You know it’s going to be a good session when a security guard asks why you’re climbing into an abandoned lot by the river and let’s you continue on course when you mention you’re just taking some pictures. He even offered some helpful advice to leave before dark to avoid the bums that sleep in the area and to look out for coyotes. I’m pretty sure that last part was false, because all we saw were a few bunnies. The best part is the Joel and Ellie didn’t even flinch, although they had already agreed to shoot with us in an abandoned lot so I’m not sure that much would phase these two… well, except for coyotes.

In our eyes, decrepit buildings actually pose less safety risks than shooting in the country. The biggest problem with country shooting is that you’re usually trespassing on someone’s land and that someone usually lives on the land and likely owns a shot gun. While we’ve never been chased off a piece of property, we know it’s a risk. So it was rather refreshing to shoot with Andy and Emily on her family’s farm, so we could lay aside any fears of firearms and actually climb inside a barn instead of settling for the exterior. Hello gorgeous light! … Oh, and hi cows that really thought we were there to feed them, which I found incredibly entertaining and more fully proved my city girl roots. Of course, if anything could change my mind about living in the country, it’s a piece of land that butts up to a river. Two words: Gorgeous and serene.

Just Aaron today.

We have been scouting like mad ever since the weather turned warmer and we’re so excited with the shooting locations we have tucked in our back pockets. Some of them require a little trust and a couple with the right mindset. Thankfully we get a lot of both in our clients. Aaron and Lauren said they were up for just about anything and in this case it meant exploring a rundown military train repair building. (Hello broken down industrial background! We’ve missed you so.) Aaron and Lauren totally rocked it and we think this portfolio shows that if you toss some trust our way it will totally pay off!

Us.

Contrary to what you might think, the City Museum is not our favorite place to shoot. On the surface, it’s easy to see why you would think we would love it. It’s interesting and there’s nothing like it, but because of that it’s usually swarming with people. That combined with a chaotic background (there’s a lot going on in that place!) makes it challenging to shoot. When Mandy proposed the City Museum for her engagement session I tried to talk her out of it. Thankfully we went on a Friday night when it was actually pretty quiet, and we found some nooks that we hadn’t had a chance to explore with the wedding parties we shot previously. About half way through I admitted to her that it was a great place to capture Parker and her, especially considering Parker clearly loves the space! So, officially, she made a good choice. Also, officially, we don’t want to shoot there much. I promise we have tons of cool spaces that will make your images unique. Trust.

Just Aaron today.

When Agustin and Beth headed to town around the holidays we happily shuttled them to a nearby school that’s up for sale for a quick engagement session. It was the perfect backdrop to let their personalities explode. They were good sports, considering their California bodies aren’t exactly used to the cold. Thankfully that shouldn’t be an issue for their July wedding.

You know the first day of winter? That first day where the temperature dips and even though you have your winter coat on you think, “Ooh this is only the beginning.” That was the day we shot Jay and Laurie’s engagement session. Thankfully they were up for anything, cold weather, traipsing through a half collapsed house near our studio, cuddling and having a great time throughout. It totally made not being able to feel my fingers worth it.

One of the things I love about our studio is the fact that it’s on Cherokee Street. There’s an energy and walk-ability that’s unlike any other area in St. Louis. It also offers up lots of spots to shoot, which we took full advantage of for Andy and Natalie’s engagement/family session by strolling a few blocks with their super cute son, Dresden.

Luke and Katie are super sweet, like “seriously, we could bottle this and sell it” sweet, especially when you put them together. For their e-session we kicked around downtown Kirkwood and were treated to a cuteness explosion and some pretty killer light to boot. Enjoy! (And don’t blame us if you get a cavity in the process.)

I could tell you a lot about Cheri. We were roommates for a year in college. We have a seemingly constant email thread so we stay up to date on each other lives. And she probably has the best laugh of anyone I know. But you’re not here for that. You’re here to see her engagement pictures with her awesome fiancé, Steve. They met while stationed in Hawaii. (He’s a Marine. She’s in the Navy.) After a long courtship, a war (between countries… not between each other) and too many months of long distance Skyping, he popped the question that would ensure they’d start traveling through their crazy lives together instead of apart. I think it’s an amazing thing to see a close friend find the right person to spend her life with, and that’s absolutely what happened here. But, like I said, you’re not here for me to blabber on about how great Cheri and Steve are, you’re here for pictures…

One of the great things about moving cities is the chance to explore new spaces. We’ve had glimpses of picturesque Washington, MO, but no real reason to stay and shoot until Kevin and Melissa’s engagement session. The downtown is full of historic buildings, some in restoration mode, and even boasts a dainty, working train station. There were lots of nooks and crannies for us to examine and even a nearby park that let us pull in Kevin and Melissa’s love of fishing. Of course, any small Missouri town will look good when we also have two people with great style in front of the camera. Melissa’s red lips are a serious win! Enjoy!

Aaron.