This evening in Palm Springs was a way for Koren and Joe to get portraits before their ceremony with friends and family the following day. It provided them the option to see each other in a more intimate setting. To make sure the focus was on each other. And to have portraits in the Southern California desert landscape.

From our initial email, I knew I was going to love Stefanee + Chason! These two, a 3rd grade teacher and lineman, were wanting to plan an intimate little wedding on Stefanee’s family farm in Ruch, Oregon. Tucked in between the Applegate Valley Wine Trail and the quaint historical town of Jacksonville, Ruch is filled with farms, rolling meadows, and beautiful mountains and rivers.

Intimate sessions have always been something I’ve wanted to shoot more of. The connection. The slow down. The little moments we sometimes push past in our day to day with each other. They become so much more important. You get to find that passion again and hone in on it. You get to be in the moment with your significant other, taking each other in, feeling those touches, pushing past vulnerability to be here.

To my best friend…

Watching you step into motherhood has been an honor. I’m so proud of you. I watch how careful you are to show your excitement. Teetering on letting yourself be openly ecstatic about meeting him and quietly having a heart for everyone who struggles with the challenges that come with pregnancy and motherhood.