{jon & angela ~ boho photo engagement session, 2011}
There are a few elements to my photography that I see myself exploring. I have held a vision for quite some time. These elements, these parts of me perhaps yet to fully unfold, a slow slimmer, like most of my dreams. I close my eyes and can feel my fingers interweaving an exploration of love and spirituality and imagery and a journey shared amongst open raw hearts.
I don’t know exactly what it is yet but much of this dream was inspired by the engagement session I did for my niece and her fiance last year. I had yet to capture romantic love in an intimate setting with my lens, so I was deeply honored they chose me to humbly sit back and just observe the way their hearts beat together.
In just a few days, these two beautiful people will be married. My boys and I soon fly out to California to be a witness and my heart is full of emotion. Angela (Cedar calls her Auntie La La) is so very dear to me, a kindred spirit and a soul friend. She is the daughter of my sister Darlene, who is ten years older than me, so her children feel like my brother and sister. I remember sitting across from Angela years ago when her heart was broken and this very warm and calm feeling moved through me, a knowing that she would find someone so deeply special. Someone that would see her, truly see her and honor her deeply.
A few years later, Boho Boy and I were the first in the family to meet Jon after they were dating for a while. We were house sitting for a friend in San Francisco and since they lived there, we met them for dinner. I remember opening the door to this strikingly beautiful man but what put me immediately at ease was the kindness in his eyes. He hugged me tight and it felt like home. I sat back and observed him with her, with my husband and felt such a deep comfort and trust…that he would carry Angela’s heart in a way I knew it was meant to be carried. I feel so emotional writing about this. As my sister Darlene would say…Angela has found her penguin.
I would love if any of you feel inspired to do so, to share in this space a little slice of wisdom for this married couple to be. Or even just a love story of your own with a nugget of sage they can carry with them for their journey ahead. This space is very near and dear to Angela’s heart. I know she will be here listening and honoring.
June 6, 2012
Denise, these images are breathtaking. Wow. I love them so… Angela! You are so beautiful, and your fiance looks like the perfect match for you, I feel such a strong connection between you. May your journey together be blessed with much self-awareness, togetherness, nurturing, healthy communication, patience, respect, and compassion. I wish you all the best… xoLL
June 6, 2012
These images are gorgeous, and I am excited to hear you will be exploring aspects of your photography again. After all – your maternity shoot with Stacy was what originally inspired me to look at photography as an art form – so I owe a big part of my business to you
Congratulations Angela! As someone who is lucky and blessed enough to have married her penguin, may you have many, many decades of love and happiness ahead of you. There are so many aspects to what makes up a successful marriage, and you have a wonderful example with Denise and Carsten already! For what it’s worth however, in our marriage, one thing we have never stopped saying (and I hope we never will) is thank you. From the little every day things that so easily become routine and taken for granted, to the magnificent presence of who he is, I make sure he knows how deeply grateful and blessed I feel for having him in my life each and every day.
June 6, 2012
These photos capture something very special. The connection, the love, the intimacy and the romance of a grwoing partnership.
I love the hues, the playfulness and way you have let their individual personalities shine through.
Truly beautiful work!
June 6, 2012
gorgeous photos, gorgeous subjects!
Advice … ‘people before things’ — by that I mean the socks under the bed or the toothpaste cap left off or the drink glasses on the coffee table are just things … when something eensy like that starts the irritation rising, remember one, two, three incredible things about that person, and suddenly it’s all transformed, and it becomes really doggone easy to just pluck out the socks, cap the toothpaste, and tote the glasses to the kitchen. Happiness is EASY — it’s choice, every second! (best best best love to Jon and Angela!)
June 6, 2012
these are such soulful images! angela and jon look so easy, so natural together. may all of their days together be full of light.
June 6, 2012
I forgot to say: THANK YOU, said with your heart on your lips, are two of the most beautiful and transforming words in the human language … thank you directly to each other for behaviors big or small, but also THANK YOU, from your heart and soul, spun out into the air, to the universe, to the sky …
June 6, 2012
Denise – I rarely comment as am such a slacker but your gorgeous photos of your beautiful niece and her lovely fella inspired even lil ole me to comment!
I married my lobster (a Friends reference) and I am grateful for him every single day. Something I’m still working on is not to sweat the small stuff but to let it go. And, something that can get lost in the day to day busyness of people’s lives is to say ‘I love you’ every day.
Hope the wedding is a blast.
June 6, 2012
My husband and I have our ups and downs-all married couples do. But I always say that thing that keeps our marriage strong is trust and a shared sense of humor. Always remember that you are partners-lean into and trust in that-and remember to laugh together and the stuff that’s hard or unfun will always work itself out.
