Brian & Dawn Marie: Engagement

Are you guys ready for the longest blog post in the history of the world? Seriously, it is so hard to narrow it down with anyone, and it's harder with friends. Brian and Dawn Marie (here on out referred to as DM, mostly because it's easier to type and there is a LOT of typing that's going to happen!) are getting married in August and one of my favorite photographers in all of Indy (Tosh Troglen) is going to be shooting it. Brian and DM decided not to mix business with pleasure for the wedding and ended up going with a stranger (and it don't get no stranger than Tosh!), which is an idea that I definitely support, but they still decided to involve me in the engagement pics, which I really enjoyed and had a good time with, and I think they did too. Now on with the show!

DM needed a picture of the ring to show off to her friends who haven't been able to see it yet, and this was my best shot of both the diamond and the engravings. Meanwhile, we got the big idea to use this tree with little oranges on it (may or may not be oranges, I don't know), and ya know ... it was harder than you might think to find ones that didn't look like, well, anatomy.

I ended up with a lot of black and white for me on this shoot, especially considering that it was outdoors, but I REALLY enjoyed it.

On the other hand, amazing color like this is why I usually don't have much black and white! I could not get enough of those flowers.

Brian was into getting some fountain pictures, and I've seen some like this that I've liked so I gave it a shot (camera pun!).

See? Fountain! Also, DM was complaining that they have tons of pictures of her looking at the camera and Brian looking at her, so we tried to switch it up a little on the shoot. Pretty successfully, I thought!

Also, everyone looking at the camera!

Also, no one looking at the camera! (I'm so versatile!)

OMG, this one makes me laugh so hard. DM had to tell Brian that he was putting her in a headlock. Which, yeah, he totally was. But look how serene and happy he looks while putting her in a headlock!

Ha, okay, these next pictures CRACK ME UP. This is the shot we were going for ... the happy couple blowing bubbles. (Also, bubbles are like the perfect all-occasion thing to bring along for pictures because sometimes you need a break, or need to be entertained, or need to distract kids, or pets, or whatever, and they are age-appropriate for everyone. You wouldn't think so, but they are.)

Meanwhile, this is what we started with. The good thing about shooting pics of your friends is that you can say, "Brian, stop looking into the camera! You're creeping me out!" But I was laughing so hard that this is the only picture I got of him doing it.

So next, of COURSE, DM had to do her Brian impression. Again, I was laughing so hard that this is the only one I was able to snap. Thankfully, it was a good one. Oh, man. Me and Billy got the biggest kick out of this entire like ... five minutes. Good times.

Oh, look! I think they were having fun too! Seriously, does it GET any cuter?

Oooooh ... maybe it does. This is pretty cute, but also, this is pretty HOT. Also, DM had just gotten new highlights, and I would like to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU because they look freaking glorious in black and white.

This reminds me of like ... several different commercials, actually, but the one that most comes to mind is the one for Geico where the pretty girl is swinging the gecko around, and that song plays ... you know, "Sometimes when we touch, the honesty is too much ..." I can't remember the rest of it offhand, but I can tell you that whenever I hear that song, I sing along, and when I say sing along, I mean that I BELT IT OUT, with FEELING! And I am NOT a good singer.

What were we talking about again? Pictures? Not me? What?

Anyway, I loved how the light was somehow coming through here to make it look both blue and gold. Also, I feel like this is a good time to comment on how awesome DM's dress was. Nicole was looking at pictures with me and also said several times how much she liked it.

Back to those gorgeous flowers! The funny thing about this picture, though, is that Billy was pretty much the posing coach. He kept showing Brian how to sit, and I kept moving Brian around and then telling him to strike the "cool guy pose" (which was this, and I feel like it really worked!). But sometimes when I'm shooting I have to pause and laugh when I really think about what's happening ... like here I am, making people sit in front of flowers and then telling them to look like a "cool guy". Come on, that's funny!

Oh, yes, FAVORITE. I love this picture, and again with the black and white. The color just didn't quite get the emotion there, and I just love how like ... GENUINE it is. It's really like there wasn't a camera right there. And I kept trying to crop it, but it really just wasn't working for me any way other than how it was. Love!

Awwww! Plus, hotness! Plus, DM-looking-at-Brian-Brian-looking-at-camera!

Oh, this one is just nice!

Another fave! That dress is just magnificent. I think this one is going on my website. (I keep saying that, don't I? But I swear, I'm getting to it!)

SQUISHY FACES!!!!!!!!!!

OMG, so this one is last for DM's mom. Apparently, Dawn Marie has a picture of herself doing this for every major milestone occasion in her life. Apparently, her mom keeps thinking she's going to outgrow it and she never does, and her mom is always surprised when it gets snuck in at the very end of pictures that DM sends her. I love it! Traditions are so important. :)

Okay, so that's seriously the condensed version. I am just not a brief person! (I'm also not a boxer person, before some smart ass goes and asks.) But I had so much fun doing these. Thank you guys for such a fun time!