Colleen & Kyle. OpLove Shoot.

I like being a photographer.

That is what I thought when I left this session.

Actually, no, that is what I said to Kayla when we were finished.

It’s true.

Sessions like this one remind me why.

Kyle is in the Marines.

Colleen is in Connecticut.

And they are in love.

I got an email from Colleen many months ago, asking me to do a shoot for Operation:  Love Reunited- for her and her boyfriend, when he was home for a couple weeks on leave.

I said yes.

So did Colleen, a mere hour or two before our shoot.

She said yes when Kyle asked her to be his wife.

So, this session happened on that same lovely afternoon, when these two were newly minted as an engaged couple.

To say they were happy is an understatement.

They tried to give quiet, portrait-style smiles-

- but had a difficult time containing their joy.

There were wide-swathed smiles and giggles, and overflowing moments of exultant happiness.

And there was lots of this– Colleen checking to make sure it really happened, looking again at her hand to assure herself that she wasn’t dreaming. I kept catching her at it.

See? Happy.

Lots of lovely things to plan,

dreams to dream,

and even some months apart from each other, sprinkled over with hope for a future.

Colleen and Kyle, thank you. It was such a privilege to spend an hour with you and see your happiness.

I hope the months of separation go quickly for you both.

Thank you for your sacrifice, your diligence in duty.

All the very best to you both!