Be my Valentine, Asheville !!!!
Timing is everything! When it comes to chasing love, light, and the perfect shot if you are off by a moment, you just might miss it. The best light is said to be just before the sun rises and again later in the day right before it sets. Whilst we can set alarms for this tempo, we aren't always as lucky in love...until we are! Put those two magical elements of picture-perfect together and voila, you've got yourself a lovely Valentine's Day set of imagery that certainly makes me swoon. Wait, wait.... don't scroll down just yet! I swear there are a few more juicy love letters for your soul here, too.
Admittedly, I chase all of the aforementioned gems of life endlessly but until you are sitting amidst the optimal light, in true love, and with the perfect capture, the search seems unending. With that sappy snapshot into my soul, you can guess it was to my heart's delight to have a second opportunity to photograph this beautiful couple, on top of a mountain in the Blue Ridge, during the best twilight ever, and just as the perfect pink cloud floated above them. Not only did was this set photographed with the softest light I'd ever seen in the WNC region but it made for this really ethereal and dreamy backdrop. I wish I could say I perfectly planned that but honestly, as our entire crew was racing up the Blue Ridge Parkway I half thought we were missing that short window of the golden hour; as it seemed to blur by as we safely sped around those tight curves! Finally, we'd parked, set up and captured the bulk of our imagery when the good light shifted to even better. I mean, isn't that just the best when something that is good gets even better!?!?! I live for this stuff, I swear!
A wonderful friend who has recently become an even better partner in creating photographic magic with me couldn't agree more. Our combined effort in making imagery with intention is not just based in telling authentic story but also in seeing our subjects as truly as they see their love for one another. A note from my friend, the stylist:
'Working with Kyrie and Richard, on top of this gorgeous mountain with this stunning view, was like watching love unfold and burst right before your eyes. After joining me in a chance to dig into the depth of their connection to one another prior to this shoot, they took this opportunity to document, to demonstrate their love in a way the camera could catch the very essence of their affection. Richard gazes at Kyrie with unwavering love as Kyrie beams back at him with fierce passion and infinite acceptance. What a beautiful thing to witness. I thank them for the chance to guide and to journey with them through this day.
The love that Kyrie + Richard share is certainly palpable. If this shoot had been shot on film, you'd most certainly want to lick these negatives, I promise! The light that early evening on the tall hills of Asheville was perfectly pink and the sweetest sunset I've seen in a while. Judge for yourself on the captures as I'm pretty biased but I think this set is the sweetest we've shared all year !!
