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 I shoot on the beach a lot, 90% of the time it's hot and sunny, which I love, I'm not complaining, but sometimes, changing things up really sparks my creativity and gets me excited about very simple things, such as "GREEN"! I rarely get to photograph in such a green environment, with some epic rocks, and combined with some rain and fog. Most people might not get super excited when you're telling them you're traveling to Maryland. But, believe or not, Maryland has quite some interesting photo locations to offer, that don't necessarily require major hikes. In this case, the King and Queen seat. It's only about a 5 min walk from the parking lot. Pretty incredible, I think you would never guess that from seeing these pictures. When the weather called for rain, I asked Rebekah and Steve if they would like to cancel or move the session, but they decided to go through with it. And God was I happy they did! Apparently this couple has a history of getting rained on, so they didn't mind rain boots and an umbrella, and quickly turned this session into an awesomely entertaining event. Once we got started I realized that Rebekah and Steve are not the ordinary couple, no, they're two goofballs, who don't take poses seriously and jump in puddles. That combined with rain and fog seriously made the PERFECT session. I had so much fin with these two!
 If you want to catch the sunrise in Puerto Rico you have to get up early! BUT, it is so worth it! I know, doing your hair and make-up and throwing on a fancy dress at 5am might sound painful, but the light, the colors, and the peacefulness of the Caribbean early morning hours make up for it! In Puerto Rico, the beaches can get crowded during the day (of course, they're gorgeous!), especially in the San Juan area, so getting up early also has the benefit of a completely empty beach. Our beach location, Escambron beach in San Juan offered a great variety of backdrops, with rocks, view points and shallow water that allowed for the couple to get their feet wet during the photo shoot. It' also conveniently located, close to hotels and Old San Juan, and easily accessible. Leticia and Scott were visiting form Maryland and decided to elope in Puerto Rico. They got to the location even before me, and exchanged their vows, just the two of them, during the magic morning hour. I loved how they've kept that moment to themselves, intimate, without any audience. When I met Leticia ad Scott, the sun just started to peek out form behind the horizon, just perfect to begin with the photo session. Soon I realized, this couple is on fire! I could just feel their love for each other, and I loved how comfortable they felt in front of the camera. Great models, great light, what else can a photographer ask for? So, early birds, don't hesitate, lets get up and create some magic!
This was an exciting trip! It wasn't our first time in California, but it was our first time visiting Santa Barbara and Sant Ynez, and actually photographing a wedding there! Last year Geena and Aaron vacationed in Puerto Rico and I got to take their engagement pictures in the old town of San Juan and a beach location nearby. We had so much fun, and when they mentioned that they were currently planning their wedding in Santa Barbara, I jokingly offered to travel. Well, once I delivered the gallery and we realized what a great match we are, we actually made it happen! Last month the big day had finally arrived, and I went and saw this awesome couple again in Santa Ynez, at Grassini Family Vineyards, and I couldn't have asked for a better venue! The rooms where the bride and groom were getting ready, were absolutely gorgeous, with beautiful window light, lots of wood and an amazing fire place. We got to take portraits in the grapevines and the ceremony took place under a beautiful oak tree. Being used to mostly beach locations, this was such a nice change for me and I enjoyed working in a different location so much! The weather held up, even though the area had been blessed with a lot more rain than usual during the days before. Everything went so smoothly, and I had so much time for portraits with the couple, which is unusual on a busy wedding day! The evening ended with a super fun reception with great music, wine, and people who know how to party! Overall, this wedding had such a great vibe to it, I just had to share it with the world! I can't wait to come back! Vendor credits Venue: Grassini Family Vineyards Wedding Coordination: RSVP Weddings & Events www.rsvp.com Hair&Makeup: Santa Barbara Hair & Makeup www.santabarbarahairandmakeup.com DJ: DJ Darla Bea www.djdarlabea.com 2nd Camera: Kat Damin www.katdamin.com
Music plays a major role in this couples life, so we just had to incorporate that into their engagement pictures. Kelly's engagement ring was placed on the record that will be playing during their exit after the wedding ceremony. In the end we went a little crazy, played one of their favorite songs and projected the video on the living room wall (and them). A first for me, but I'm in love with the result! This session was so different from anything I've done before, and I have to say it was one of the most unique and fun sessions I've shot. With Kelly's and Sean's creative input, we created engagement pictures that truly show their personalities. And that's what it's all about! I can't wait to see what we come up with at their wedding in October!  
Reason number two I was excited about this session is, that I will be capturing their wedding in October! I love when I get the chance to get to know my wedding couples better during an engagement session. This way, we got to chat about the wedding planning, their style, the venue etc., which gives me an idea of what to expect. And of course, the couple gets to know me, and the way I work.  Reason number 3 this session was special: Puppy Rufus! Having a photo session with a puppy is kind of like having a toddler, lots of fun, and lots of treats! I love having pets in my sessions, it's different, and refreshing. If you're planning on bringing your pup along, make sure to give me a heads up, so we can make sure we chose a location that allows dogs. For Samantha's and Dominik's engagement session we decided to hang out at Patapsco Valley State Park. They were able to bring Rufus and we got to give the session a nice "woodsy" feel.
I will be back in Maryland in May to shoot a wedding, and an engagement session. I can't wait to meet my next Maryland wedding couples and capture them during the beautiful spring season! If you're wondering when my travel dates are, don't hesitate to contact me! isabelstudios1@gmail.com 
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