Cameradventures: The “Young Love” Photoshoot

Pickerington Ponds Metro Park, October 2020

It being Valentine’s Day, I feel it only appropriate that I share the end-result of one of my favorite photoshoots from 2020.

There’s not a person on this planet that doesn’t know that last year was one of the most difficult for all of us. Between the election, the controversy surrounding it, the racial/social climate, pandemic-related deaths, new health protocols and unemployment, it seemed like 10-straight months of nothing but pain and sorrow.

Enter: Brenda Cousins Hawes And Her Husband Frederic.

Brenda contacted me via Facebook after inquiring about a series of photos shared online by a recent client. Since she and I were already friends on FB, she’d already had it in her mind to hire me sans interview or pricing review.

Living an hour’s drive apart, I offered to find a suitable location equidistant to both homes. To my surprise, she was willing and offered to drive here in Columbus. Since the shoot was for their wedding anniversary, they decided to take advantage of the trip and eat dinner after. All I had to do was pick the place.

So I chose one of the hidden treasures located about 10 minutes from my house.

Pickerington Ponds Metro Park.

Looking at their energy and excitement, I offered an impromptu theme:

I called the shoot, “Young Love”.

It didn’t matter that they were no longer in high school or college. It didn’t matter that he was recovering from Total Knee Replacement surgery, forcing us to avoid attempts to shoot the two, lying on the grass.

All that mattered was the joy in their life.