Moving to a new state has meant a lot of firsts for me; firsts that have been good for both my heart and my growth as an artist. There’s really something special about living somewhere new. For me, it awakens my mind from routine and knocks me back into this perpetual state of awareness and gratitude. New grocery stores, new running trails, new ski lifts. New bars and new friends. New challenges that come with rebuilding parts or your business and connecting new dots with new faces in the industry. I’ve loved every minute of it. I’m trying to remember these early moments, living in a new city, where I’m still piecing it all together. Before I know it, places and people will start to feel familiar and my honeymoon romance with Oregon will evolve and change.

Kathleen and Sam are a memorable first for me. December 19th, my first engagement session in Oregon as a Portland resident with these two. We met at Government Cove a few hours before sunset and drank IPA’s in the parking lot while getting to know each other. It had been rainy the whole week but we lucked out with nothing but cloud coverage and mild wind. I naturally fell in love with these two and their love story when I noticed Sam wearing an engagement ring. After a long bike ride during a camping trip, Sam proposed to Kathleen and she proposed right back. She had been carrying the ring with her everywhere for months, waiting to ask him the question in return. How sweet is that? Sam and Kathleen, the kinda couple that makes my job easy. These two quickly felt like friends and I feel honored to capture both their engagement and nuptials.