we met lauren and brendan through the recommendation of two mutual friends — which really got me thinking, what a shame we didn’t know this terrific couple before now! and how is it possible in this modern age, with our supposedly vast social networks, to miss such kindred spirits walking within our closest circles? i mean, i’m not talkin’ six degrees to kevin bacon here. i’m talkin’ just one measly degree. lauren and brendan had been there the whole time, hanging out with our friends and having fun, while eileen and i somehow managed never to cross paths with them.

well, i’m happy to say we began to make up for lost time during lauren and brendan’s engagement shoot. eileen and i had a wonderful time just feeding off the excitement and love these two share. (well, okay — maybe “feed off” isn’t the right phrase. conjures up images of dementors sucking love straight out of people’s faces, right?) what i mean is, inspired. adventuring through their old stomping grounds at the simpsonwood retreat center — over a fallen tree-trunk bridge and down the paths of their first dates, through the chapel they considered as a wedding venue, and finally to the very riverside bench where brendan asked lauren to be his bride — i couldn’t help but reflect on the unexpected journeys that carry each couple from first look to happily ever after.

speaking of unexpected journeys, this engagement session turned out to be one of those. when we began, not a cloud was visible, and we were basking in the perfect weather. within minutes, a foreboding sky darkened the landscape and the rain began to fall. still, nothing could dampen the energy or spirits of these two. we pulled out the extra lights and went on shooting as cold raindrops slowly saturated our clothes — taking to the bare trees for what little shelter they provided, then into the chapel as things got wetter. i actually love the story that unfolded thanks to the unpredictable weather: from the bright and joyful sunlit images to the quiet, pensive moments painted by dim clouds and smatterings of rain.

i loved these warm portraits we made together, even as clouds were beginning to obscure the sun. fleeting moments always seem more sacred later. the rain began coming down slowly, and we were all laughing a little nervously when we felt it hit our necks.

finally, the bottom fell out. we made a mad dash for umbrellas and ziplock bags to cover our light equipment — and our subjects, of course. miraculously, these two remained cool, calm and collected; lauren’s hair even stayed straight. so you might say things went our way after all.

this rugged, fallen telephone pole we stumbled across made for a perfect respite — half-protected from rain by overhanging brush. also seemed to provide some good “electricity,” if you’ll pardon the pun. 😉

since darkness fell early, we had to paint the backgrounds with our own lights a lot more than we normally do. but we were so pleased with the moody ambiance it created.

to bring a little of the rainy outdoors in, we set up lights outside to reflect the rain from this stained glass window onto lauren and brendan. i love how i can almost hear the sound of rain on the old chapel roof, keeping rhythm with their relaxed breathing.

back outside, the storm definitely paid us back for our patience with these deep hues of purple in the sky.

our last shot of the evening, this is probably my favorite. we wanted to end here, at the place where brendan proposed to lauren. it was pitch black — we even had to used light from my cell phone to focus the lens. but we wanted to create something that felt artistic and open. so eileen stood precariously on the very edge of the river bank with a light to reveal the water and far bank. the way the second light froze the raindrops around them in time worked perfectly. really feels like a magical location to me now.

congrats, you two. can’t wait to celebrate your wedding with you!

All images © 2011 Blume Photography. It’s unlawful to copy or reproduce our work in any form without our express written permission. (It just ain’t right!) Thanks for respecting us and our art. If in doubt about federal copyright law, please ask us. We’re happy to answer your questions.