June 6, 2012
These photos made my heart smile. It takes me back to those moments before my wedding, 14 years ago now.
Whenever we stop listening to the other, we disconnect. You think at first you would never stop listening to your love, but life goes on, children may come -or not, but things come into your life that make can stop your ears and your heart.
Keep listening.
Listen with your heart.
Listen with your soul.
Listen with love and openness.
Listen. And it shall be returned to you.
xo
June 6, 2012
Congratulations to a gorgeous couple! You can really just see the love bubbling through all of those photos.
My husband and I have just celebrated our first wedding anniversary, and have been together almost four years. We are very different personalities, and I am a very talkative extrovert, which it seems that the more important something is to my husband, the quieter he is about it.
The thought that has saved my perspective in many a discussion, when he does something that I just can’t fathom the “why” of is this: my husband is an incredibly intelligent man who makes choices for well thought-out reasons. Before I just jump to that snappy, irritated place, I take a deep breath and tell him, “I know that you did this because you thought it was the best choice to make. It would really help me process this, if you could walk me through your reasons for making the choice.” I consciously choose not to use the word “why,” because somehow I can’t say it without sounding accusatory, and I know that shuts him down.
So, that’s it: remember that this person is on your team, and trust that he makes decisions that come from that team-ness.
And enjoy each other! ¡Felicitaciones!
June 6, 2012
“… the way their hearts beat together”; what a beautiful sentence and experience!!! thank you for that – and many more!
to angela and jon – i would echo the advice already mentioned in comments above this one and add encouragement to follow your hearts, follow love, follow joy. trust those things are still there because they always are – even during tough times (and tough times don’t last). let your hearts, love and joy be your guide and your focus. best wishes to you and your families for much good health, happiness and love together always.
kathy
June 6, 2012
They will treasure these gorgeous, radiant images forever. I love the uniqueness of your photography – the perfect combination of enchantment and technical mastery.
June 6, 2012
Beautiful engagement photos – I feel the love and mystery surrounding these sacred moments.
…
Congratulations Angela … may you Jon extend grace to each other and most importantly, to yourselves. Partnering with another person is incredibly revealing and healing. My nugget to tuck away is that you will both grow and change and the structure that houses your marriage right now will most likely have to be re-modeled later, or perhaps torn down and built anew. Don’t be frightened by this, be encouraged, new growth requires new spaces. I think a long marriage might actually be a number of different marriages to the same person.
Welcome change and blessings!
June 7, 2012
What a beautiful couple! What beautiful photos!
My advice:
+Laugh together.
+Have shared interests and independent interests.
+Always appreciate each other – please and thank you are SO important in a close relationship!
+Pick your battles.
Many blessings for your future, Angela and Jon. I hope you’ll allow Denise to post a couple of photos from your big day.
June 7, 2012
What a wonderful way to start off your lives together…capturing the flush of marriage love is so exciting! When I was a young woman, I just couldn’t imagine finding someone that I would want to spend the rest of my life with….but I did. It was love at first sight. The most amazing thing in my 17 years so far with him, is that if you choose to grow together, you will never tire of each other. And by growing together, I mean, whatever your heart tells you that you need to experience and accomplish in your life, have each other’s backs on it. Allow each other to fulfill your fullest potential..don’t hold each other back, or even worse, use the other as an excuse to hold yourself back in whatever dream you have as an individual. Your life together will unfold in a beautiful, open and meaningful way when you both are the other’s eternal cheerleader. It is amazing how much you will change from decade to decade…your gift to each other is in allowing each of you to hold the space together to grow and expand…and to be open enough to accept where that space takes you. I hope you both have a wonderful wedding ceremony…but the real fun is in the marriage. Much love…
June 7, 2012
this made me teary. <3 what a beautiful and sweet couple; they are luminous. many blessings and much love to you both. <3<3<3
my love and i celebrate our tenth anniversary this september and with every year i see more clearly how perfect he is for me. i think it is important to make time for play. life happens and it is easy to get caught in daily routines and miss the magic of Us, the energy and connection. at the same time, witnessing the faithfulness of doing life together through easy and difficult, through exciting and routine, through sunshine and storm warms my heart even more. it's also important to have a full life of your own. this keeps you growing with new things to discover about yourself and each other. pursue things that interest you individually and support each other wholeheartedly. i love being married, and my husband gives me freedom to be me, even when he doesn't understand my passions or spiritual journey or all of my "projects". we each try to give the other freedom to be fully all we are meant to be and want to be. and while sometimes there are challenges, marriage doesn't have to be hard. it's simple, really, to always choose love.
xoxox.
