Dressed up on the docks!!!  A fun, vibrant, spontaneous couple in their element… how smitten are they???

During our first meeting Emily shared, “I’m still figuring out most things with the wedding, but I am 100% sure that I want you to be our photographer!  We know you are the best out there, we just love your work.  I also have worked with you before, for my sister, Meg’s wedding, so I know first-hand how great you are to work with.”
When I asked Emily what she & Ben were looking for in their wedding photography, she explained, “We want our photos to be different.  I love creative, artistic shots– things that are really unique to that couple and I see that in your work.”  You can see the unique, personal quality in the photograph above.
She continued, “We also like photos that feel natural and show honest, real emotion.  We want the fun that we have together and our deep commitment to each other to be captured forever.”You can see that authentic emotion and deep connection and in this photograph:

Emily & Ben are so happy together.  They truly balance each other out and are always making each other laugh.  Emily shared, “Ben is the most supportive person in every situation which means the world to me.  I love how Ben is super smart, yet such a total goofball.”
I think the laughter, supportiveness and even “goofy side” really come out in this portrait…

Emily explained, “I live so much in the past or present, but Ben is the one with the big, beautiful vision for our future.  I trust him completely.”  I think that intimacy and trust really comes across in this next photograph.  On an artistic level, I love all of the interesting lines and perspective.

Emily and Ben chose to have me travel to the docks in Kinsale, Virginia because some of their best memories together took place there.  It is where Ben has been coming with his extended family since he was a boy and Emily thought that the dock would photograph well, she was so right!
There were so many visual elements for me to play with from the vibrant color of her dress to the worn texture of the dock to the rippling, reflective water… for me it was a playground of inspiration!  Here I captured their interesting, colorful reflections, along with their sweet body language and all that lovely texture.

I peered more deeply into the reflection and was fascinated by the way it shrank and expanded different physical attributes in such a clear, vibrant way.  Emily & Ben both have such quirky senses of humor, I can imagine this distorted reflection making them laugh!

“Ben is so romantic!  He is always trying so hard to impress me with his gentlemanly ways, he definitely succeeds, but is SO nervous leading up to it!”
She continued, “He flew me to Charleston for the most romantic weekend ever.  It was beautiful, warm and involved great southern cuisine.  Ben got down on one knee under the shelter of a gazebo, his hands were shaking and his brow was literally dripping, haha!”
She stated, “I don’t think Ben will ever realize that he never needs to be nervous around me, he always blows me away!”

Emily and Ben love to laugh.  They shared another story about baking THE worst key lime cheesecake together, they both agreed it was *disgusting*.  But rather than get bent out of shape about it, they totally laughed it off.
I like the way the intense sunlight is creating pretty orbs in this next photo.  For me it feels light and sweet and matches the playfulness of their relationship well.

Emily shared, “I remember the first time we said ‘I love you,’ it was nine months into our relationship during our first big fight!  Realizing how much you love someone, even when you are angry is such a beautiful thing.”  It is beautiful, and shows their resilience!
For this next photograph, it was low tide, so I walked on land that was normally submerged under water.  There were these little pieces of grass that spend part of their day crushed by the weight of the sea, literally drowning, but here they are popping right back up again.
I focused on the wet, delicate blades of grass and allowed Emily and Ben to be out of focus.   To me this image speaks volumes about resilience…

Ben shared, “It may sound simple, but I appreciate the way Emily listens to me.  I can literally tell her anything and she will give me her full attention.  It is one of the many qualities that makes her so special.”
I like how soft and natural this next photograph is.   Emily’s ear is towards Ben, I can totally imagine that she is listening to one of his secrets…
Emily and Ben love adventures and have had some many in Kinsale, VA over the years.  They enjoy winery tours, biking and especially to be out on the water boating, swimming or kayaking.
I use my camera settings (a combination of math, science & technology) to capture, moments, emotion, locations (art & life).  I actually captured both the last photo and the next one at the same time of day with the same lighting, I just changed my lenses, settings, etc for a completely different look.
I wanted to capture Emily & Ben silhouetted against the water with starbursts of sunlight.  I really like the way the light seems to pass through their bodies in this next photograph.  It almost looks spiritual…

Ben shared, “I love Emily’s laugh.  It is so contagious!”  I snapped this next photo shortly after the previous one, just when Emily threw her head back and laughed.
I can’t get over how clear everything was, it was such a perfect moment…

More laughter at the docks…

I really like the lines in this next photo, I’m guessing you can tell by now, I have a “thing” for reflections 😉 I also like how they are framed in a gap between the nautical wood pilings, of course the color and texture, too.

More fun reflections, framing, color and texture…

Life is but a dream…  Ben is super romantic, as Emily mentioned earlier, after some time he really opened up!
He shared, “I feel like I’m dreaming, because there is no possible way that a woman like Emily would love me. When her eyes meet mine it feels like the world just stops. In that moment I will always know that I am the luckiest man alive.  Emily is the woman of my dreams. ”
We headed inside of Ben’s parents’ summer home for a bit and a reflection on this artwork caught my eye.
Can you see Ben & Emily?
The light was fading and the sun was beginning to set.

Ben shared a few final remarks, “I love Emily’s passion and drive.  She can do anything she sets her mind to.  She will accomplish so much in this world!”  Mind-meld!!!!
Emily & Ben, I have no doubt that you two will accomplish very much in your lives and marriage and I wish you both all the very best!