A Couple of Birds

I think... this is my first engagement shoot. So it's only proper that it would be with two people that I adore. Eliza was my first college roommate via Craigslist and I can't even begin to list the first experiences I had with this girl. The memories are endless, most of them involving me dancing and Eliza cracking up. Jon and Eliza have been a twosome since day one. I've seen their relationship evolve and strengthen and feel almost like a their child who comes over and raids the fridge. They're both bull-headed at times but I can't imagine one without the other. I'm so grateful to have two of my closest Kansas friends in Chicago to make home seem not so far away. These are only a fraction of images from a morning of shooting but I'm really excited to finalize the rest because they are so wonderful.

Soylent Green Dreams Forever

Going to Kansas City means two things: sleeping in my childhood room and visiting The Campground. On this end-of-Summer evening, Chris and Cristin invited me over for a little neighborhood picnic involving not one! but three pups. I also had the pleasure of trying out a Campground cocktail Chris calls 'Soylent Green' (an homage to the Sci-Fi film.) The celery and lime combination made for a damn good, slightly more savory and extremely refreshing, margarita vibe. Drinks like this make me vow to never imbibe another lousy Gin & Soda. That vow didn't last long when we took an impromptu trip to the Bottleneck in Lawrence. The night hilariously ended with us running out of gas halfway home but I expect nothing less than a memorable time with these two.

Rabbit Avenue

I am having an affair... with the city of Toronto. It shouldn't come as a surprise since it's often compared to Chicago, but my love for Toronto is in the honeymoon stage when it can do no wrong. For my birthday, I treated myself to a flight there via Porter Airlines. I spent the weekend with some of the most loving, easy-going humans I know. We met only a year ago but their hospitality and city keep me coming back. I spent my last day biking with Annie around Kensington Market, stopping for ice cream and candy and sampling jams and mustard. That evening, I wanted to take a moment to capture my lady friends in the garden they've begun curating. At one point, Cailtin sweetly inquired, "Do you know when you've taken a good picture?" This stuck with me and the answer is yes. There's a feeling when I know I've taken something that encapsulates the moment perfectly; a desire to freeze what my mind sees so others might see it too. Of course, I don't have to travel anywhere to find that feeling... but it doesn't hurt when I get to see these faces.

Table for two

 

I currently live with three people but it seems every week we have at least one visitor staying with us. This week one of my oldest and dearest friends, Mallory, came to visit with her boyfriend whom I will only refer to as Coco. These photos are actually from October when I surprised her with a visit to Kansas City/Lawrence on her birthday. On this night, she and Coco were starting a birthday dinner at 715 (my favorite) as I was leaving. I directed them to continue as if I wasn't there and then silently stepped out when I decided I'd been weird long enough. We met up after dinner at a local music venue to ring in Mallory's birthday, music provided. I'll be sad when they leave Chicago but only until the next visitor arrives (kidding, I love you, Mal.)