June 7, 2012
What a special couple! You captured that moment for them so beautifully Denise! My smidge of wisdom for these two is to remember your best friend. When things don’t go as planned and feelings get hurt, treat each other with the same kindness you would a friend. I have been happily married for almost seven years and I swear this is our secret. When the couple/mushy love part seems scarce for a moment the friendship is a soft place to land until the storm passes. MUCH love being sent their way!
June 7, 2012
Congratulations Jon and Angela!
Denise has captured the love you have for each other. Have a wonderful heart filled life together. xo
June 7, 2012
Dear Angela and Jon,
My only advice in marriage is to allow your partner and marriage the space to be and become. Try not to put too much pressure on your expectations of how things should be. Try to remain open and allow your path together to organically unfold. There is SO much joy in marriage…it gets better and better as time passes. I wish you a beautiful wedding and more importantly and beautiful marriage! Gorgeous photos!
June 7, 2012
Truly lovely images ~ all the very best, Angela and Jon! We are celebrating 28 years of being so blissfully married this month and what I can add to all the right-on comments above is to appreciate each other and say thank you for every little thing. Like each other as well as love each other, laugh as much as possible, take long walks together.
June 8, 2012
Remember not to judge or be selfish. Just oodles of love and kindness and above all RESPECT for one another. Oh yes and to always, LIVE, LAUGH, AND LOVE.. Congrats…
June 8, 2012
I guess “connection” is the word. Connection means paying attention, look at the other to the eyes and also look at the other while the other just is. If we pay attention, we may be able to identify so many opportunities to say “thank you!” and so many actions that shows the other´s love. Pay attention in such a distrative world is a sign of love. Love, hugs, laugh and sharing, lots of sharing… the best for you!
June 8, 2012
oh my goodness what a gorgeous couple! and the pictures really capture their love. i wish them the best at this wonderful new journey in thier lives. i have been married 12 years and feel so blessed to have my husband/partner and the father of my children. i think its key to keep the appreciation and respect alive and remember to really cherish each other. really love each day you have together.
June 8, 2012
The best advice I was given when I got married was this…”All you need is love and each other”. I believe if you truly remember to keep on loving and rely on each other, you can make it through whatever may come your way.
June 8, 2012
Congratulations Jon and Angela! Many blessings for you both on your wedding and future together
xxx
Beautiful, beautiful pictures, too, Denise they are lovely!
June 8, 2012
Congratulations to Angela (such a pretty name). I like all of the advice in the other comments, especially Jessica’s. One thing I would add is, this may be more or less relevant depending on who you are but it’s important to let go of being right, or “winning” arguments. Those little “wins” can really take a toll on a marriage.
But yes, marriage is wonderful. It’s amazing to grow with someone, to see them changing and to see yourself changing along with them. Oh, my other piece of advice: if you can, take a two-week (or longer) honeymoon!! Our honeymoon is one of my happiest memories, and we’ve made many very happy memories since.
June 8, 2012
Try to view each other as if its the first time you met….especially when things get boring or a little rough. It lets you stand back and not judge and appreciate the beauty in each other with new eyes again.I’ve been married for 32 years! Happy marraige to you!
June 9, 2012
These photos took my breath away. They are beautiful, inspiring. I actually cried as I looked through them.
I am in a difficult spot in my marriage. After six years of togetherness, a battle with infertility, two job losses, and other stresses, we slowly let our connection weaken. Not a lot, but enough that I feel it every day, and it’s really hard getting it back. Right now, we recognize that we are in a really low spot, a dark spot that we have to work really hard — together — to crawl out of if we are going to keep this love alive. My advice is to trust one another and trust one another’s instincts. When you are young and in love and ready to embrace a new marriage, it feels impossible that you would ever ever ever feel disconnected from your partner. It is so important that when things arise in your marriage that send up red flags, worries, doubts or fears, that you address them with one another, that you hold a safe space for one another’s fears, that you honor one another’s concerns, and that always – you make each other the priority. Togetherness is a beautiful, beautiful thing. Beautiful, but not always easy. Hold tight to each other. Honor each other. Touch each other every single day. Smile at each other’s jokes. Laugh with each other. Sit beside each other in restaurants once in a while, instead of across from each other. And most importantly, find the things that make you guys “you guys” and don’t ever let those go.
Blessings to you both. xoxo
June 10, 2012
After 19 years of marriage my advice is this: always have each others back, remember that you are each others support system..never complain to family about each other EVER! And let each other have time apart, remembering that you each had lives and interests before marriage.
