For me, negative space in a photo evokes a feeling of freedom. It’s an invitation for my imagination to create possible stories and behind the image. Wide open skies or snow-covered fields that go on for miles, a sun setting into the sea spreading reds and blues across the horizon, plains of grass dancing as the wind runs through.  Photos that capture the quality of space pull my thoughts into a peaceful place where I can be still. My eyes move in the direction of the small details of the photo, wondering what they’re thinking, what their next move will be, where they’re headed.

I wonder what negative space in our lives would look like. I wonder what creating more space would do for the dreams and passions I have. I wonder if getting rid of the clutter and being content with stillness would bring more clarity to the things I really want to pursue. Negative space makes me wonder…

Making friends is different once you leave the community and constant social spectrum we call college. Once college is over, friends slowly move away as they follow careers or their significant others… maybe even you do the leaving yourself. Either way, your community becomes those whom you make the effort to invest deeply and consistently in. Friends don’t just happen anymore, it takes work. I was talking with someone recently and they told me they feel like they don’t know how to be a good friend. I suppose sometimes I feel that way simply because I allow my life to get so busy that I don’t make time for friends… but it doesn’t have to be that way. Friendship is simply a give and take of time, laughter, and support.

Recently, Christopher and I have become fast friends with Gavin and Erin Wade. Initially we just knew of each other, being photographers in Orange County, and then Erin and I began running together this summer when Christopher was gone at camp. When Christopher came home, Erin and I introduced Gavin and now they’re iron pumping buddies. We all have different schedules, so sometimes, the only times we have to hang out/work out  is late at night when we should all be sleeping. But, all four of our efforts have led to a really fun friendship that I’m pretty excited about.

Recently, we thought it would be fun to go on a photo adventure. We chose to shoot at Thomas F. Riley Wilderness Park in Orange County and I’m so glad we did… because it’s BEAUTIFUL! The afternoon ended up being quite chilly and as the sun went down, we quickly froze into photog-scicles, but we had a blast none the less. Here’s my favs…

H.O.T.

As we were wrapping up the shoot, the guys were walking a little ahead, so we shouted for them to turn around. Without consulting each other, this is the look they both gave us…. Erin and I are pretty sure they’re the good looking ones of the 4 of us. It’s a good thing they’re taken.

I love photographing engaged couples more than anything else (besides weddings, of course) because they’re SO FUN. I’m learning more and more, that engagement is a time when two worlds–marriage and singleness–begin the collision process… and it can be tough to navigate. For one, there are a LOT of things to think about when planning a wedding, let alone planning for life together AFTER the wedding. Just the idea of planning and adjusting to all this newness is enough to put a wedge in any relationship. But during an engagement shoot, it’s a time to set all the stresses of planning and the unknown aside for a few hours and just enjoy the excitement of love. That’s what I truly enjoy about engagement shoots…. the love.

Spending time with Jeff and Jamie on that Sunday evening made everything right in the world. I know they were a little nervous to be in front of the camera, but they quickly giggled the nervousness out of their systems and we had a blast exploring around Casper’s Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano. What I loved about these two, is their capacity for joy. Not only do they love to laugh… laughter seems to follow them wherever they go. The ability to laugh is a GOOD thing when life gets hard… sometimes it’s the only thing that helps one realize that life isn’t half as serious as we think it’s supposed to be. So Jeff and Jamie…. I want you to know that spending time with you was such a blessing. Here’s my favorites from the evening…

At the very end, we decided it would be fun to take some “photo booth style” photos to finish the shoot out with a bang… these make me laugh every time!