Kimberly and Adrian are horse people. Right now, they’re in the throws of a busy sales season. A few weeks ago, though, we were able to catch a break in the action to get together for their engagement session.

The day after, I received this message from Kimberly:

Thanks for making yesterday so much fun! Adrian & I had both had a stressful, flustery day. He didn’t know what to expect of the photo session, and ended up loving it. For the rest of the night, he kept saying, “That was nice. Good idea.”

And that’s what I love about engagement sessions. I like for my sessions to feel like a date—without food and activities. Just time to spend with each other. Everyone is so busy nowadays. To just hold hands, to hug, to just look at each other for a bit longer. That’s a nice change of pace, I’d say.

They’re also dog people. I’m really glad Marty and Waffles made the trip. They provided much comedic relief.

One of my favorites…

Waffles is generally hesitant to jump in water, but today the urge got the better of him. He and Marty had a blast.

So sweet. Love this.

To Kimberly and Adrian—I’m glad you enjoyed the session. You two are super-cool. Looking forward to seeing you again soon!

Last year, I photographed Jackson, Kate, and Avery in Lexington. This year, we met at an empty farmhouse in Paris, KY for a change of pace. I’m so happy with how these turned out. Especially the tree-swing shots.

I can’t say it enough. My life is enriched by all the people I work with.

Kris and Molly—I’ll look forward to seeing you all again soon. You know I’m a fan of you two and the kids!

And this post would not be complete without mentioning that Kris is one heck of a dude to get a home loan through. His company Stockton Mortgage is doing quite well, and for good reason—their rates are low and their customer service is on-point. You can reach him HERE for your purchase and refi needs.

Thanks, you all, for stopping by! If you want to stay up-to-date on recent work and upcoming promotions, I’d love it if you’d connect with me HERE. Thanks! -shaun

I used to worry that my style didn’t really fit cleanly into one certain category. I’m not a super-fashion-ee guy. Not really convincingly hipster. Quirky? Not so much. Definitely not traditional. Not so raw as to be a photojournalist in the purest sense. Artsy? Nah.

I’ve tried to be all those things. None seemed authentic. More exhausting than anything, really.

So what’s my style? It’s something no one ever again will be able to replicate exactly…It’s how I see the world. Without filter or enhancement. I’m a happy guy. I’m best when I’m with people. What is recorded by my camera is the optimism I feel toward the human spirit.

If there’s any advice I could offer up to other photographers (there are a few of you that frequent this blog), it would be this—-Don’t find your style. Just be it. Go with your gut. Maybe spend a little less time on other photographers’ blogs and spend a bit more time getting in-tune with your own creative instincts. Instead of researching the newest trends, try learning a bit more about how your camera works so that it can be an effortless extension of your vision. Maybe it means getting inspired in other ways—music, films, literature, dance, art, daydreaming even.

To Mia and Chris—Thank you for choosing me. For recognizing that we fit perfectly together. You and Chris are beautiful individuals, and I just love how perfectly imperfect you allow yourselves to be around me. That’s good stuff.  I can’t wait to shoot your wedding. It’s going to be a trip, y’all!

Here are some shots I’m particularly fond of:

It would be an understatement to say these two like baseball.

The dynamic between Chris and Mia is incredible. If they were competing in a couple’s World Series, they’d be unstoppable. They’re a team. Even Ted Williams wouldn’t be able to stop them.

Just happy.

This is the spot where Chris asked Mia to marry him last year.

Mia and Chris have this inside joke where they feign the beginnings of a scuffle. You can almost hear them saying, “What. WHAT. WWWHAAAT?!”

The tried to mean-mug it a bit on this one…

But they’re happy people. Smiles work best.

Mia likes throw deuces occasionally.

Chris thinks she’s totally normal.

Did I mention they have a new puppy?

Vicious, I tell you.

That’d be me. Awesome.

Thanks, everyone, for stopping by! Stay in touch!