It came as no surprise to me when I found out Kim and her fiance Shawn are both teachers. The first thing I noticed about Kim when I chatted with her at a wedding reception last summer was her quiet strength. She speaks with a light-hearted not-going-to-take-myself-too-seriously confidence: a quality that undoubtedly makes her a phenomenal teacher. Shawn, the man she met while studying for her Education Degree at UBC is every bit her perfect match. He has such an easy-going demeanor and the sweetest personality.

I have the utmost respect for teachers. Teachers who care, teachers with hearts full of love for what they do, can drastically change the high school experience for some teens. When I look back upon my years in the school system, a few great individuals stand out as having a massive impact upon the direction of my life. They were the ones who took the time to care, the ones who had a purpose and a passion for each school year. Kim and Shawn are fortunate enough to not only share a passion for each other but also to share their life's passion: I'm blessed to be shooting their wedding on the UBC Campus later this summer.

P.S. Shawn, thanks for the recommendation for Aerius. I picked some up on Saturday. ;)

Shawn and Kim wanted a very chill field-feel to their session. I happily obliged. I'd take miles of open space over crowded downtown blocks anyday.

Forgive me in advance if this post isn't coherent because I haven't really been able to think straight for the past fourteen hours. I've already photographed two incredible sessions this week and I have an other one on Sunday that I'm crazy-excited for. Ohh the summer months are so beautiful and these images make me smile as I edit. Let me explain why I've been a little bit out-of-it...

I met up with Kim+Shawn for their engagement session last night at this gorgeous farm. Field upon field upon field with the setting sun, a red barn, gorgeous trees. Truly AMAZING. I was so excited to shoot there. I ask Kim or Shawn if they have allergies (seeing as we're going to be shooting in a field!) as we're walking, and Shawn says, "A little bit." I said the same, "A little bit."

Okay, a little bit has turned into the worst allergic reaction I have ever had. Kim and I were chatting while Shawn went to grab Maggie, their golden retriever, for a few shots, and I started naming over the things I'm allergic to and I realized there's a lot. I think I should live in a bubble for crying out loud. I'm allergic/intolerant to: dairy, soy, wheat, dust, dust mites, pollen, grass, dog hair. YEP!

Needless to say, by the end of the session, my throat was burning as if I had finished up a great dinner of molten lava. My nose was stuffed to high heaven and my eyes watering so much it looked like my dog had died. I started chewing gum rapidly, trying to soothe my throat. In the next hour I consumed a fruit smoothie, three handfuls of grapes, a cut-up apple, three cups of green tea with honey, a plain spoonful of honey; ANYTHING to scratch my throat. Not to mention, another 24-hour claritin (apparently one in the morning wasn't enough?!)

I've been VERY out of it and not doing that well at all, but me oh my, just wait til you see these images. Worth it. So worth it. If I have to stay inside for the next three days to clear out my sinuses, these images will STILL be worth it. :)

Comment on this image