I’ve already covered my affinity for Point Defiance in previous posts. It really is an amazing place. So many places to explore. That’s why I’m excited to present another engagement session that took place at Tacoma’s crown jewel. This time it’s Kortney & Aaron’s turn. All I can say is it was one of the easiest sessions I’ve had & I had such a great time hanging out with these two for a while. I think the photos show that pretty well, or at least I hope they do.

I love Point Defiance. There’s a strong possibility that if you live outside the South Puget Sound, you’ve never heard of it (other than maybe the zoo). There’s a reason Steve Prefontaine called it “The most beautiful place I’ve ever run.” It’s just plain gorgeous. I have much the same feelings for the place as Pre, since it was running through the forest there during my first Sound to Narrows race that I fell in love with running. It’s a place where, as a kid, my friends & I ran up & down “G.I. Joe Hill” along the water while playing army. It’s a place that was the location of a number of school field trips where we explored the tide pools. It’s a place that is so full of beauty that you never run out of places to explore. If you live anywhere close, you need to go visit.

That’s why I take every opportunity to shoot there when given the option. I was thrilled when Aaron & Alicia agreed to come down to Tacoma for their engagement photos. It was a blast hanging out during the first sunshine of the year (even though it was still colder than it should have been) with these two & making some photos that I really love. I hope you do too.

Some sessions are perfect from the beginning, and some aren’t. This one wasn’t. I started the session by locking my keys in the car—along with my camera gear. The only thing I had in my hand was a Diana F+ camera with 5 shots of Polaroid film in it & a flash (the last shot in this series is from that camera). So we had some time to just hang out while waiting for someone to arrive to break in to my car. I had a great time just hanging out sans camera with these two. And to be honest, I think it actually helped the final product be what it is—stellar. So good, in fact, that I still don’t believe that these two don’t have extensive modeling backgrounds—regardless of what they tell me.

This session is also a great example of how I like to work, a nice mix of natural light & lighting with flashes. Basically doing what ever’s necessary to get the best photo.

I had a blast hanging out with Sammie & Darrin at Riverfront Park in Spokane while carrying my camera around & snapping photos while we laughed. I dare you to look through these photos & not smile. Sammie’s laugh is absolutely contagious. While the temperatures dropped & the winds picked up (enough to hit us with a blast of river spray every once in a while) this couple’s happiness kept on shining. We discussed kids, growing up in south Tacoma (Sammie grew up minutes from where I did) & playing baseball (these two are both coaches) I got to take some photographs of two people unquestionably in love.