I still remember Jun telling me he was never going to cry during the wedding. I remember it clearly. We were at Panera Bread, having dinner, talking over last minute details before their wedding day. In his mind there was no doubt that he was going to cry. Why would he? He is a man. And a man never cries.
One day, in your search for happiness, you discover someone by your side, and you realize that your happiness has come to help you search.” – Robert Brault
I was actually surprised to read her text message. Nessa wrote: “I apologize. Our love story is nothing out of the ordinary.” Over the last three years that I’ve been speaking to couples and hearing their stories, I feel that each and every one of them is special. No matter how much of the initial courting stage might feel mundane or oft repeated, it’s what happens in between the lines that speaks volumes.
I still remember the phone conversation I had with Megan and how she told me that she was having her wedding preps done at home. It struck me as odd, that she didn’t want the full princess treatment that other brides look for on their wedding day. But I guess there is some truth to the saying: “Home is where the heart is.”
Have you ever been one of those children that just didn’t like getting any sort of PDA from your parents? Sadly, to my mother’s dismay, I was one of them. As affectionate to her kids as my mother is, she was also a stern disciplinarian. I remember while growing up, I would be outside hanging out with my friends and my mom would come home from a long day at work.
The drive from the Getty Center (where we got kicked out) to Long Beach was not pleasant at all. The traffic was horrendous. Plus sitting in the backseat usually gets me car sick. Which it did. But talking to Celine and Jun and getting to know their story made the ride better.
I finally can let out a sigh of relief. We finally arrived at Joshua Tree. Two hours behind schedule but we are here nonetheless. The clouds have started rolling in. The sun slowly but surely started dipping below the horizon. I stood at another rocky platform a few feet below where Megan and Henry were standing. Standing toe to toe, Megan leaned in for a kiss. It was a perfect moment for them.
As beautiful as the church was, with its beautiful paintings blanketing it’s towering walls, nothing was more lovely than looking at two kindred spirits, standing together in unity. And as the priest was going through the sermon, I would see them glance at each other. Smiling. Excited for the future that will be in store for them.
It was a simple tea ceremony held at Tuan’s parent’s house. An age-old Vietnamese tradition where the bride, on the day of the wedding goes and visits the groom’s house to be introduced to the relatives and/or ancestors of the groom. At the center of the living room sits a small shelf where pictures of their grandparents rest.
It was quite a hike in the hills of Malibu Canyon. Lee and Anne who have hiked this part of the canyon before seemed to be walking at a comfortable pace, while I was huffing and puffing, trying to catch my breath. I seem to be out of shape. And I know it. Having kids will do this to you. But I shouldn’t blame it on having kids. I should blame it on laziness.
I have always felt that there should be more to this career than simply churning out pictures of couples smiling at the camera. I’ve always made it my personal goal to make my couples evoke as much honesty and passion for each other in their photos. And at the same time I believe that my art has to make a statement about me as a person. In fact, Richard Avedon, a famous American photographer said: “My portraits are more about me than they are about the people I photograph.”
It took us awhile before we came across the site. A 75-foot tall structure made of marble with sculpted figures outlining the walls. It is a burial site dedicated to the 15 pioneers of aviation. A shrine erected to honor the dearly departed. Damaris, at first, was against the idea of shooting here, since her grandfather is buried somewhere near this very same place.
“I no longer believed in the idea of soul mates, or love at first sight. But I was beginning to believe that a very few times in your life, if you were lucky, you might meet someone who was exactly right for you. Not because he was perfect, or because you were, but because your combined flaws were arranged in a way that allowed two separate beings to hinge together.” - Lisa Kleypas”
There are instances in our lives when you meet a person for the first time, and you have no idea why you crossed paths, but you just know there is something that the universe has in store for the two of you. We met Venus at a nursing facility back when we were still living in San Diego. She worked the graveyard shift while my wife worked the evening shift. She was a kind, sweet person with a pleasant demeanor.
I was in the common room, setting up my equipment when I heard a guitar being strummed gently in the other room. As a music lover and a guitar enthusiast myself, I’m usually quick at dropping whatever I’m doing everytime I hear someone playing the guitar. Either to see what kind of guitar they play or start a conversation to see if we both listen to the same artists.
We finally arrived at the desired location. I stepped out of the car and walked toward where my client was standing. Jeffrey, looking a bit pressured, was trying to decide which outfit he should wear first. “Yeah, you gotta wear the gray sweater first.” I reassured him. I then peeked over the rear window of his car. To my surprise his back seat was filled with props and items that are all intended to be used for the shoot. I knew then and there that this was going to be a great session.
We were invited to dinner by Tuan and Maria the night before their esession. Either to calm their nerves or to get to know us better. Nonetheless, we talked and laughed over Korean BBQ and some good red wine. Listening to Maria and Tuan recall their past was amusing. Each person had their own version of the story to tell. Despite Tuan’s version being a little bit more on the comedic side, you could still see the sincerity in his eyes.
The air was cold. The ground. Mushy and wet. After what seems like, 500 Days of Summer in Los Angeles, The Pacific Northwest finally embraced me with it’s first glimpse of Fall weather. And I was more than happy to accept. For some people, Autumn marks the season of melancholy. Leaves begin to fall, fruits wither in the ground, and dark gray clouds replaces the blue skies of summer.
“I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep your eyes close.” — Pablo Neruda (100 Love Sonnets: Cien sonetos de amor)
