Blog | Columbus Wedding Photographer

Lauren & James – An Engagement in the Sunny Valley

The weekend of Lauren and James’ engagement session was an exciting one for me. In addition to their session, I had two others planned. It was going to be a busy weekend, but I was filled with creative energy. I felt as though the whole weekend would go perfectly, and the results exceeded my expectations, especially with Lauren and James.

On Saturday afternoon, I pulled into my parking space in the Cuyahoga Valley. I was just a little early, as always. I dug my gear out of the trunk and my phone rang. “How can we find this place,” Lauren asked. “Can you tell me where you are and I will guide you,” I responded. It’s amazing how many answers can spring from that one simple question. After going back and forth for a moment, I finally realized where Lauren and James were coming from. I watched as they descended into the valley from the hilltop and guided them into the parking lot.

We then met while standing in the parking lot, and for the first time. Like many of my clients, we first met only by phone. Both Lauren and James were beaming. Hardly nervous at all, they were ready to start their engagement session. We had a simply plan for that sunny Saturday afternoon in the valley. We would simply walk around, stopping to take pictures from time to time. The location offered everything we needed, so we chose to keep the session simple.

As we walked, we chatted about how they were engaged. Both Lauren and James love the outdoors, and often go on hikes together. So James planned a very special adventure for the proposal. He charted a course through the woods and laid treasure at the end. The next day, he lead Lauren on a hike. He gave her a compass and some simple instructions to follow. Soon they arrived at a hidden fire-circle in the woods. James then presented Lauren with a treasure map. She quickly located the stashed loot – a buried box containing highlights from their life together. It was at that moment that James proposed, while alone together in the woods.

I’d like to think that Lauren’s smile that day was like the one just below – full and beaming with joy.
Sunny evening engagement with Lauren and James

Lauren and James were such naturals during their engagement session. I think the love really comes through. And the gorgeous light doesn’t hurt either. At this point, I’m just waiting to see them again at their Cleveland wedding. I’m certain it will be amazing!

A Family Lifestyle session with Michelle & Amir

Michelle and I stood in the her beautiful living room and chatted while Amir was upstairs getting ready. Michelle mentioned being Filipino, which immediately lead to a long conversation about our shared past. While we chatted, I slowly flipped through their wedding album. It would be an understatement to say Michelle, Amir and I share similarities. We are the same age and we all live in the same small corner of Cleveland. We share an appreciation for good food, travel and new experiences. We are even dog lovers. Eventually everyone was ready and we started the family session.

Due winter stretching late into the spring, we decided to simply capture their family session at their home in Lakewood. After all, it’s a gorgeous place filled with light and color. No need to go outside into the cold, especially with their new son Michael. Instead, we kept to the warmth of their home, which I honestly preferred. Staying inside allowed us to captured portraits in a relaxed, comfortable and warm environment. No need to rush due to the cold winter outside.

My favorite part of the entire family session had to be Michael. Being only 8 months old, you would expect a restless boy. The exact opposite was true. He was calm and relaxed the entire time. He wasn’t spooked by the odd events. If anything, he was a ham. I think you can see how relaxed he was in the photos below. Each photo turned out so loving and warm and I’m excited to share just a few highlights below.

Family lifestyle photography session with the Teleron-Khorshad family Family lifestyle photography session with the Teleron-Khorshad family

It was really hard to choose some favorites. Between Amir’s loving embrace of Michael and Michelle’s radiant smile, it was tough to narrow down the photos. One of my favorites is Michael’s faux-hawk seen just above. I’m still blown away by how well the film turned out. Like just about every session I shoot, this one was captured on film as well. I love how the colors and light came out so…ethereal. And for Michelle and Amir – thank you so much for having me into your home. It’s a treasure I won’t soon forget.

A Styled Maternity Session Captured on Film

Back today with more from January. It almost seems like I will never get caught up on my blogging, but I am nearing the finish line. As you may recall from early posts, I visited California in January for a very special photography workshop. I joined in with ten other photographers as part of Caroline Tran’s Propel Workshop series. All of us lived, ate and shot together for three straight days. Part of the shooting included the gorgeous styled maternity session you see below.

Kym, the mom-to-be, is also an amazing photographer. She was kind enough to donate her time for us, and she was a dream to work with. I love that you can see her tattoos below, which really help to make the photos personal. Also, huge thanks to WilmaRose from Lovely Jubilee for the perfect styling and Ngoc from Skybox Events for helping to organize then entire week. Simply put, their help was priceless.

Like all of the photos I shot in California, these too were captured on film. Film and California light are like eggs and bacon – they just go together perfectly. So, here are a few highlights to enjoy –

Styled maternity photography session in California

I was also fortunate enough to get some of these photos published. The series, including work from other workshop attendees, was recently featured by On To Baby! Happy camper = me.