“Let’s go surfin’ now
Everybody’s learning how
Come on and safari with me.”
—The Beach Boys

I am knee-deep in wedding photos and preparing for holiday portraits, so I thought I would share a commercial shoot I did earlier this year for Villon Surf — a super cool line of surf attire and gear. It was actually a pretty chilly day in February. During downtime and costume changes, the models took cover in the tent and some of the guys pulled out their puff jackets — Florida style! Gotta love it!

Many thanks to Mark for the opportunity and to all of the beautiful people for making my job easy.

Villon Surf — Clothing. Surf. Culture. Or check out Villon Clothing on facebook.

“Absence makes thy heart grow fonder.”
-Anonymous

Though they both attended Penn State, Teela + Scott’s first close encounter was a couple years ago while visiting Avalon, New Jersey, for some sun and fun. And something told them then that it was love. Their only problem was geography — she was living in Philly, he was in Manhattan. If time was to keep them apart, distance would not, and the two cities became the setting for their storybook courtship. For more than a year they took turns traveling back and forth every weekend until Scott could call Pennsylvania home once again and be with his gal for good.

In June the couple returned to New York City to visit Scott’s friends. Little did Teela know this trip would be the start of their next chapter. Scott planned a romantic evening, which began at the Highline, an elevated park in the Meatpacking District and the scene of their first NYC date. It was there he proposed, and where she’ll always remember the feeling of pure happiness.

They ended this summer with a trip to St. Augustine. Their hope was that I would capture their affectionate and fun personalities in an artistic manner. No problem. Scott made his love for Teela look like an art form and she was his inspiration, like a painter and his muse. And the beauty of St. Augustine didn’t hurt!

Cheers to Teela + Scott — may your love always look like the work of art I witnessed that day.

“Love, and do what thou wilt…let the root of love be within, of this root can nothing spring but what is good.” —St. Augustine of Hippo

I traveled to St. Augustine last month for Nicole + Justin’s engagement session. There’s nothing better than shooting in a new location, particularly one as old as St. Augustine, Florida. And it did not disappoint. It had been years since my family spent one of its classic vacations in the old city, so it was like I was seeing it all again for the first time — this time through appreciative eyes.

And what I saw through the lens was perhaps one of the sweetest couples I have met. Not only were they calm, cool and collected, but they were also playful, loving, in love. Justin proposed to Nicole in St. Augustine at Castillo de San Marcos. The fort is a symbol of strength, protection, everlasting — the perfect foundation for a successful marriage. They’re off to a good start, and the rest will soon be history.

“It’s a smile, it’s a kiss,
It’s a sip of wine, it’s summertime!
Sweet summertime!”
—Kenny Chesney

I recently hit the road to spend some time with Amy + Andy on Jackson Lake in Georgia. It was a breezy summer afternoon — the perfect opportunity for the pair to toast their engagement. Amy is putting together a soft, vintage wedding at the end of the summer. The simplicity of the natural lake surroundings helped set the tone of their upcoming nuptials, but it was the loving moments between the couple, and their best four-legged friend Birdie, that truly captured the tone of their union. Congratulations, Amy + Andy!

… Beautiful boy. —John Lennon

That’s the song that came to mind when this little guy was born, and one year later, it still holds true. I finally got the chance to meet Mr. Brooks in person a week before his first birthday. This little man is one of the happiest babies I have ever seen, and his smile just melted my heart…over and over and over. He’s going to be a heart breaker, if he isn’t the sweetest boy in town!