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Prior to the shoot, I only spoke with Sydney over the phone. Hiring your wedding photographer should be somewhat of an audition - not just for the photographer, but for the client, too. There are so many great photographers who get burnt out in this business. I refuse to be one of them, by booking too many weddings with too many clients that don't fully appreciate and trust what I do. And that I so love what I do.

So I like to sit, get to know my potential clients/future friends. If I can't meet them in person, which is quite often, then we will both just have to work extra hard to get across to each other who we are and what we want. It's a date. We are beginning a relationship that hopefully will last a long time. It's just as invigorating getting to know beautiful people in love, as it is making images of the love that they have for each other, their families, their animals and the world.

When Sydney and I spoke over the phone, we were exactly on the same page about everything. She and Jeremy live in San Francisco, and since they were unable to have the wedding in their hometown (it'll be at a summer camp in upstate NY!), I really wanted to be able to shoot their engagement session there. I feel like I know what it's like to be connected to each other, and to be connected to a place together. So, when I booked my Alaska wedding, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to do some vintage shopping in the Northwest and hop on down to San Francisco to capture these beautiful people in love, in their natural habitat. Looking through the photos, I couldn't imagine having to do their session in New York City, without their amazing and beautiful dog, Kaili.

Sydney and Jeremy live in the gorgeous hills north of San Francisco and were very successful in convincing me to move there. As Husbone and I are considering a life of living bi-coastally, I think that when it happens (that is, probably winter 2010 - can't wait!), we are very likely going to choose our new, sometime home among those same amazing, gorgeous, crazy California seaside hills. Seriously folks, it's a done deal. Little did I know when I was so eager to leave home in my youth, that California would always hold a special place in my heart. And these East Coasters who transplanted there are a total picture of everything I love about that beautiful state, and the wonderful people (and animals!) who live there. And seriously, all you California photographers have it so friggin easy! Beautiful light, beautiful country. Sigh.