right before your big trip to France. I can’t wait to see how our save the dates turn out!! Hope you are all enjoying your summer and having a fabulous time with your family (I’m sure you are!!).
Such wonderful photos–we loved seeing them. Jessie will miss your precious family so very much.
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