Getting an engagement session in in Tulsa, in January, is tricky to say the least. The weather is crazy and so unpredictable! We set this up and Chrissy and John braved the wind and were total  troopers, not to mention Ethan.  But, let me mention Ethan. Chrissy and John are neither one new to love and marriage but through different circumstances and twists of fate, each had been alone for several years, wondering if there was another love in their futures or if they should just try to forget about it. Well, the funny thing about twists of fate? They twist the other way too!  And it just so happens that these two have lots of friends and family who love and encourage them and talked them both into registering on E-Harmony's website.  "Just put a profile on there. Can't hurt anything." They were SOO right.  Chrissy and John were a match!  These two are darling together. I love their playful spirits. Her soft-spokeness and his gentle kindness.  It's a match made in Heaven.   AND right in the big middle of things is....Ethan. Ethan is Chrissy's double-digit son -(almost 11)! So this is more than just uniting a man and a woman - this is creating a family.  A beautiful little family!  I gave Ethan a camera while I was shooting his mom and John and he's pretty darn good. He thinks he might like to have one of his own. YES!  John and Ethan are great friends already and, despite their allegiances to opposite Oklahoma football teams, are well on their way to a lifelong bond. (Just not on Bedlam Weekend!)

Well the streets cleared just in time for me to trek to OKC the week after Christmas to spend a little time with Sarah and Chris Rhoads and pick their branding brains! They are both fantastic photographers and just such kind and sharing spirits. I am always trying to increase my knowledge of both photography - technical and artistic aspects - and more over, the business of photography.  I have trouble with that part. Sometimes the creative just runs amok and the biz part is so very important. The two parts have to balance to be successful.   I just knew I could learn some biz tips from these two and I was right.  They are a great team and are doing the right things for their business but more importantly for their life together.  It was a small group - just 3 of us. It was perfect. About midday, they had a newly engaged couple, Ryann and Jake,  come by for a short session and we all just went out and walked about. Sarah is really fun to watch and because she shoots so differently from the way I do, (I'm a way back and she's an up-close) I learned a bunch and hope to mix it in with my current style. It's so easy to get used to shooting a certain way with a couple of lenses that I forget how fun some of the other lenses can be. Gotta dig 'em out and play a bit more!   So, of course, I had my big, stand back, lens on, and it was colder than --- you know -- but we were students first,  just kind of in the background anyway - listening and watching. Personally, I find it a little difficult to have a portrait session with people I just met that aren't mine.  I feel a bit intrusive and AWKWARD. But when I can retreat behind my 70-200, I soon forget that and just shoot.   The shooting session was just a little gravy for me!   I really went because I wanted to hear all the biz side of things - particularly work flow tips and time management. But I learned some key shooting points so I'm thrilled.   I still don't know how she shoots, edits, creates albums, blogs every day, does yoga, eats sushi, tweets,  plays video games and still gets to play with her husband too. I don't think I'll ever master that. BUT I did get a few tips to incorporate and hopefully they'll help me find the balance I so desperately seek.  Well, here's a few shots of the afternoon - I'm free to blog them I think since she's officially blogged them before me - BIG SURPRISE THERE, HUH? There is actually a little blogging tip I learned from Sarah & Chris in this blog post!  AND... I just want to say that in the morning meetings, Sarah had her beautiful hair down and was fussing with this little feather thing in it, which was perfectly placed, and she's always so relaxed but put-together, if you know what I mean.  Well, when we get ready to shoot, her boots go on and her hair goes up in a ragged little tuft and it is game on!  I just LOVE that about her.  :)  If you get a chance to have a mentor session with Sarah & Chris, just do it!  It's a great day of fun and knowledge. See all her stellar images of this darling couple at SarahRhoads.com.

Do you believe in love at first sight? They didn't used to. But how can you be drawn to someone from across the floor at Cain's Ballroom and yell in each other's ears through an entire Drive-by Truckers concert as if no one else was in the room and not believe?  She almost didn't go.  He almost didn't stay. Neither expected it and then...it just happened. Love at first sight.  A lunch, a dinner and then a wedding planned for next October.  But, as they say in the movies, "when you finally decide you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start right away."  So... Heidi and Barrett aren't getting married next October.  They're getting married this month.  We couldn't be happier for them.  Heidi is Sophia's neice and we were so excited to get to spend a little time with them for their engagement session at Southern Hills Country Club.  They are so sweet together and so in love.  You know how we LOVE LOVE!  A few months ago they decided to move their wedding up to this year.  Hey, we've both been in love like that so we totally know how they feel!  We wish you both all the best Heidi and Barrett!

From the top of her gorgeous head to her Betsy Johnson shoes, I love this girl! More importantly, so does Jason. They've been "going steady" since Jr. High and will be making it official next summer.  Best friends who can finish each other's sentences (well, she finishes his anyway) :)  honest conversation and polite respect are wonderful things to build a marriage.  Emily and Jason have all that and an obvious love for one another that shines between their eyes like two kids who have a BIG secret. I think they'll be "going steady" for a long time.   We had so much fun at The Golf Club of Oklahoma for this session.  Can't wait for the wedding guys!
 

She loves blue. He loves her. He loves maps. She loves him. You know that comfort level that people have with each other when they've been in love a long time? Well, Meghan and Jonathan have that. It's so easy to be with them and you just know they belong side by side.  Jonathan is from Tulsa and Meghan is from Ft. Smith but they continue their studies in Kansas City for the time being and we had a spectacular day for their engagement session.  It was 80 degrees in November!  We introduced them to Libby & Spencer while in town and heard their fun stories of living in Greece while studying abroad one year and Jonathan even speaks some Greek so he and Sophia hit it off and talked it up a bit. (As much as she talks of course)  :D
Since Meghan and Jonathan live in KC, the Plaza was not their choice for their session, which of course thrilled us b/c we already did that! We love to explore and shoot in new places and they showed us around a bit. The Art Gallery was our first stop and then on to some fun gardens - that seem to be THE place for wedding photogs!  Here's some of their pics!