this is joe + mandy.
say, "hello."
mandy is one gal out of a handful that is truly near and dear to my heart. her + i use to exchange many, many heartfelt talks and, i want to say, hundreds of notes back and fourth in the narrow hallways all throughout our high school years together. to this day, i have almost every single one tucked away in a box in my old bedroom closet. (again with the whole emotional hoarding thing.)
she is one of the few people in this world that i know who feels things as intensely as i do. love, heartache, and everything in between. she helped me through times when i thought my heart was shattered-- helped me pick up the pieces.
anyway, i had asked her and joe to come out on a shoot with me quite a few months back so i could test out my new 50mm lens, because how adorable are these two lovebirds. am i right? right.
this had been the first time i had met joe, and i could tell right away there was something very special between these two people. something was just there. i felt it.
so, like the cool kids we are, we wandered around the park for awhile, catching the most perfect light if i do say so myself. from there, we headed for my favorite little coffee shop, which you will most likely see on here quite often.
*c u p o f j o e .
it's this cozy little shop that i think i could stay in... forever. unfortunately, i think they may have rules against people crashing on their couches at night. darnit.*
i just can't help but think how amazing it is how much time can change things. in the months since these photos were taken, i have witnessed these two grow more + more in love and i have also watched their journey with god and their love for him grow as well. let me tell you, it's truly a remarkable thing to see. joe + mandy inspire me every day, even when they don't necessarily know they're doing it.
oh, and on a not so ooey gooey, lovey dovey note-- i feel like my photography has, in my opinion, improved since these photos were taken as well. my style is constantly changing and i am slowly learning-- new techniques, better lighting, and a million other little things along the way, which is a small victory for me. i love seeing the growth in my work right before my eyes. it's an amazing thing-- an empowering thing. each day i hope to excel and better myself in every aspect.
i think that's something each one of us should strive for.
