Trinh + JR

Trinh and JR are good friends of mine that have always said they'd like to have me do their wedding photos. So, when they had a private wedding in Key West, FL this past September and only the 2 of them and an officiant attended, it looked like I had missed my chance forever. These two are creative thinkers though and called me a few weeks later with an idea to do their wedding photos, going back down to Florida, and capture this special time for them before the seasons changed.

They flew me from Newark to Orlando International where we could use a nearby friends mansion in Winter Park, an uncle's beach house in New Smyrna, and spend 2 days getting portraits that they could share and tell their story with.

Winter Park, FL is beautiful. The name makes you think of ice-skating or smoking chimneys, which it it not at all. More like golf courses that can be played wearing shorts in winter. The home we used was a gorgeous lakefront home that belonged to JR's friend's family. Arriving there I was excited with the possibilities. I wasn't lying when I exclaimed that this was the nicest house I'd ever been in! It's outdoor spaces were landscaped meticulously, and it seemed like anywhere I pointed my camera the results were stunning. It didn't hurt either that Trinh and JR are a great looking couple that make everything fun.


We shot for a few hours there first outside on the patio, then by the boat house, and finally using the interior for some bridal portraits. It was a luxury to do these photos with out the constraints of a schedule or audience. It was more like the commercial shoots I'd worked on in my earlier assisting days, but casual with friends. We wrapped at sunset, locked up, powered-down, and made way for Carraba's Italian Grill for dinner.

Saturday started with a more leisurely approach. We spent the a.m. driving out to New Smyrna Beach, stopping at Stetson University to see JR's old haunts, then logged some hours on the sand and in the surf waiting for the light to get perfect. Around 3, we took off for the pictures, and got nice shots using the natural beauty of the panhandle state making our way to Canaveral National Park. I'd never done wedding photos on the beach before. I really enjoyed the warm colors, the crisp atmosphere, and the romantic desolation it offered. Success and Cheers!