Wasn’t one of Shakespeare’s famous lines something like, “now is the winter of our discontent”? I understand very little of Shakespeare, but I get that line. It means something like: T’is the worst hour of the worst day… like, ever. You say it when Trump does just one more dishonest thing and you’re too despairing to enjoy your outrage. It’s relevant when it’s been an unseasonably cold winter that began annoyingly early, and then a polar vortex came and dropped temperatures even more. Thanks polar vortex. Is now the winter of our winter?
This engagement session happened in the summer of last summer. Back then was the summer of our contentement. It was ice cream, sea breeze, T-shirts and flowy dresses. There were rainbow coloured buildings, a boardwalk, and that rustic maritime charm etched into the peeling paint and lobster traps.
Rae and I spilled out of our Jeep, stretched, and were immediately met by Sandy and Jeff in the crunchy parking lot of Fisherman’s cove. Both were friendly and contained, down-to-earth, and at ease together. They were in love. We hadn’t met them until then, but we already knew we’d like them. They have likeable and trustworthy faces. Plus, Sandy enjoys Game of Thrones. Like-long friendships have been built on less. I’m sure of it.
We walked in the warmth, talked, photographed…a familiar routine for Rae and I. We got to know them a bit. We found out that they met at work. In my mind I pictured their office romance developing as if at Dunder Mifflin: some sort of alternate reality version of Pam and Jim. And according to Sandy (as if to underscore The Office vibe), Jeff’s greatest life accomplishment was “convincing me to go on a date with him”. Well done Jeff.
It’s no wonder this engagement session has that easy, joyful feel to it; has those smiles that announce true gladness.
Sandy mentioned, when filling out a questionnaire we’d sent her, that she liked black and white photos. Given that we were going to be shooting at the ever colourful Fisherman’s cove, I didn’t expect black and white to be quite right, but I was quite wrong. My favourite shots here are the black and whites. It suits them.
Their wedding is in June: it will be the springtime of their joy.
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