Madison & Cody: Styled Airport & Farm Session
Like many other photographers, I began taking photos with no intention of running a photography business. I started out by dragging my friends out to model for me, and now I’m meeting tons of new couples every month and capturing what I love. I had no idea what was in store for me, and now I’m in love with every minute of what I do.
One of my favorite aspects of being a couple’s photographer is taking what is unique about each couple and finding ways to showcase that in new and exciting ways. Whether this means climbing around cliffs to get the best view, kneeling in the ocean, or getting on location at an airport, I love capturing photos that showcase the unique aspects of every couple.
Thoughts on Creativity
I learned quickly that relying solely on my creativity was not going to work. Creativity works best when you’re working with your clients, not just for them. While I love photographing couples in these beautiful locations, I strive to be true to each couple. I realized that, while I have the tools to help make people’s visions into reality, it is vital to play off the creativity of each individual couple.
These ideas were especially apparent when I got in contact with the incredibly talented Madison (@madisongmaldonado) a few months ago. I had seen her photos for a while, and I wanted to take advantage of her gorgeous style. Within a few conversations, she revealed that her boyfriend was on track to becoming a pilot and sent some ideas about shooting with planes my way. She knew of some of the cutest local airports with gorgeous, retro planes and we began to seek out dresses, flowers, and the perfect location.
We ended up shooting at a local winery called Jessie's Grove and at a small airport in Lodi. We began our shoot with a more relaxed, boho look and played around in the gorgeous vineyards and fields surrounding the wine tasting room. As it drew closer to sunset we headed to the airport to get some photos in front of the planes. Madison wore a gorgeous black dress and Cody wore his suit. Sierra of @sierrajoy.co arrived with a gorgeous floral arrangement and we were set.
What made this shoot so special to me, was how many different creative influences went into the final concept and images. Sierra’s eye for the flower arrangement, Madison’s amazing style, Cody’s history with planes, and my photography and direction all worked together to create something beautiful. While it’s true we could have used any couple in front of the planes, working with Cody, whose family has a history with flying, and Madison who was sweet enough to find this connection for their couple’s photos, made for a very meaningful and striking photo set.