I have to thank my good friends Jazmyn and Travis for allowing me to photograph this wonderful engagement session, which was taken at their alma mater, Hampton University. It was about a 3.5 hr. drive from New Carrollton station where they picked me up from but from Baltimore it would've been like 4.5 hrs. The car ride provided us the opportunity to learn a lot more about each other, and ideally I would rather drive with the clients I work with to an engagement or portrait session, it helps me learn a lot about people and really drive those personalities in my work. So even if your not constantly meeting new people learn about the people you do interact with regularly in the workplace. Anyways, the scenery at HU couldn't have been better, thanks to Jazmyn's timing & planning the campus was virtually empty. The weather on the other hand couldn't have been more unpredictable, as there was a storm brewing almost immediately as we drove into town. By the time we parked and I spotted the 1st location of the two photos below, it started raining lightly, and then pouring. And to make matters worse that was followed by a merciless 93 degree heatwave the rest of the shoot. So in spite of the weather that begged for a re-shoot, nothing in the world seemed able to stop these two lovebirds from enjoying each others loving embrace. And that my friends is the beauty I find in each one of these photographs, that through the storm, the brutal heat, humidity, etc. their teamwork, love, positivity and optimism is what shined brightest. Which in retrospect really allowed my creativity to flourish and grow as a photographer. ​

So as luck might have it, it started raining as soon as we pulled up to our first location. Despite how much I wanted it, I knew this wasn't going to be one of those soaked couples kissing in the rain shoots. While exciting, that would be a very long uncomfortable ride back to our side of the DMV. By Gods grace the location I spotted to begin the shoot also provided exceptional coverage from the flash flood storm now upon us. Once it started raining I initially felt really bad we drove all this way for nothing. I asked them if they were still wanting to go ahead with the shoot, and they most certainly were. So I put my thinking cap on and made it happen. Problem solving to get the shot, that's the bee's knees for me right there! I love the challenges photography presents itself with, with so much hanging on the balance. The problems to solve most of this session was shooting in the rain, keeping Jazmyn & Travis happy, dry, and hopeful, all the while capturing the shot that at the click of a button or glance at a wall, would bring them back to this precise moment in their love story together. 

 Welp, I thoroughly enjoyed capturing this time in your life, and hope you Hampton Grads all the best!

God bless your future union, Travis and Jazmyn!