When things get sticky in life remember why you love each other and stand in that till the storms pass. Don’t let failure be an option. There is nothing you will face that you can’t conquer together.
June 10, 2012
Dear Angela and John,
Marriage becomes an entity of it’s own…one you are both responsible for…one you both feed and pour into…Marriage can not survive, thrive or even live when one of you pulls away, It’s whole existence requires both of you…and sometimes it will be easy to forget that when the other person has let you down, because they will, it is not personal. But see Marriage, Marriage does not understand any of that, Marriage only understand it needs you both to be. So there will be many times, when you will have to put your own personal feeling aside for the sake of Marriage. this doesn’t mean you roll over and play dead, by no means…but it does mean you move past your ego adn do what is best for this living thing that you are responsible for…because Marriage is a living breathing entity, and you BOTH are it’s life line. This is the biggest most important thing I have learned in my marriage and relationship with my husband. Living in this manner also helps me keep the friendship we share in tack as well, because the friendship is such an important ingredient….having friends who TRULY support your union is good to. Friends that hold you accountable in the way you speak and act…not in a militant way of course, but in a way of love and nurturing…..ya know?
I read it best described in a Sue Monk Kidd book when she spoke of marriage as 3 rings coming together…the couple with the marriage in the middle…that is why divorce is so difficult because though the two outside rings break free the marriage remains confused as to what has just happened.
blessing to you both as you walk down this beautiful and rewarding path
love and light
June 10, 2012
I married my prairie vole 15 years ago–we’ve been together for 17 years. My best advice is: honor each other. Honor, honor, honor. There will be good times, there will be hard times, there will be sick times and healthy times. There will be poor times, there will be wealthy times. In all times and in all seasons of this marriage, honor. And when you fail, forgive. And when you feeling like failing, forbear. All that is required of you is to honor, to bring your full, honest self to the marriage and in all things, honor the sacred person who journeys beside you. Love bears all things, hopes all things. Love never fails.
Much love,
EE
June 11, 2012
These are so gorgeous! They truly stir my heart! You can feel the love coming through. I have been with my husband for ten years and married for almost 6 of those. And I have a few insights to share
.
They are:
-treasure the little moments. really be present in them.
-when you have a disagreement do not become so staunch in your opinion that you don’t see the validity of your partner’s point of view. try and walk in the others’ shoes when you can’t see eye to eye.
-remember that you both want the same thing for yourselves and each other. To be loved and to be seen.
-be silly! Always laugh! It diffuses the most grumpy of moments
.
-pick and choose your battles, forgive easily, and don’t be afraid to be vulnerable.
-above all take care of each other and yourselves. keep your hobbies and passions, friends and family apart of your lives. it helps you to feel balanced.
-above all kindness, respect and love <3
Many Blessings to you Denise and your sweet niece and her soon to be husband!
June 12, 2012
For the beautiful married couple to-be – all this advice here is wonderful, so I’ll only add a small tidbit that has become the foundation of the love and happiness to my 8-year marriage: Be a better listener than you are a talker. And when it comes to talking, work hard at communicating, honestly, openly, no matter how small or ridiculous your thoughts or feeling may be. As a wife of a pilot who is away from home 18 days a month, we’ve learned how to communicate – by necessity, being apart so much – and I believe that is one of the difference- makers when so many of our lovely friends are getting divorced.
Most of all, remember that he’s going to do silly, stupid things that hurt your feelings, and you’ll do the same to him, and that’s normal!!! Life, as it were. Talk about it – work through it. Be open to it. And they won’t become barbs that stick in your heart forever.
Love!!!! Light!!!! Happiness – here’s to a little music in your souls, laughter in your hearts and peace in your new life together!!!
June 14, 2012
Pray both for and with each other every day, about everything important to the both of you or to each other. And make love every day!
June 17, 2012
I would tell you, Angela, to just enjoy this happiness and revel in it. It keeps getting better and richer just like all the good things in life. It is such a pleasure to share one’s life with someone you love! How great is it to have someone like that around for forever?
Congratulations!
June 18, 2012
The best advice I have is to love, and remember why you love and who you love. Always enjoy each other, laugh, kiss, hug…
My beautiful man and I never part (even for grocery shopping or a nap) without a kiss. It is too easy to let that slide, but so very beautiful to hold on to. After almost 9 years, my heart still flutters with each goodbye and hello kiss.
Congratulations, and enjoy the beautiful path that is the rest of your lives…
love & light xxxx
July 4, 2012
You have such a beautiful eye.