There hasn't been too many glorious, gorgeous days this summer. There's been a few, but not enough. It's been so humid that sometimes it's hard to breathe. However, that all changed for Michelle and Arby's engagement session. On the morning of their session, it was breezy, sunny, and cool. It was honestly the most perfect morning to be out and about at the Tidal Basin. Every second spent outside was enjoyable and - for once this summer - we didn't leave a session needing to tap into our spare clothes that we keep in the trunk :P.  This will be the 6,403,692 time I say this, but it rings true all the time: make your engagement session location special! Michelle and Arby chose the Tidal Basin for their engagement because it was where Arby asked Michelle to be his wife. They were surrounded by cherry blossoms and the cool spring air. There wasn't another place for their session to take place at because the Tidal Basin WAS it. It's such a sentimental place for these two. So when they mentioned they were interested in doing their session there, I was immediately on board. We also don't get to do too many sessions in DC, so a change of scenery was very welcomed :P.  Getting to spend the morning both of them was so great. They are easy to chat with and, um, REAL adorable. They just look at each other and start giggling. If that doesn't...

You may have noticed that Shawn and I have been playing around with some different shooting techniques. Prisms, string lights, old cell phones; it all lends something unique to our shooting while we overhaul our style. I have a future post in mind to explore this topic more, so I won't talk too much about it now. What I will shout about from the rooftops is Amanda and Jim's engagement session. Serious beauty happened on Sunday night at the Loch Raven Reservoir, and I don't think I will ever be over it.  We met up with these two at the Loch Raven Morgan Mill Road area, which was right at the heart of all the gorgeousness. I honestly wasn't sure what to expect since we had never been to Loch Raven Reservoir, but I'm now an eternal fan. There was ridiculously tall trees, sandy beaches, and way the light played on the water - STUNNING! I don't think we've ever had a greater introduction to a location. If everyone could have their engagement at Loch Raven Reservoir, that'd be great :P. I feel so thankful that we are Amanda and Jim's wedding photographers. They not only are up for an adventure, but they also are incredibly east to chat with. Jim quickly became our tour guide on Sunday, given that Loch Raven is where he grew up. The stories and bits of history were so fun to hear. It created conversations that flowed so easily and naturally. Amanda and...

Oh my goodness, I have been waiting for this Brookside Gardens spotlight for an entire year. I'm so happy to finally be posting it! Katelynn and John are getting married tomorrow in Jamaica (Montego Bay, to be exact). Shawn and I could not be any more pumped for their day if we tried. Seriously, their day has been a countdown since our first meeting, and it's almost here! However, before we start getting enthralled in Montego Bay, I need to revisit their engagement session. Seeing their e-session always gives me butterflies, so this spotlight definitely has me giddy. They chose the beautiful Brookside Gardens as their location, and we were so excited to shoot here. We had tried for years to get a session at the exclusive gardens, but never made the cut. The officials must have known Katelynn and John were special, because their sunrise session went off without a hitch. It was fantastic getting to wander around Brookside Gardens with these two. I feel like we always get a greater sense of a relationship during an e-session, which just solidifies why it's my favorite part of the process. We became friends right from the beginning, so chatting and laughing with them was second nature. Shawn and I have loved every second of getting to know these two. Through the #JamaicaMeAdams Pinterest board, to celebrating Friendsmas, it's been an incredible joy to have these two as friends. I'm feeling all emotional as I gather images for this post...

Shawn and I explored Great Falls Park last month, which you can read more about here. From the very second we set foot in this gorgeous National Park in Virginia, we knew it was the perfect place for Aimee and Mike's engagement session. Not only does Great Falls Park have stunning overlooks of the Potomac River, but it also has tons of lush greenery. Pairing that with Aimee and Mike's adorable interactions, this spot is a photographer's dreamland. We met with Aimee and Mike over a month ago on Skype. Even though we weren't meeting in person, we still got to know them a little bit. Shawn and I could tell that they have such an easy and calm relationship. They fit with each other so well, and watching them giggle through the retelling of the proposal story was the cutest thing. Speaking of the proposal story, I just have to say that Mike is a definite winner. He not only got down on one knee in New York City, but he created a monogram necklace with the geo location of the exact spot that he would ask Aimee to be his wife. It's a tremendous keepsake and story that gives me chills every time I think about it. Even over Skype I think I just aww'd for about 5 minutes to them, haha! Meeting these two in person at Great Falls Park was such a joy for us. The most adorable thing was Mike helping Aimee over every...

I am just about speechless over Megan and Dave's Sunday engagement session. We started the evening at Patapsco Valley State Park, and those of you that follow along know it's my favorite place. There was some comedic mishaps with finding each other in the part of the park without a signal, but when we finally all got together, it was amazing! Megan and Dave are seriously the cutest couple, and they just so happen to be the parents of the most adorable little Frenchie named Izzy. I love when couples involve their furbabies in their sessions, because it brings a whole new personality to the shoot. Izzy definitely brought a lot of extra fun and laughs to the park. By some crazy chance, we had the entire Cascade Falls trail to ourselves, which was shocking considering Sunday was the first sunny day in weeks! After a quick wardrobe change and a short drive, we arrived at Ellicott City (another favorite) where these two took modeling to a different level. Megan and Dave are absolutely stellar. We were shooting well after the sun had already set, since I was pretty obsessed with their adorableness! The best part about these two was their excitement over their photos. They came ready with props, wonderful ideas, and ready for whatever we got into. It was simply fantastic. Ahhh! I adore them! Shawn and I cannot wait to photograph their wedding next April at the Anchor Inn. It is for sure going to be the...